### §9302. Statement of policy objectives; sense of Congress

#### (a) Statement of policy objectives

It is in the national interest of the United States to promote global food security, resilience, and nutrition, consistent with national food security investment plans, which is reinforced through comprehensive, multi-sectoral programs, activities, and initiatives that consider agriculture and food systems in their totality and that—

(1) place food insecure countries on a path toward self-sufficiency, economic freedom, and security through the phasing, sequencing, and coordination of United States foreign assistance programs;

(2) accelerate inclusive, agricultural-led economic growth that reduces global poverty, hunger, and malnutrition, particularly among women and children;

(3) increase the productivity, incomes, and livelihoods of small-scale producers and artisanal fishing communities, especially women in these communities, by working across terrestrial and aquatic food systems and agricultural value chains, including by—

(A) enhancing local capacity to manage agricultural resources and food systems effectively and expanding producer access to, and participation in, local, regional, and international markets;

(B) increasing the availability and affordability of high quality nutritious and safe foods and clean water;

(C) creating entrepreneurship opportunities and improving access to business development related to agriculture and food systems, including among youth populations, linked to local, regional, and international markets; and

(D) enabling partnerships to facilitate the development of and investment in new agricultural technologies to support more resilient and productive agricultural practices;

(4) build resilience to agriculture and food systems shocks and stresses, including global food catastrophes in which conventional methods of agriculture are unable to provide sufficient food and nutrition to sustain the global population, among vulnerable populations and households through inclusive growth, while reducing reliance upon emergency food and economic assistance;

(5) create an enabling environment for agricultural growth and investment, including through the promotion of secure and transparent property rights;

(6) improve the nutritional status of women, adolescent girls, and children, with a focus on reducing child stunting and incidence of wasting, including through the promotion of highly nutritious foods, diet diversification, large-scale food fortification, and nutritional behaviors that improve maternal and child health and nutrition, especially during the first 1,000-day window until a child reaches 2 years of age;

(7) demonstrably meet, align with and leverage broader United States strategies and investments in trade, economic growth, national security, combating fragility, resilience, science and technology, natural resource management 1 agriculture research and extension, maternal and child health, nutrition,,2 including deworming, and water, sanitation, and hygiene;

(8) continue to strengthen partnerships between United States-based universities, including land-grant colleges, and universities and institutions in target countries and communities that build agricultural capacity; and

(9) ensure the effective use of United States taxpayer dollars to further these objectives.

#### (b) Sense of Congress

It is the sense of the Congress that the President, in providing assistance to implement the Global Food Security Strategy, should—

(1) coordinate, through a whole-of-government approach, the efforts of relevant Federal departments and agencies to implement the Global Food Security Strategy;

(2) seek to fully utilize the unique capabilities of each relevant Federal department and agency while collaborating with and leveraging the contributions of other key stakeholders; and

(3) utilize open and streamlined solicitations to allow for the participation of a wide range of implementing partners through the most appropriate procurement mechanisms, which may include grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and other instruments as necessary and appropriate.

(Pub. L. 114–195, §3, July 20, 2016, 130 Stat. 676; Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LV, §5588(b), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3375.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–263, §5588(b)(1), in introductory provisions, substituted "comprehensive, multi-sectoral programs, activities, and initiatives that consider agriculture and food systems in their totality and that" for "programs, activities, and initiatives that".

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 117–263, §5588(b)(2), substituted ", economic freedom, and security through the phasing, sequencing, and coordination" for "and economic freedom through the coordination".

Subsec. (a)(3), (4). Pub. L. 117–263, §5588(b)(3), added pars. (3) and (4) and struck out former pars. (3) and (4) which read as follows:

"(3) increase the productivity, incomes, and livelihoods of small-scale producers, especially women, by working across agricultural value chains, enhancing local capacity to manage agricultural resources effectively and expanding producer access to local and international markets;

"(4) build resilience to food shocks among vulnerable populations and households while reducing reliance upon emergency food assistance;".

Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 117–263, §5588(b)(4), amended par. (6) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (6) read as follows: "improve the nutritional status of women and children, with a focus on reducing child stunting, including through the promotion of highly nutritious foods, diet diversification, and nutritional behaviors that improve maternal and child health;".

Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 117–263, §5588(b)(5), substituted "combating fragility, resilience, science and technology, natural resource management" for "science and technology," and inserted ", including deworming," after "nutrition,".

1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.

2 So in original.