Countries throughout the world are dedicated to eliminating poverty-related hunger to the fullest extent possible. Although this objective is widely acknowledged, the resources and policies needed to achieve that object vary widely from country to country. This Nation is richly endowed with natural resources. Through the generations, our people have developed the knowledge, the technology, the policies, and the economic system to transform our endowment into agricultural abundance. Not all nations are similarly endowed.
Hunger persists throughout the world.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that as many as 500 million people suffer from poverty-related malnutrition, especially in lesser developed countries. The United States has a long tradition of sharing its agricultural abundance with those in need. We have sought, and will continue to strive, to improve the economies and food production abilities of those countries where the need is greatest. This year alone our food aid activities are assisting 70 countries. We are training an average of more than 2,000 agriculturalists per year from developing countries, and we are providing technical assistance to 50 nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to help develop their food research and production capabilities.