As the Global Coordinator for Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, it is my pleasure to report on the implementation of the U.S. Government Global Food-Security Strategy (GFSS) for Fiscal Year 2019—the third annual review of the Administration’s commitments, achievements, and lessons-learned in reducing global hunger, poverty, and malnutrition.

This past year, with the reauthorization of the bi-partisan Global Food-Security Act of 2016, we saw the powerful reaffirmation of the commitment of the United States to empower smallholder farmers and strengthen communities and economies to protect and accelerate their progress on the Journey to Self-Reliance.

Feed the Future continues to reduce poverty and stunting in the areas in which we work and has helped millions of women realize greater economic potential. Amid this progress, we also face increasing challenges. Hunger has risen, primarily because of conflict, climate variability, and economic downturns. Against this global backdrop, our focused determination to work with other governments, civil society, and the private sector to address the root causes of hunger and poverty in our partner countries so they can advance on the Journey to Self-Reliance also benefits us at home in the United States. Feed the Future’s work opens new markets for U.S. businesses, improves the policy environment for responsible private investment and trade, and creates demand for U.S. innovations and expertise. Smart, effective investments and policies will create a more peaceful and stable world that is resilient to shocks, stresses, and recurrent humanitarian crises, which in the long run should end the need for sustained foreign assistance.

The GFSS continues to align our efforts from Washington to the field to advance catalytic partnerships and scalable innovations. We look forward to working closely with Congress, national governments, the private sector, universities, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders on our collective vision. Ending hunger is possible. Together, we can continue to turn scarcity into abundance, desperation into hope, and hardship into opportunity.