The US Congress passed the Global Food Security Act last week, authorising US$7.3 billion between 2017 and 2021 in support for hunger and food security initiatives. The new legislation will institutionalise on a permanent basis US President Barack Obama’s flagship “Feed the Future” initiative, which is designed to reach millions of farmers in 19 select “focus countries.” The scheme works to support the growth of small-scale producers’ income and improve food security, and nutrition, through country-led development and investment plans. “This game-changing development initiative has helped increase economic growth and stem the tide of global hunger, poverty and malnutrition over the span of just a few years,” said Obama. The US president must next sign the legislation in order for it to become law. At press time, the bill was still listed under “ pending legislation ” on the White House website. The bill will also expand US humanitarian resources for disaster assistance, including emergency food support in cases of natural and manmade disasters. The Congressional Budget Office estimated in June that the bill will cost US$5.5 billion between 2017 and 2021 for humanitarian assistance and US$1.8 billion in 2017 and 2018 for food security initiatives. Food aid reform The...