March 8, 2016
The Honorable Bob Corker
Chairman
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
423 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Ben Cardin
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
423 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Corker and Ranking Member Cardin,
I write as the current President of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and as a
former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to offer my
strong support for passage of the Global Food Security Act of 2016 (S. 1252). APLU is a research,
policy, and advocacy organization with a membership of 235 public research universities, land-grant
institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations. APLU includes institutions in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico. Annually, member campuses
enroll 4.7 million undergraduates and 1.3 million graduate students, award 1.2 million degrees, employ
1.2 million faculty and staff, and conduct $42.7 billion in university-based research. Our universities
have a long, strong history in North America where they have served as engines of the economy and
vehicles of upward mobility for over a century. APLU universities also have much to offer the rest of the
world, including developing nations and institutions of higher education in developing countries.
As you know, the Global Food Security Act would authorize a comprehensive strategy for the United
States’ efforts to eradicate world hunger. U.S. public universities are committed to and actively engaged
in the efforts to combat global food insecurity. However, we know the challenges are great and the effort
requires strong leadership by the whole U.S. government, particularly USAID, in partnership with
universities, governments, businesses, nongovernmental and civil society organizations, multilateral
institutes, and farmers.
Since 1990, the hunger rate has been cut nearly in half and now stands at one in nine people worldwide,
the lowest level ever recorded. During this same period, the number of people living in extreme poverty
fell by half, a reduction of almost one billion people. Such accomplishments are some of the best success
stories in international development, and academic and research institutions, including public and landgrant universities, have served an integral role by introducing new innovations that have increased food
Founded in 1887, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) is North America's oldest higher education
association with member institutions in all 50 U.S. states including 208 campuses and 24 public university systems. Annually,
APLU member campuses enroll 4.7 million undergraduates and 1.2 million graduate students, award 1.2 million degrees,
employ 1.4 million faculty and staff, and conduct $42.7 billion in university-based research.
supplies while minimizing environmental impact and building capacity in developing nations. As the
world population is projected to reach over nine billion by 2050, food supplies will need to increase by
70-100 percent to meet the increased demand. As the challenge is great, so must be our response.
I am pleased that the Global Food Security Act of 2016 requires the Administration to develop a wholeof-government strategy to address global food security and hunger. Furthermore, the legislation
appropriately recognizes that any successful strategy must harness the unique resources and capabilities of
U.S. public universities in both agricultural research and building human and institutional capacity in
developing nations. As an example, the Feed the Future Innovation Labs are a successful network of
more than 60 U.S. universities partnering to tackle the world’s greatest agricultural challenges. The
Innovation Labs engage researchers at U.S. universities to innovate through research and educate partners
in developing nations.
Additionally, U.S. universities are actively engaged in helping to build the human capacities of
developing nations in research, training, and education and also in developing the capacity of institutions.
In my view, the U.S. government needs to significantly expand its efforts to build the capacities of
developing nation institutions of higher education in partnership with U.S. universities to provide the
human capital to sustain our assistance effort. I appreciate that the legislation references the importance of
capacity building in partnerships with U.S. universities.
Passing the Global Food Security Act would be a critical step in what must be a global effort to combat
food insecurity. Please do not hesitate to let me know how I can be helpful as the legislation proceeds.
Sincerely,
Peter McPherson
President
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
CC: Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee