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INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE TO AGAINST HUNGER The International Alliance Against Hunger was created in Rome in 2003 on the recommendation of the World Food Summit. The goal of the International Alliance is to strengthen global and national resolve to address the problems of hunger and malnutrition on a scale that matches the enormity of the problems – with an eye toward achieving the first Millennium Development Goal of cutting hunger in half by 2015.
Globally, the International Alliance brings together major international institutions for agriculture, food and nutrition and a growing number of international NGOs committed to ensuring that all people have enough to eat. The International Alliance was founded by FAO, WFP, IFAD and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (represented by Bioversity). The International Alliance has facilitated the emergence of national alliances against hunger in 24 countries, with an additional 25 alliances in the process of bring established. Alliances are operating on five continents, in developed and developing countries with a combined population of more than one billion people. These national alliances have a similar model as the Alliance the End Hunger in the U.S. They work to bring together civil society groups, the private sector and governments to build the political to cut hunger and malnutrition. The experience of the National Council for Food and Nutrition Security (CONSEA) in Brazil demonstrates how a national alliance can generate the kind of political will that leads to a rapid reduction in the levels of hunger. With CONSEA’s influence and support, President Lula launched the Zero Hunger Program (Fome Cero) in 2002. The program gives 11 million of Brazil’s poorest families US$30 per month so they can eat better, and supports school meals and small-scale farming. The program is affordable – only 2 percent of the national budget – and has resulted in significant nutritional improvements. CONSEA has played an important role in incorporating the Right to Food framework and engaging civil society in setting policies. In addition, the program has generated economic benefits for the country and political support for President Lula’s re-election. Now, the program is focused on sustainability by emphasizing nutrition education, skills training and redistribution of land to small-scale farmers.
On June 5, 2008, Rev. David Beckmann, president of the Alliance to End Hunger, spoke on behalf of the IAAH at the U.N. High-Level Conference on World Food Security in Rome. He argued that the response to the world hunger crisis should include efforts to build political will by strengthening institutions that advocate for policies to help hungry and poor people. Click here to listen to the audio or read his remarks to the plenary session. To read Rev. Beckmann's full report on the conference, click here. To learn more about the UN International Alliance Against Hunger and national alliances around the globe, explore their website: www.iaahp.net.
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