Posted on 03-24-2011 By Jake Caldwell President Barack Obama
embarked on a historic trip to Latin America last week to
strengthen U.S. ties to this vital region and commemorate the
50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s “Alliance for
Progress.” The United States and Brazil should seize this
opportunity to forge a strategic partnership to confront global
food insecurity. Feeding the hungry throughout the Western
Hemisphere was a key priority of the original Alliance for
Progress. President Kennedy declared at the launch of the
alliance in 1961: For hungry men and women cannot wait for
economic discussions or diplomatic meetings; their need is
urgent, and their hunger rests heavily on the conscience of
their fellow men. This remains a pressing global need today. The
U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, now estimates
that more than 925 million people worldwide go to bed each night
malnourished and hungry. Making matters worse, food prices have
risen to record levels in the past eight months i