Fight the Famine, Feed the Future

Drought is inevitable, but famine is not. The current crisis in the Horn of Africa is a man-made disaster that could have been avoided. But over the past few years, we lost the political will and public support necessary to stop the starving - and its causes. As a consequence, tens of thousands of children have died.

We've also missed the opportunity to help 200 million people from poor farming families lift themselves out of poverty. Communities in Africa can cope with droughts and natural disasters. But we need donors to put resources toward seeds, irrigation and teaching farmers new growing techniques. We need leaders to invest in early warning systems and national social safety net programs.

Congress can help keep America's commitment to farmers in developing countries by fully funding Feed the Future - a life-changing USAID initiative that is investing in long-term agricultural development could help put an end to famine for good.