The below is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Shejal Pulivarti:
On August 1, Administrator Samantha Power met with Howard G. Buffett, Chairman and CEO of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, to discuss the urgent global food security crisis exacerbated by Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. The Administrator detailed USAID’s long standing support for Ukraine’s agriculture sector and how the agency quickly pivoted to assist farmers after Russia’s full scale invasion by identifying and meeting their immediate needs, including providing seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and other critical inputs as well as connecting farmers with financing to help them deliver this year’s harvest.
Administrator Power and Mr. Buffett also discussed USAID’s recently established $100 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) - Ukraine, which is designed to address Ukraine’s immediate agricultural export challenges. They also discussed the Howard G. Buffett Foundation’s interventions in Ukraine’s agricultural sector, including locally sourcing agricultural products, and providing storage, equipment, and operations support.
Both the Administrator and Mr. Buffett agreed that supporting Ukraine’s farmers and enabling Ukraine to export its agricultural products is vital to alleviating the global food security crisis, which could push up to 40 million additional people into poverty and food insecurity in 2022 alone.
Administrator Power expressed her hope that USAID and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation could find opportunities for collaboration to support Ukraine and the millions of people around the world at increased risk from extreme poverty, malnutrition, and starvation as a direct result of Putin’s war.