The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:
Today, Administrator Samantha Power met with Svein Tore Holsether, President and Chief Executive Officer of global fertilizer company Yara International, to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its adverse impacts on the global fertilizer supply, crop production, and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on agriculture. Administrator Power discussed ways in which USAID, through the U.S. government’s Feed the Future initiative, is addressing impacts on global hunger, poverty, and malnutrition.
The Administrator reiterated the private sector’s critical role in addressing the compounding impact of rising food prices and fertilizer costs on smallholder farmers’ ability to maintain their crop yields. Mr. Holsether discussed actions that his company, which produces and markets fertilizer globally including in Africa, is taking or planning to take to mitigate the impact of higher prices and supply disruptions, and to keep fertilizers accessible and affordable to smallholder farmers.