US raises $135m to combat food insecurity, aims to support Pakistani farmers

Funds to help farmers use fertiliser more efficiently and maximise food production

The United States announced on Thursday that a total of $135 million had been raised as funding to combat global fertiliser shortages and food insecurity in low- and middle-income countries, according to a US Department of State press release.

In a tweet, the US Embassy in Islamabad announced that the United States plans to provide support to Pakistan through the funds raised by the Global Fertiliser Challenge.

The embassy referred to the countries' "multiyear partnership" in the US-Pakistan Green Alliance and shared its plans to help Pakistani farmers "use fertiliser more efficiently" and "maximise food production".

We’re pleased to announce the U.S. will provide support to Pakistan through the Global Fertilizer Challenge. Through this multiyear partnership as part of our U.S.-Pakistan Green Alliance, we will help Pakistani farmers use fertilizer more efficiently & maximize food production. https://t.co/tbW90B6YPU

— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) November 17, 2022

The funds raised exceeded US President Joe Biden’s initial goal for the Global Fertiliser Challenge, which was set at $100 million dollars by COP27.

The US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry took to his Twitter to share that the Global Fertiliser Challenge to combat food insecurity had over-delivered, with $135 million in new funding.

Read Pak-US Green Alliance to help agri-productivity

He said that these funds will be allocated towards "fertilizer efficiency and soil health programs, maximizing food production, and cutting environmental impacts like climate super-pollutant N2O".

Proud to over-deliver on @POTUS Global Fertilizer Challenge to combat food insecurity with $135 million in new funding for fertilizer efficiency and soil health programs, maximizing food production and cutting env. impacts like climate super-pollutant N2O. https://t.co/lcaIqrpQd5

— Special Presidential Envoy John Kerry (@ClimateEnvoy) November 14, 2022

The press release stated that the funds aim to provide support to low- and middle-income countries and "address the global fertiliser shortages that may have been caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine".

From the funds collected, $109 million are from the public while $25 million are from the US, reported the press release.

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) is leveraging $4.5 million from the private sector while a group of philanthropic funders and investors have committed $21.5 million to address fertiliser’s role in the climate, food security and energy crises.

It added that the funds would be used to "expand fertiliser and soil health programs in sub-Saharan Africa and key middle-income countries outside the continent".