Education & Advocacy Committee
Chair: Nathan Rider
Members: Niki Lee, Chandler Mulvaney
Objectives
Current Activities
Past Activities
Members: Niki Lee, Chandler Mulvaney
Objectives
- Increasing awareness of the instrumental role of agriculture in global development and its importance in the U.S foreign assistance portfolio;
- Informing policy makers, donors and institutions about effective strategies to advance agriculture and rural development in the global economy;
- Improving relationships between agriculture and rural development and other development efforts to promote a sustainable global society (e.g., natural resources, health and nutrition, child survival, HIV/AIDS, gender, democratization);
- Fostering interaction and cooperation among other organizations and private sector companies dedicated to expanding U.S. resources for international agriculture and rural development.
Current Activities
- New AIARD Report: SMART Investments in International Agriculture and Rural Development
“Win-win” international collaboration is a theme that has run through AIARD’s education and advocacy work for years -- documenting how the U.S. investment in international agricultural research, extension, and education helps many needy people overseas AND brings important economic and other benefits back to the United States.
We began this work on win-win investments a number of years ago with a publication of case studies called Food, the Whole World’s Business. In 2017-18 AIARD members responded to unique set of opportunities to carry some of these ideas forward: 1) the Farm Bill debate; 2) a new Administration; 3) ongoing foreign operations appropriations challenges; 4) a need for educational efforts to help the American taxpayer understand the international scientific collaboration that is behind our food supply -- that international assistance is not just something that is given “to others” but how our domestic investments work hand in hand with our foreign assistance investments toward global and U.S. food security.
In response to these challenges, AIARD published SMART Investments in International Agriculture and Rural Development.This report provides the public, Congress, and the new administration with recommendations and the rationale to support investment in global food and nutrition security. The SMART Investments report outlines how these investments will improve global Security and Stability, enhance Markets and Trade, expand Adaptation and Conservation, increase Research and Innovation, and strengthen Training and Education. Our members are sharing these recommendations with policy makers and others. - Supporting International Agriculture Language in the Farm Bill
Consistent with the recommendations in the SMART Investment report, AIARD is joining the Farm Journal Foundation and others in supporting the amended 2018 Farm Bill Language. Learn more here.
Past Activities
- AIARD was actively involved in education around issues related to the Agriculture Act of 2014 (the Farm Bill). Selected issues addressed in the 2014 Farm Bill of interest to AIARD are summarized here.
- The 2014 Coalition for Agricultural Development (CFAD) issue paper developed by AIARD representatives and CFAD for consideration by Foreign Operations Appropriations Committees is at this link.
- The Education & Advocacy committee has also hosted a Capitol Hill Forum in alternate years. In 2011 the topic of the Forum was “Hunger Won’t Wait.” Speakers at the March 15, 2011 Forum warned against undoing key political and financial commitments made in the aftermath of the last global food crisis. "This is the worst time to disinvest in agriculture," said IFPRI's Dr. Ousmane Badiane. "For the first time, we have the right conditions to make a difference."
Committee Reports
| 2018_aiard_education_and_advocacy_report.pdf |
| 2015_aiard_education_and_advocacy_report.pdf |