Ottawa, Ontario – As global food insecurity increases throughout the world, Cooperation Canada is pleased to see the Government of Canada respond with $250 million in new funding to address the global hunger crisis. This much needed commitment comes at a time when the crisis in Ukraine aggravates pressures on vulnerable households, climate-stressed farmlands, and fragile supply chains in many parts of the world.
With this latest announcement, and previous funding announcements for affected regions including the Sahel, South Sudan, Syria, and for the agri-food sector in Africa, Cooperation Canada welcomes new, additional funds to address the global food crisis. “The scale of the global hunger crisis is significant and should not be underestimated. Millions of lives are at stake,” said Kate Higgins, Cooperation Canada’s CEO. “Additional funding is critical to ensure that Canada can respond quickly without diverting funds from other existing priorities.”
Cooperation Canada commends the inclusion of people in Canada in this response with the announcement of a match donation campaign through the Humanitarian Coalition. This effort could help raise up to an additional $5 million to address the hunger crisis.
Cooperation Canada also welcomes the decision to channel funds through Canadian civil society organizations. Canadian civil society organizations are well-placed to respond to this crisis, working across diverse sectors and geographies, and with and through local partners best placed to respond. As the complexity of the food crisis pushes countries and organizations to apply multi-sectoral solutions to systemic problems, Canadian civil society organizations and their partners are ready to rise to the challenge. “We have been working alongside Cooperation Canada members and others to advocate for increased Canadian leadership to address this hunger crisis,” noted Higgins. “We are pleased to see this response. Canadian organizations and their partners are on the front-line, responding to global humanitarian crises with flexibility, innovation and heart. This announcement recognizes their expertise, role and contribution.”