Canada is starting to climb back into the ranks of world nations seen as generous providers of food aid, says the federal minister responsible for foreign aid.
Susan Whelan, minister responsible for the Canadian International Development Agency, said Canada can start to increase its food aid and agriculture development spending around the world as a result of the Feb. 18 budget. In it, finance minister John Manley promised an eight percent increase in international assistance spending in each of the next three years – a $1.4 billion increase over three years.
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“I believe that these new resources that are being allocated to international assistance will allow us to ensure that we are establishing ourselves in a formidable way in the area of food aid and agricultural development,” she said.
Whelan, along with Canadian food aid groups, have lamented the fact that under nine years of fiscally conservative Liberal budgeting, Canada’s commitment to international food aid and development had fallen sharply. A country once considered generous with food aid had been relegated to also-ran status among world donors.
During her year as CIDA minister, Whelan has lobbied hard to increase foreign assistance funding and shift foreign aid policy. In March, CIDA will publish a policy document that Whelan says will re-establish food and agricultural development as key parts of Canada’s aid program.
“During a review of the program, there has been a lot of discussion about the underemphasis on agriculture and food in the past,” said the minister. “That will change.”
She said the new policy will target aid at developing countries that have guaranteed responsible governance and are committed to poverty reduction. In those cases, development of the farm sector and rural areas often is the best way to tackle problems.
“We want new spending to be strategic and effective,” said Whelan. The increased budget will mean more help in feeding the poor in developing countries or helping them feed themselves.
