In Washington, DC Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol reinforces partnership with the U.S. government to achieve a food-secure world

Washington, DC – Continuing to reinforce the partnership between the U.S. government and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol held bilateral meetings with high-level officials during her recent visit to Washington, DC.  

DDG Bechdol met the Assistant to the Administrator (AA) of USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Sonali Korde shortly after AA Korde’s swearing in. Ms. Korde praised FAO’s work in response to the Desert Locust crisis. She also expressed appreciation for FAO’s work in Afghanistan. Even in her new role, AA Korde remains as Deputy to the U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian issues and is charged with leading U.S. diplomacy efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza; DDG Bechdol took the opportunity of their meeting to provide a brief of FAO’s work in Gaza. 

At the U.S. Department of State, DDG Bechdol had a productive exchange with Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Ambassador Michele Sison and Deputy Director Office of Bilateral Affair John Tuminaro. FAO’s critical work supporting agricultural livelihoods in emergency situations was recognized, as was FAO’s soil mapping for resilient agrifood systems (SoilFER) project. To date, soil mapping in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa has been funded by the U.S. Department of State as part of the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) initiative. 

In advance of the USDA’s 100th Outlook Forum, in which the FAO Deputy Director-General participated, DDG Bechdol met with USDA Under Secretary Alexis Taylor. The Outlook Forum addressed agricultural market trends and transitions. DDG Bechdol spoke at the event on innovation in agrifood systems as a key driver of transformation. 

On Capitol Hill, bilateral meetings took place with U.S. Representatives Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on Agriculture and Member of the House Agriculture Committee; Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry and co-Chair of the Agricultural Trade Caucus; Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade; as well as a senior staff member of Congressman Mario Diaz Balart (R-Fla.). Discussions touched on diverse topics, including emergency agricultural assistance as humanitarian aid and the vital role of innovation in driving productivity in the agriculture sector and combatting food insecurity globally. Additionally, DDG Bechdol elaborated on the importance of FAO’s normative work as exemplified by Codex Alimentarius and the International Plant Protection Committee (IPPC). 

FAO’s collaboration with the U.S. government spans across numerous federal agencies, including USAID, USDA, Department of State. The transformation of agrifood systems to be more resilient, efficient, sustainable and inclusive for a food-secure world is a shared goal. In 2023, the United States was FAO’s largest resource partner with over USD 300 million in contributions that supported the Organization’s technical, normative and emergency and resilience programmes.