About the Food Security Strategy Group
Recognizing the complexity and severity of food insecurity and the geopolitical, humanitarian, market, and environmental challenges it poses, the Aspen Institute’s policy programs have created the Food Security Strategy Group to take a long-term, global, systems approach to understanding and optimizing the food security order over the next 30 years.
The critical question to be addressed through this work is: How can we sustainably and equitably feed a growing world population without exceeding the natural resources carrying capacity of the planet?
The Food Security Strategy Group is a high-level, non-partisan, and international forum through which a group of leaders and experts—drawn from government, academia, and the private and non-profit sectors—explore pre-eminent food security challenges. By harnessing the Institute’s international affiliates and building upon the Institute’s recognized role as a convener of multiple stakeholders, the Strategy Group aims to incubate a global set of values through which leaders can influence food security factors and collaborate across sectors and geographies.
The Strategy Group is comprised of prominent and influential leaders in business, government, non-profit organizations and academia, and co-chaired by Madeleine K. Albright, Thomas A. Daschle, Tony Elumelu, Dan Glickman, and Javier Solana. Strategy Group members strive for cross-sectoral solutions between four interlinked areas: population, health and poverty; science, technology and innovation; markets, trade and investment; and environmental sustainability.
The Group, developed by the Institute’s Energy and Environment, Aspen Global Health and Development, and the Middle East Programs, is launching this summer with a 3-day convening in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Group will focus on the strategic development of coordinated food security planning at a global level, working between sectors to share best practices for leadership and governance on food security.
Using a New Approach
This initiative builds on the progress of past food security efforts by meeting the need for nonpartisan, global collaboration at the highest levels of government, the private sector, academic institutions and the NGO community. Although food security has begun to receive heightened media attention, academic scrutiny and financial investment in recent years, more can be done to cultivate the leadership required to achieve the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s vision for food security existing when “all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. “
This series of Aspen Institute dialogues seek to prepare leaders to improve coordination between NGO and private sector efforts, address challenges of local governance, strengthen the rule of law and sanctity of contract in agriculture markets, support small-holder and women farmers, and develop in-country leadership over food infrastructure.
Honorable Co-Chairs of the Food Security Strategy Group
Madeleine K. Albright, Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group, Former Secretary of State
Thomas A. Daschle, Senior Policy Advisor, DLA Piper, Former U.S. Senator
Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation
Dan Glickman, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Congressional Program, Former Secretary of Agriculture
Javier Solana, Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution, Former Secretary General, EU Council
