U.S.
Food Security Measurement Methods Adapted for Use in Other
Countries
In 1995, the United States became the first country to measure
and monitor household food security (access to enough food
for active healthy living) at a national level. Since then,
ERS—which plays a leading role in U.S. household food
security measurement—has provided technical assistance
to researchers interested in adapting the U.S. methods for
use in other countries, including Brazil, India, Israel, Bangladesh,
Portugal, and Burkina Faso. Earlier this year, ERS sociologist
Mark Nord described lessons learned from measuring U.S. food
security to nutritionists and social scientists from Israel,
Palestine, and the United States at a conference jointly sponsored
by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Israel), the conference
site; Al Quds University (Palestine); and Tufts University
(United States). Conference participants met to plan collaborative
research on child nutrition in Israel and Palestine and considered,
among other issues, the role food security measurement could
play in improving child nutrition. Mark
Nord.
Interagency Group Discusses
the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources
Scott Bauer, USDA/ARS
In June 2005, a U.S. interagency group met with
representatives from Canada in Washington, DC, to discuss
developments related to the International Treaty on Plant
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The treaty governs
the exchange of germplasm of 35 crops and 29 genera of forages.
Though the Treaty entered into force on June 29, 2004, the
lack of a standard Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) has left
uncertain the terms of germplasm exchange. The group—which
included representatives from ERS, other USDA agencies, and
the State Department—discussed issues and proposals
regarding MTAs for the upcoming First Meeting of the Contact
Group on the Terms of the Standard Material Transfer Agreement,
scheduled for August in Hammamet, Tunisia. The standard Material
Transfer Agreement will play a key role in determining future
germplasm exchange among parties to the Treaty. The U.S has
signed, but not yet ratified, the treaty. Kelly
Day Rubenstein.
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