Global Food Security Symposium 2011
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs held a symposium to review progress on the US government’s global food security strategy and provide critical thinking on how best to overcome potential obstacles to success.
May
24
Progress to Date and Strategies for Success 2011
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs convenes an annual symposium to review progress on the US government’s global food security strategy and provide critical thinking on how best to overcome potential obstacles to success.
The 2011 Symposium:
- Evaluates progress to date on the US government’s approach to agricultural development and food security, both celebrating successes and identifying opportunities for further work;
- Discusses how long-term US public and private sector support for agricultural development can advance global security, stability, and economic prosperity;
- Offers constructive thinking on future implementation challenges.
About the Speakers
Lael Brainard
Member, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System
Jason Clay
Senior Vice President, Markets and Food, World Wildlife Fund
Jason Clay leads the Market Transformation work of WWF-US for agriculture. Dr. Clay invented Rainforest Marketing, one of the first fair-trade ecolabels in the US and has spent more than 30 years with human rights and environmental organizations, is National Geographic's first ever Food and Agriculture Fellow, and the winner of the 2012 James Beard Award for his work on global food sustainability.
Wendy J. Chamberlin
President, Middle East Institute
Gordon Conway
Professor, Imperial College, London
Sir Gordon Conway is a professor of international development at Imperial College, and director of Agriculture for Impact, a grant funded by the Gates Foundation. He was chief scientific adviser to the Department for International Development. Previously, he was president of The Rockefeller Foundation, vice-chancellor of the University of Sussex, and recently president of the Royal Geographical Society.
Distinguished Fellow, Global Food and Agriculture
Prior to joining the Council, Ertharin Cousin served as executive director of the UN World Food Programme where she led the world’s largest humanitarian organization from 2012 to 2017. She also previously served as US ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome. Cousin is founder and CEO of Food Systems for the Future.
Senator Thomas Daschle
Chair, Committee on Agricultural Innovation and Productivity for the 21st Century, DuPont
Thomas Daschle served as a United States senator from South Dakota from 1987 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he became US Senate Minority Leader in 1995 and later the Majority Leader in 2001. Currently, he's the Chair of the Committee on Agricultural Innovation and Productivity for the 21st Century at DuPont.
Shenggen Fan
Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute
Shenggen Fan is the director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute, with expertise in transition economies and rural development in China.
Bill Gates
Cochair and Trustee, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Kay Granger
Chairwoman, US House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations
Kay Granger is a U.S. Representative from the state of Texas, serving the state's 12th congressional district. She is the first Republican woman to represent Texas in the U.S. House.
Julie Howard
Deputy Coordinator for Development, Feed the Future Initiative
Julie Howard is the deputy coordinator for development at the Feed the Future Initiative—the U.S. Government's global hunger and food security initiative
Mark Keenum
President, Mississippi State University
Mark E. Keenum is an agricultural economist and president of Mississippi State University. Previously, he served as the US Department of Agriculture Under Secretary (2006-2008) and oversaw the Farm Service Agency, Risk Management Agency, and Foreign Agricultural Service. He also served as Legislative Assistant and Chief of Staff for US Senator Thad Cochran.
Namanga Ngongi
President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
Namanga Ngongi is the president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, a farmer-centered, African-led, and partnerships-driven institution. He also the former deputy executive director of the World Food Program (WFP).
Chris Policinski
President and CEO, Land O’ Lakes
President, The Rockefeller Foundation
Rajiv Shah is the president of The Rockefeller Foundation and previously served as the administrator of USAID, where he secured bipartisan support for the Global Food Security Act and Electrify Africa Act, led the US response to the Haiti earthquake and West African Ebola pandemic, and served on the National Security Council.
Ritu Sharma
Cofounder and President, Women Thrive Worldwide
Josette Sheeran
Executive Director, UN World Food Programme
Robert L. Thompson
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Food and Agriculture
Robert L. Thompson is professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, where he held the Gardner Endowed Chair in Agricultural Policy. He is also a nonresident senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a senior fellow on global food and agriculture at the Council. Previously, Thompson also served as director of rural development at the World Bank.
Connie Veillette
Director, Rethinking US Foreign Assistance, Center for Global Development
Ann M. Veneman
Former Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund, former US Secretary of Agriculture
Ann M. Veneman was the first and only woman to lead the United States Department of Agriculture as Secretary. She currently serves as a co-leader of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center. She was included on the Forbes World's 100 Most Powerful Women list and is a recipient of the Women Making History Award from the National Women’s History Museum.
Tom Vilsack
Secretary, US Department of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack is the 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture. He previously served in this role for eight years under President Barack Obama. Prior to returning to USDA, he served as president and CEO of the US Dairy Export Council.
Joachim von Braun
Director, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn
General Charles F. Wald (Ret.)
Director and Senior Advisor, Aerospace & Defense Industry, Deloitte Services LP
Derek Yach
Executive Director, The Vitality Group
Dr. Derek Yach is executive director of the Vitality Group, where he leads the Vitality Institute for Health Promotion. Previously, he served as senior vice president of global health and agriculture policy at PepsiCo, head of global health at the Rockefeller Foundation, and executive director for noncommunicable diseases and mental health at the World Health Organization.