Obama set to unveil plan on global food security

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration will unveil its long-awaited global food security plan during the next few days with the United States expected to focus on helping farmers in poor countries feed themselves through better productivity, research and infrastructure.

Leaders of the G8 countries pledged $20 billion in July to impoverished farmers to tackle chronic hunger. Instead of counting on food donations, they want to focus on helping small farmers feed themselves and neighbors through research such as creating seeds better suited to local conditions, boosting production and infrastructure to get crops to market.

The issue will take center stage when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discuss food security on Saturday in New York.

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition that he not be identified, confirmed the Obama administration plans to unveil a food security plan at or around the time of the Saturday food security event.

Sen. Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican, told reporters at a hunger conference that according to notes from Secretary Clinton, she will discuss "a multi-sectoral approach" promoting the development of infrastructure, education and research along with increasing farming productivity for local producers.

The Obama administration is "on the right track," said Lugar, who has introduced a bill with similar food aid reform measures. However, he was not optimistic that his plan, awaiting vote in the full Senate, would move forward this year.

"Until voters and politicians are motivated, very little can often be accomplished," he said.

More than 1 billion people will be chronically hungry this year, the United Nations' World Food Program estimates, up from 963 million in 2008 when food prices spiked, causing hoarding and riots over food in some nations.

Much of the blame on the failure to combat global hunger is because U.S. politicians, business leaders and others have not made it a priority, said Dan Glickman, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture who is vice chairman of the Friends of the World Food Program.

Representative Jim McGovern, a Massachusetts Democrat, said reaction to the Obama administration's plan will be crucial to determine if the United States is committed to trying something new.

"What we don't have is political will," said McGovern. "Leadership is going to have to come from the White House."

(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Christian Wiessner)