[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4283 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4283
To support sustainable and broad-based agricultural and rural
development in sub-Saharan Africa, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 21, 1998
Mr. Bereuter (for himself, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Leach, Mr.
Hall of Ohio, Mr. Kanjorski, Mr. Walsh, Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Ehlers, Ms.
Waters, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Scott, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Moran of
Virginia, Mr. Towns, Ms. Carson, Mr. Abercrombie, Ms. Norton, Mr.
Snyder, Mr. Lipinski, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Sabo, Mr. Lewis of Georgia,
Mr. Wexler, Ms. Furse, Mrs. Capps, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. Hinchey,
Mr. Bentsen, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Gejdenson, Mr. McHale, Mr. Brown of
Ohio, Mr. Engel, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Rothman, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Lantos,
Mr. Chabot, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Goodling, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Berman, Mr.
Horn, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Allen, Mr. Petri, Mr. Porter, Mr. Dixon, Mrs.
Maloney of New York, Mr. Stark, Mr. Oxley, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr.
Hinojosa, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Christian-Green, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms.
Kilpatrick, Ms. McKinney, Mr. Watt of North Carolina, and Mr. Barrett
of Nebraska) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee
on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support sustainable and broad-based agricultural and rural
development in sub-Saharan Africa, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Africa: Seeds of
Hope Act of 1998''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings and declaration of policy.
TITLE I--ASSISTANCE FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Sec. 101. Africa Food Security Initiative.
Sec. 102. Microenterprise assistance.
Sec. 103. Support for producer-owned cooperative marketing
associations.
Sec. 104. Agricultural and rural development activities of the Overseas
Private Investment Corporation.
Sec. 105. Agricultural research and extension activities.
TITLE II--WORLDWIDE FOOD ASSISTANCE AND AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
Subtitle A--Nonemergency Food Assistance Programs
Sec. 201. Nonemergency food assistance programs.
Subtitle B--Bill Emerson Humanitarian International Food Security Trust
Act of 1998
Sec. 211. Short title.
Sec. 212. Amendments to the Food Security Commodity Reserve Act of
1996.
Subtitle C--International Fund for Agricultural Development
Sec. 221. Review of the International Fund for Agricultural
Development.
TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec. 301. Report.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The economic, security, and humanitarian interests of
the United States and the nations of sub-Saharan Africa would
be enhanced by sustainable, broad-based public and private
sector agricultural and rural development in each of the
African nations. The United States should support such
development.
(2) According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the
number of undernourished people in Africa has more than
doubled, from approximately 100,000,000 in the late 1960s to
215,000,000 in 1998, and is projected to increase to
265,000,000 by the year 2010. According to the Food and
Agriculture Organization, the term ``under nutrition'' means
inadequate consumption of nutrients, often adversely affecting
children's physical and mental development, undermining their
future as productive and creative members of their communities.
(3)(A) Currently, agricultural production in Africa employs
about two-thirds of the workforce but produces less than one-
fourth of the gross domestic product in sub-Saharan Africa,
according to the World Bank Group.
(B) Africa's food imports are projected to rise from less
than 8,000,000 metric tons in 1990 to more than 25,000,000
metric tons by the year 2020.
(4) African women produce up to 80 percent of the total
food supply in Africa according to the International Food
Policy Research Institute.
(5) The most effective way to improve conditions of the
poor is to increase the productivity of the agricultural
sector. Productivity increases can be fostered by increasing
research and education in agriculture and rural development.
(6)(A) In November 1996, the World Food Summit set a goal
of reducing hunger worldwide by 50 percent by the year 2015 and
encouraged national governments to develop domestic food plans
and to support international aid efforts.
(B) Since then, several agencies of the United Nations,
including the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD), whose mission is to provide the rural poor and women in
the developing world with cost-effective ways of overcoming
hunger, poverty, and malnutrition, have undertaken a
cooperative initiative on Africa.
(7) Although the World Bank Group recently has launched a
major initiative to support agricultural and rural development,
only 10 percent, or $1,200,000,000, of its total lending to
sub-Saharan Africa for fiscal years 1993 to 1997 was devoted to
agriculture.
(8)(A) The future prosperity of the United States food
processing and agricultural sector is increasingly dependent on
exports and the liberalization of global trade.
(B) Africa represents a huge potential market for United
States food and agricultural products.
(9)(A) Increased private sector investment in African
countries and expanded trade between the United States and
Africa can greatly help African countries achieve food self-
sufficiency and graduate from dependency on international
assistance.
(B) Development assistance, technical assistance, and
training from bilateral governmental and multilateral entities,
as well as nongovernmental organizations and land-grant
universities, can facilitate and encourage commercial
development in Africa, such as improving rural roads,
agricultural research and extension, and providing access to
credit and other resources.
(10)(A) Several United States private voluntary
organizations have demonstrated success in empowering Africans
through direct business ownership and helping African
agricultural producers more efficiently and directly market
their products.
(B) Rural business associations, owned and controlled by
farmer shareholders, also greatly aid agricultural producers to
increase their household incomes.
(11)(A) Over a decade ago, the Development Fund for Africa
(DFA) was enacted into law ``to help the poor majority of men
and women in sub-Saharan Africa to participate in a process of
long-term development through economic growth that is
equitable, participatory, environmentally sustainable, and
self-reliant.''.
(B) In recent years, political change and economic recovery
in Africa have amplified the importance of this policy
objective while generating new opportunities for its
advancement.
(C) Despite these developments, funding for the Development
Fund for Africa has declined from a high of $811,000,000 for
1993 to approximately $635,000,000 for 1997.
(12)(A) United States bilateral development and
humanitarian assistance to sub-Saharan Africa is approximately
one-tenth of 1 percent of the total annual budget of the United
States Government.
(B) Funding for agricultural development worldwide by the
United States Agency for International Development has declined
from 36 percent of its total budget in 1988 to 15 percent in
1997.
(13) The United States Agency for International Development
has initiated an Africa Food Security Initiative in an effort
to improve child nutrition and increase agricultural income in
Africa.
(b) Declaration of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States,
consistent with title XII of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961, to support governments of sub-Saharan African countries, United
States and African nongovernmental organizations, universities,
businesses, and international agencies, to help ensure the availability
of basic nutrition and economic opportunities for individuals in sub-
Saharan Africa, through sustainable agriculture and rural development.
TITLE I--ASSISTANCE FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
SEC. 101. AFRICA FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE.
(a) Additional Requirements in Carrying Out the Initiative.--In
providing development assistance under the Africa Food Security
Initiative, or any comparable or successor program, the Administrator
of the United States Agency for International Development--
(1) shall emphasize programs and projects that improve the
food security of infants, young children, school-age children,
women and food-insecure households, or that improve the
agricultural productivity, incomes, and marketing of the rural
poor in Africa;
(2) shall solicit and take into consideration the views and
needs of intended beneficiaries and program participants during
the selection, planning, implementation, and evaluation phases
of projects; and
(3) shall ensure that programs are designed and conducted
in cooperation with African and United States organizations and
institutions, such as private and voluntary organizations,
cooperatives, land-grant and other appropriate universities,
and local producer-owned cooperative marketing and buying
associations, that have expertise in addressing the needs of
the poor, small-scale farmers, entrepreneurs, and rural
workers, including women.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, if there
is an increase in funding for sub-Saharan programs, the Administrator
of the United States Agency for International Development should
proportionately increase resources to the Africa Food Security
Initiative, or any comparable or successor program, for fiscal year
2000 and subsequent fiscal years in order to meet the needs of the
countries participating in such Initiative.
SEC. 102. MICROENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE.
(a) Bilateral Assistance.--In providing microenterprise assistance
for sub-Saharan Africa, the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development shall, to the extent practicable, use
credit and microcredit assistance to improve the capacity and
efficiency of agriculture production in sub-Saharan Africa of small-
scale farmers and small rural entrepreneurs. In providing assistance,
the Administrator should take into consideration the needs of women,
and should use the applied research and technical assistance
capabilities of United States land-grant universities.
(b) Multilateral Assistance.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development shall continue to work
with other countries, international organizations (including
multilateral development institutions), and entities assisting
microenterprises and shall develop a comprehensive and
coordinated strategy for providing microenterprise assistance
for sub-Saharan Africa.
(2) Additional requirement.--In carrying out paragraph (1),
the Administrator should encourage the World Bank Consultative
Group to Assist the Poorest to coordinate the strategy
described in such paragraph.
SEC. 103. SUPPORT FOR PRODUCER-OWNED COOPERATIVE MARKETING
ASSOCIATIONS.
(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
(1) to support producer-owned cooperative purchasing and
marketing associations in sub-Saharan Africa;
(2) to strengthen the capacity of farmers in sub-Saharan
Africa to participate in national and international private
markets and to promote rural development in sub-Saharan Africa;
(3) to encourage the efforts of farmers in sub-Saharan
Africa to increase their productivity and income through
improved access to farm supplies, seasonal credit, technical
expertise; and
(4) to support small businesses in sub-Saharan Africa as
they grow beyond microenterprises.
(b) Support for Producer-Owned Cooperative Marketing
Associations.--
(1) Activities.--
(A) In general.--The Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development is
authorized to utilize relevant foreign assistance
programs and initiatives for sub-Saharan Africa to
support private producer-owned cooperative marketing
associations in sub-Saharan Africa, including rural
business associations that are owned and controlled by
farmer shareholders.
(B) Additional requirements.--In carrying out
subparagraph (A), the Administrator--
(i) shall take into account small-scale
farmers, small rural entrepreneurs, and rural
workers and communities;
(ii) shall take into account the local-
level perspectives of the rural and urban poor
through close consultation with these groups,
consistent with section 496(e)(1) of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2293(e)(1)); and
(iii) should take into consideration the
needs of women.
(2) Other activities.--In addition to carrying out
paragraph (1), the Administrator is encouraged--
(A) to cooperate with governments of foreign
countries, including governments of political
subdivisions of such countries, their agricultural
research universities, and particularly with United
States nongovernmental organizations and United States
land-grant universities, that have demonstrated
expertise in the development and promotion of
successful private producer-owned cooperative marketing
associations; and
(B) to facilitate partnerships between United
States and African cooperatives and private businesses
to enhance the capacity and technical and marketing
expertise of business associations in sub-Saharan
Africa.
SEC. 104. AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OF THE OVERSEAS
PRIVATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to encourage the
Overseas Private Investment Corporation to work with United States
businesses and other United States entities to invest in rural sub-
Saharan Africa, particularly in ways that will develop the capacities
of small-scale farmers and small rural entrepreneurs, including women,
in sub-Saharan Africa.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Overseas Private Investment Corporation should
exercise its authority under law to undertake an initiative to
support private agricultural and rural development in sub-
Saharan Africa, including issuing loans, guaranties, and
insurance, to support rural development in sub-Saharan Africa,
particularly to support intermediary organizations that--
(A) directly serve the needs of small-scale
farmers, small rural entrepreneurs, and rural producer-
owned cooperative purchasing and marketing associations;
(B) have a clear track-record of support for sound
business management practices; and
(C) have demonstrated experience with participatory
development methods; and
(2) the Overseas Private Investment Corporation should
utilize existing equity funds, loan and insurance funds, to the
extent feasible and in accordance with existing contractual
obligations, to support agriculture and rural development in
sub-Saharan Africa.
SEC. 105. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES.
(a) Development of Plan.--The Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development, in consultation with the
Secretary of Agriculture and appropriate Department of Agriculture
agencies, especially the Cooperative State, Research, Education and
Extension Service (CSREES), shall develop a comprehensive plan to
coordinate and build on the research and extension activities of United
States land-grant universities, international agricultural research
centers, and national agricultural research and extension centers in
sub-Saharan Africa.
(b) Additional Requirements.--Such plan shall seek to ensure that--
(1) research and extension activities will respond to the
needs of small-scale farmers while developing the potential and
skills of researchers, extension agents, farmers, and
agribusiness persons in sub-Saharan Africa;
(2) sustainable agricultural methods of farming will be
considered together with new technologies in increasing
agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa; and
(3) research and extension efforts will focus on
sustainable agricultural practices and will be adapted to
widely varying climates within sub-Saharan Africa.
TITLE II--WORLDWIDE FOOD ASSISTANCE AND AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
Subtitle A--Nonemergency Food Assistance Programs
SEC. 201. NONEMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--In providing nonemergency assistance under title
II of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7
U.S.C. 1721 et seq.), the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development shall ensure that--
(1) in planning, decisionmaking, and implementation in
providing such assistance, the Administrator takes into
consideration local input and participation directly and
through United States and indigenous private and voluntary
organizations;
(2) each of the nonemergency activities described in
paragraphs (2) through (6) of section 201 of such Act (7 U.S.C.
1721), including programs that provide assistance to people of
any age group who are otherwise unable to meet their basic food
needs (including feeding programs for the disabled, orphaned,
elderly, sick and dying), are carried out; and
(3) greater flexibility is provided for program and
evaluation plans so that such assistance may be developed to
meet local needs, as provided for in section 202(f) of such Act
(7 U.S.C. 1722(f)).
(b) Other Requirements.--In providing assistance under the
Agriculture Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, the Secretary
of Agriculture and the Administrator of United States Agency for
International Development shall ensure that commodities are provided in
a manner that is consistent with sections 403 (a) and (b) of such Act
(7 U.S.C. 1733 (a) and (b)).
Subtitle B--Bill Emerson Humanitarian International Food Security Trust
Act of 1998
SEC. 211. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Bill Emerson Humanitarian
International Food Security Trust Act of 1998''.
SEC. 212. BILL EMERSON HUMANITARIAN TRUST ACT.
(a) In General.--Section 302 of the Agricultural Act of 1980 (7
U.S.C. 1736f-1) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``or
Funds'' after ``Commodities'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) funds made available under paragraph
(2)(B).''; and
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking
``Subject to subsection (h), commodities'' and
inserting ``Commodities''; and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and
inserting the following:
``(B) Funds.--Any funds used to acquire eligible
commodities through purchases from producers or in the
market to replenish the trust shall be derived--
``(i) with respect to fiscal year 2000 and
subsequent fiscal years, from funds made
available to carry out the Agricultural Trade
Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7
U.S.C. 1691 et seq.) that are used to repay or
reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for
the release of eligible commodities under
subsections (c)(2) and (f)(2), except that, of
such funds, not more than $20,000,000 may be
expended for this purpose in each of the fiscal
years 2000 through 2003 and any such funds not
expended for the fiscal year allocated shall be
available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal
years; and
``(ii) from funds authorized for that use
by an appropriations Act.'';
(2) in subsection (c)(2)--
(A) by striking ``assistance.--Notwithstanding''
and inserting the following: ``assistance.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Limitation.--The Secretary may release
eligible commodities under subparagraph (A) only to the
extent such release is consistent with maintaining the
long-term value of the trust.'';
(3) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) subject to the need for release of commodities from
the trust under subsection (c)(1), for the management of the
trust to preserve the value of the trust through acquisitions
under subsection (b)(2).'';
(4) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``of the trust''
after ``Reimbursement'' in the heading; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``and the
funds shall be available to replenish the trust under
subsection (b)'' before the end period; and
(5) by striking subsection (h).
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Title III of the Agricultural Act of 1980 (7 U.S.C.
1736f-1 et seq.) is amended by striking the title heading and
inserting the following:
``TITLE III--BILL EMERSON HUMANITARIAN TRUST''.
(2) Section 301 of the Agricultural Act of 1980 (7 U.S.C.
1736f-1 note) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.
``This title may be cited as the `Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust
Act'.''.
(3) Section 302 of the Agricultural Act of 1980 (7 U.S.C.
1736f-1) is amended--
(A) in the section heading, by striking ``reserve''
and inserting ``trust'';
(B) by striking ``reserve'' each place it appears
(other than in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection
(b)(1)) and inserting ``trust'';
(C) in subsection (b)--
(i) in the subsection heading, by striking
``Reserve'' and inserting ``Trust'';
(ii) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking
``reserve,'' and inserting ``trust,''; and
(iii) in the paragraph heading of paragraph
(2), by striking ``reserve'' and inserting
``trust''; and
(D) in the subsection heading of subsection (e), by
striking ``Reserve'' and inserting ``Trust''.
(4) Section 208(d)(2) of the Agricultural Trade Suspension
Adjustment Act of 1980 (7 U.S.C. 4001(d)(2)) is amended by
striking ``Food Security Commodity Reserve Act of 1996'' and
inserting ``Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act (7 U.S.C.
1736f-1 et seq.)''.
(5) Section 901b(b)(3) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46
U.S.C. App. 1241f(b)(3)), is amended by striking ``Food
Security Wheat Reserve Act of 1980 (7 U.S.C. 1736f-1)'' and
inserting ``Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act (7 U.S.C.
1736f-1 et seq.)''.
TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. REPORT.
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, in consultation with the heads of other appropriate
agencies, shall prepare and submit to Congress a report on how the
Agency plans to implement sections 101, 102, 103, 105, and 201 of this
Act, the steps that have been taken toward such implementation, and an
estimate of all amounts expended or to be expended on related
activities during the current and previous 4 fiscal years.
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