[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3636 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3636

     To support sustainable and broad-based agricultural and rural 
       development in sub-Saharan Africa, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 1, 1998

 Mr. Bereuter (for himself, Mr. Hamilton, Ms. McKinney, Mrs. Clayton, 
 Mr. Hall of Ohio, and Mr. Leach) 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--Non-Emergency Food Assistance Programs

Sec. 201. Non-emergency food assistance programs.
        Subtitle B--Bill Emerson Humanitarian 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. Support for activities of the International Fund for 
                            Agricultural Development.
                  TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 301. Report.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY.

    (a) Findings.--The 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 and broad-based agricultural and 
        rural development in each of these African nations and 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.
            (3)(A) Currently, agricultural production in Africa employs 
        about two-thirds of the workforce but produces less than one-
        quarter 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)(A) In November 1996, the World Food Summit set a goal 
        of reducing hunger worldwide by one-half 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 special initiative on Africa.
            (6) Although the World Bank Group has recently launched a 
        major initiative to support agricultural and rural development, 
        currently 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.
            (7)(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.
            (8)(A) Although increased trade among African countries and 
        between the United States and Africa can greatly help to 
        overcome hunger in Africa, private sector investment cannot 
        alone meet the initial needs of rural Africa.
            (B) Development assistance, microcredit assistance, and 
        technical assistance from nongovernmental and private voluntary 
        organizations, multilateral and bilateral governmental 
        entities, including United States agencies, are also necessary 
        to facilitate and encourage commercial development in Africa 
        of, for example, improved infrastructure, including 
rural roads, agricultural research and extension, and access to credit 
and other resources.
            (9)(A) The African Development Foundation as well as 
        several United States private voluntary organizations have 
        proven successful at 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 income.
            (10)(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.
            (11)(A) United States bilateral development and 
        humanitarian assistance to sub-Saharan Africa is approximately 
        one-tenth of one 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 fifteen percent 
        in 1997.
            (12) 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 
to support governments of sub-Saharan African countries, United States 
and African nongovernmental organizations, United States and African 
businesses, and international agencies to ensure secure livelihoods and 
adequate nutrition for all individuals in sub-Saharan Africa, through 
sustainable agricultural 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 use resources for programs and projects that 
        improve the food security of infants, young children, school-
        age children, women or 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 program objectives and interventions 
        are primarily developed and conducted by African and United 
        States private and voluntary organizations and other such 
        organizations, including cooperatives and local producer-owned 
        cooperative marketing associations, that have a demonstrated 
        expertise in addressing the needs of the poor, small-scale 
        farmers, entrepreneurs, and rural workers, including women.
    (b) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that 
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development should 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.--
            (1) In general.--In providing microenterprise assistance 
        for sub-Saharan Africa, the Administrator of the United States 
        Agency for International Development shall, to the extent 
        practicable, provide credit and microcredit assistance for the 
        purpose of improving the efficiency of agricultural production 
        in sub-Saharan Africa.
            (2) Additional requirement.--In providing assistance 
        described in paragraph (1), the Administrator shall ensure that 
        such assistance is targeted specifically to the needs of women, 
        small-scale farmers, and small rural entrepreneurs.
    (b) Multilateral Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the United States 
        Agency for International Development shall work with other 
        countries, international organizations (including multilateral 
        development institutions), and entities assisting 
        microenterprises to develop a comprehensive and coordinated 
        strategy for providing microenterprise assistance for sub-
        Saharan Africa.
            (2) Additional requirement.--In carrying out paragraph (1), 
        the Administrator shall encourage the 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 marketing 
        associations in sub-Saharan Africa;
            (2) to strengthen the capacity of farmers in sub-Saharan 
        Africa to participate in national and international 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) Mandatory activities.--
                    (A) In general.--The President, acting through the 
                Administrator of the United States Agency for 
                International Development, shall utilize relevant 
                foreign assistance programs and initiatives for sub-
                Saharan Africa to support 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 President--
                            (i) shall seek to target such assistance 
                        specifically to the needs of women, small-scale 
                        farmers, small rural entrepreneurs, and rural 
                        workers and communities; and
                            (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)).
            (2) Discretionary activities.--In addition to carrying out 
        paragraph (1), the President is encouraged--
                    (A) to cooperate with governments of foreign 
                countries, including governments of political 
                subdivisions of such countries, and particularly with 
                United States nongovernmental organizations, that have 
                demonstrated expertise in the development and promotion 
                of successful 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 Development 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 women, small-scale farmers, and small rural entrepreneurs in sub-
Saharan Africa.
    (b) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the Overseas Private Investment Corporation should 
        exercise its authority under law to undertake an initiative to 
        support 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 women, small-scale 
                farmers, small rural entrepreneurs, and rural producer-
                owned cooperative marketing associations;
                    (B) have a clear track-record of support for sound 
                business management practices; and
                    (C) have demonstrated experience with participatory 
                development methods;
            (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; and
            (3) the United States Agency for International Development 
        and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation should jointly 
        cooperate to ensure that adequate administrative funds are 
        available to carry out this subsection.

SEC. 105. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Development of Plan.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the United States 
        Agency for International Development, in conjunction with the 
        Secretary of Agriculture, shall develop a comprehensive plan to 
        coordinate the activities of international agricultural 
        research centers funded by the Agency, United States land grant 
        universities, and national agricultural research and extension 
        centers in sub-Saharan Africa.
            (2) Additional requirements.--Such plan shall ensure that--
                    (A) 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;
                    (B) sustainable agricultural methods of farming 
                will be considered together with new technologies in 
                increasing agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan 
                Africa; and
                    (C) research and extension efforts will focus on 
                sustainable agricultural practices and will be adapted 
                to widely varying climates within sub-Saharan Africa.
    (b) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that 
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development--
            (1) has disproportionately reduced funding for 
        international agriculture and rural development activities and 
        has disproportionately reduced the number of agricultural 
        specialists who carry out such activities; and
            (2) should devote more resources and staff to such 
        activities.

     TITLE II--WORLDWIDE FOOD ASSISTANCE AND AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS

           Subtitle A--Non-Emergency Food Assistance Programs

SEC. 201. NON-EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

    In providing non-emergency 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, decision-making, 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 non-emergency activities described 
        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).

        Subtitle B--Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act of 1998

SEC. 211. SHORT TITLE.

    This subtitle may be cited as the ``Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust 
Act of 1998''.

SEC. 212. AMENDMENTS TO THE FOOD SECURITY COMMODITY RESERVE ACT OF 
              1996.

    The Food Security Commodity Reserve Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1736f-1) 
is amended--
            (1) so that section 301 reads as follows:

``SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This title may be cited as the `Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust 
Act'.'';
            (2) in the title of section 302(b), by inserting ``or 
        Funds'' after ``(b) Commodities'';
            (3) at the end of subparagraph (B) of section 302(b)(1), by 
        striking ``and'';
            (4) in section 302(b)(1)(C), by striking the period at the 
        end and inserting ``; and'';
            (5) in section 302(b)(1), by adding at the end the 
        following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) funds made available under section 
                302(b)(2)(B).'';
            (6) in section 302(b)(2)(A), by striking ``Subject to 
        subsection (h), commodities'' and inserting ``Commodities'';
            (7) in section 302(b)(2)(B), by striking ``to acquire'' and 
        all that follows through the end of such subparagraph and 
        inserting ``to acquire eligible commodities through purchases 
        from producers or in the market to replenish the trust shall be 
        available--
                            ``(i) 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 to reimburse the 
                        Commodity Credit Corporation for the release of 
                        eligible commodities under section 302(c)(2) 
                        and section 302(f)(2) of this Act;
                            ``(ii) from available balances in other 
                        Commodity Credit Corporation programs, if such 
                        balances otherwise would not be obligated and 
                        such balances are transferred for use under 
                        this Act at the end of a fiscal year except 
                        that no funds may be transferred from export 
                        enhancement, export credit guarantees, export 
                        promotion, or foreign market development 
                        programs;
                            ``(iii) from available balances under title 
                        I of the Agricultural Trade Development and 
                        Assistance Act of 1954, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
                        1701 et seq.); and
                            ``(iv) from authorized funds in an 
                        appropriations Act.'';
            (8) in section 302(c)(2) by inserting at the end the 
        following: ``Commodities may be provided for this purpose only 
        at levels consistent with maintaining the long-term value of 
        the trust.''
            (9) in section 302(d)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (1);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of subsection 
                (d)(2) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by inserting at the end the following:
            ``(3) for the management of the trust to preserve its value 
        through the use of the replenishment authority provided under 
        subsection (b)(2), if this does not interfere in the release of 
        commodities from the trust to meet the purposes of section 
        302(c)(1) of this Act.'';
            (10) by striking subsection (h);
            (11) by striking ``reserve'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``trust''; and
            (12) in the heading of section 302(e), by striking 
        ``Reserve'' and inserting ``Trust''.

      Subtitle C--International Fund for Agricultural Development

SEC. 221. SUPPORT FOR ACTIVITIES OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR 
              AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that 
the United States should maintain its leadership in and continued 
support for the activities of the International Fund for Agricultural 
Development (IFAD).
    (b) Support for Activities of IFAD.--The President, acting through 
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, is authorized and encouraged to take a leadership role 
among other countries that make contributions to the International Fund 
for Agricultural Development for the purpose of giving direction and 
support for the activities of the Fund.
    (c) Review of United States Contributions to IFAD.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the United States 
        Agency for International Development and the Secretary of State 
        shall review the effectiveness of the current 6-year agreement 
        between the United States Agency for International Development 
        and the Department of State relating to United States 
        contributions to the International Fund for Agricultural 
        Development.
            (2) Conduct of review.--In carrying out the review under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator and the Secretary shall 
        consider the extent to which the International Fund for 
        Agricultural Development has made progress toward management 
        reforms, self-sufficiency, poverty reduction, and achieving the 
        goals outlined in the current agreement referred to in 
        paragraph (1).
            (3) Future contributions to ifad.--For purposes of 
        determining the amount of future United States contributions to 
        the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the 
        Administrator and the Secretary shall determine the extent to 
        which the Fund has satisfied or made sufficient progress toward 
        satisfying the criteria described in paragraph (2).

                  TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 301. REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
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 the Congress a report 
that contains the following:
            (1) A summary of the Agency's plans for meeting the 
        objectives of the Africa Food Security Initiative, or any 
        comparable or successor program, under section 101.
            (2) A summary of the strategy for providing microenterprise 
        assistance for sub-Saharan Africa developed under section 
        111(b), including a description of how the Agency intends to 
        provide assistance specifically to meet the needs of women, 
        small-scale farmers, and small rural entrepreneurs.
            (3) A summary of the activities of the Agency to support 
        producer-owned cooperative marketing associations in sub-
        Saharan Africa under section 112.
            (4) A summary of the comprehensive plan relating to 
        international agricultural research and extension activities 
        under section 114.
            (5) A summary accounting of all programs and expenditures 
        of the Agency on sustainable agriculture, research, 
        agricultural-related activities, and personnel from 1985 to 
        1998.
            (6) A summary of the activities of the Agency to carry out 
        section 201.
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