[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4283 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  2d Session

                               H. R. 4283

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

     To support sustainable and broad-based agricultural and rural 
       development in sub-Saharan Africa, and for other purposes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4283

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
     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.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 28, 1998.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.