[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 150 (Tuesday, October 20, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12726-S12728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   AFRICA: SEEDS OF HOPE ACT OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                       DeWINE AMENDMENT NO. 3833

  Mr. BURNS (for Mr. DeWine) proposed an amendment to the bill (H.R. 
4283) to support sustainable and broad-based agricultural and rural 
development in sub-Saharan Africa, and for other purposes; as follows:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     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 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 agricultural and 
     rural development in each of the African nations.
       (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) 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.
       (4) African women produce up to 80 percent of the total 
     food supply in Africa according to the International Food 
     Policy Research Institute.
       (5) An 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) 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.

[[Page S12727]]

       (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) United States food processing and agricultural 
     sectors benefit greatly from the liberalization of global 
     trade and increased exports.
       (B) Africa represents a growing market for United States 
     food and agricultural products. 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 2020.
       (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 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 help agricultural producers 
     to increase their household incomes.
       (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;
       (3) shall favor countries that are implementing reforms of 
     their trade and investment laws and regulations in order to 
     enhance free market development in the food processing and 
     agricultural sectors; and
       (4) 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 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; 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) 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.

[[Page S12728]]

     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 Trust Act of 1998

     SEC. 211. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Bill Emerson 
     Humanitarian 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) which 
     shall be used solely to replenish commodities in the 
     trust.''; and
       (C) in paragraph (2),
       (i) 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 years 2000 through 2002 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 2002; 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).''; and
       (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.
       (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.

                          ____________________