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106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4378
To establish a grant program in the Department of Agriculture to support
bilateral exchange programs whereby African-American farmers and other
agricultural farming specialists share technical knowledge with African
farmers regarding maximization of crop yields, expansion of trade in
agricultural products, and ways to improve farming in Africa, and for
other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 4, 2000
Mrs. CLAYTON (for herself, Mr. CLAY, Ms. KILPATRICK, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mrs.
MEEK of Florida, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois,
Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. RUSH, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. RANGEL, Mr.
HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms.
CARSON, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. OWENS, Mr. WYNN, Ms. BROWN of Florida,
Mr. SCOTT, and Mrs. CHRISTENSEN) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the
Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To establish a grant program in the Department of Agri-
culture to support bilateral exchange programs whereby
African-American farmers and other agricultural farming
specialists share technical knowledge with African farm-
ers regarding maximization of crop yields, expansion of
trade in agricultural products, and ways to improve
farming in Africa, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Farmers for Africa
Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Many African farmers use antiquated tech-
niques to produce their crops, which results in poor
crop quality and low crop yields.
(2) Many African farmers are losing business to
farmers in European and Asian countries who use
advanced planting and production techniques and
are supplying agricultural produce to restaurants,
resorts, tourists, grocery stores, and other con-
sumers in Africa.
(3) A need exists for the training of African
farmers in state-of-the-art farming techniques re-
garding insecticide and sanitation procedures and
other methods that will produce increased yields of
more nutritious and healthful crops.
(4) African-American farmers and American
agricultural farming specialists are a ready source of
agribusiness expertise that would be invaluable for
African farmers.
(5) A United States commitment is appropriate
to support the development of a comprehensive agri-
cultural skills training program for African farmers
that focuses on—
(A) improving knowledge of insecticide and
sanitation procedures to prevent crop destruc-
tion;
(B) teaching modern farming techniques;
(C) the use and maintenance of state-of-
the-art farming equipment;
(D) expansion of small farming operations
into agribusiness enterprises; and
(E) marketing crop yields to prospective
purchasers (businesses and individuals) for local
needs and export.
(6) The participation of African-American
farmers and American agricultural farming special-
ists in such a training program promises the added
benefit of improving access to African markets for
American farmers and United States farm equip-
ment and products.
SEC. 3. FARMERS FOR AFRICA PROGRAM.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Agriculture.
(2) AFRICAN
FARMER.—The term ‘‘African
farmer’’ means an individual owning or working on
land (as defined by a particular country’s laws relat-
ing to property) in the sub-Saharan region of the
continent of Africa.
(3) AGRICULTURAL FARMING SPECIALIST.—The
term ‘‘agricultural farming specialist’’ means an in-
dividual trained to transfer information and tech-
nical support relating to agribusiness.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary
shall establish a grant program, to be known as the
‘‘Farmers for Africa Program’’, to assist eligible organiza-
tions to carry out bilateral exchange programs whereby
African-American farmers and other agricultural farming
specialists share technical knowledge with African farmers
regarding maximization of crop yields, expansion of trade
in agricultural products, and other ways to improve farm-
ing in Africa.
(c) ELIGIBLE GRANTEES.—The Secretary may make
a grant under this section to—
(1) a college or university, including a histori-
cally black college or university, or a foundation
maintained by a college or university; and
(2) a private organization or corporation, in-
cluding grassroots organizations, with an established
and demonstrated capacity to carry out such a bilat-
eral exchange program.
(d) TERMS OF PROGRAM.—(1) It is the goal of the
Farmers for Africa Program that at least 1,000 farmers
participate in the training program by December 31,
2005, of which at least 800 will be African farmers and
200 will be American farmers.
(2) African farmers will be trained in groups to en-
sure that information is shared and passed on to other
farmers. African farmers will be trained to be specialists
in their communities and encouraged not to retain en-
hanced farming technology for their own personal enrich-
ment.
(3) Through partnerships with American businesses,
the program will utilize the commercial industrial capa-
bility of businesses dealing in agriculture to train African
farmers on state-of-the-art equipment.
(e) SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS.—(1) The selection
of African farmers, as well as African-American farmers
and other agricultural farming specialists, to participate
in the Farmers for Africa Program shall be made by grant
recipients using an application process approved by the
Secretary.
(2) Participating farmers must meet certain edu-
cational requirements and targets regarding the produc-
tivity of their farm or agribusiness.
(f) GRANT
PERIOD.—The Secretary may make
grants under the Farmers for Africa Program during a
period of 5 years beginning on the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
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