H. R. 4283
One Hundred Fifth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight
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 Trust Act of 1998
Sec. 211. Short title.
Sec. 212. Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act.
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
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future as productive and creative members of their commu-
nities.
(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.
(7) Although the World Bank Group recently has launched
a major initiative to support agricultural and rural develop-
ment, 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 pro-
jected 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 coun-
tries 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 organiza-
tions 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 coun-
tries, 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.
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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 agri-
cultural 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 associa-
tions, that have expertise in addressing the needs of the poor,
small-scale farmers, entrepreneurs, and rural workers, includ-
ing women.
(b) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 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 coordi-
nated strategy for providing microenterprise assistance for sub-
Saharan Africa.
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(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 MARKET-
ING 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 mar-
kets 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 initia-
tives 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 perspec-
tives of the rural and urban poor through close con-
sultation 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 para-
graph (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 organiza-
tions 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 busi-
ness 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
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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 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 private agricultural and rural development in sub-
Saharan Africa, including issuing loans, guaranties, and insur-
ance, 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 Agri-
culture agencies, especially the Cooperative State, Research, Edu-
cation and Extension Service (CSREES), shall develop a comprehen-
sive 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 agri-
business persons in sub-Saharan Africa;
(2) sustainable agricultural methods of farming will be
considered together with new technologies in increasing agricul-
tural 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.
H. R. 4283—6
TITLE II—WORLDWIDE FOOD ASSIST-
ANCE 
AND 
AGRICULTURAL 
PRO-
GRAMS
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 consid-
eration local input and participation directly and through
United States and indigenous private and voluntary organiza-
tions;
(2) each of the nonemergency activities described in para-
graphs (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 evalua-
tion 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 commod-
ities 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:
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‘‘(D) funds made available under paragraph (2)(B)
which shall be used solely to replenish commodities in
the trust.’’; and
(C) in paragraph (2) 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 last 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:
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‘‘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 heading of paragraph (2), by striking
‘‘RESERVE’’ and inserting ‘‘TRUST’’; and
(D) in the 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 the enactment of
this Act, the Administrator of the United States Agency for Inter-
national 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
H. R. 4283—9
or to be expended on related activities during the current and
previous 4 fiscal years.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.