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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 2151a. Agricultural development in rural areas
(a) Authorization to President to furnish assistance;
appropriations
(1) In recognition of the fact that the great majority of the
people of developing countries live in rural areas and are
dependent on agriculture and agricultural-related pursuits for
their livelihood, the President is authorized to furnish
assistance, on such terms and conditions as he may determine, for
agriculture, rural development, and nutrition -
(A) to alleviate starvation, hunger, and malnutrition;
(B) to expand significantly the provision of basic services to
rural poor people to enhance their capacity for self-help; and
(C) to help create productive farm and off-farm employment in
rural areas to provide a more viable economic base and enhance
opportunities for improved incomes, living standards, and
contributions by rural poor people to the economic and social
development of their countries.
(2) There are authorized to be appropriated to the President for
purposes of this section, in addition to funds otherwise available
for such purposes, $760,000,000 for fiscal year 1986 and
$760,000,000 for fiscal year 1987. Of these amounts, the President
may use such amounts as he deems appropriate to carry out the
provisions of section 316 of the International Security and
Development Cooperation Act of 1980. Amounts appropriated under
this section are authorized to remain available until expended.
(3) Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated in paragraph (2)
for the fiscal year 1987, not less than $2,000,000 shall be
available only for the purpose of controlling and eradicating
amblyomma variegatum (heartwater) in bovine animals in the
Caribbean.
(b) Use of assistance primarily in aid of rural poor; multilateral
infrastructure projects; forestry projects
(1) Assistance provided under this section shall be used
primarily for activities which are specifically designed to
increase the productivity and income of the rural poor, through
such means as creation and strengthening of local institutions
linked to the regional and national levels; organization of a
system of financial institutions which provide both savings and
credit services to the poor; stimulation of small, labor-intensive
enterprises in rural towns; improvement of marketing facilities and
systems; expansion of rural infrastructure and utilities such as
farm-to-market roads, water management systems, land improvement,
energy, and storage facilities; establishment of more equitable and
more secure land tenure arrangements; and creation and
strengthening of systems to provide other services and supplies
needed by farmers, such as extension, research, training,
fertilizer, water, forestry, soil conservation, and improved seed,
in ways which assure access to them by small farmers.
(2) In circumstances where development of major infrastructure is
necessary to achieve the objectives set forth in this section,
assistance for that purpose should be furnished under this part in
association with significant contributions from other countries
working together in a multilateral framework. Infrastructure
projects so assisted should be complemented by other measures to
ensure that the benefits of the infrastructure reach the poor.
(3) The Congress recognizes that the accelerating loss of forests
and tree cover in developing countries undermines and offsets
efforts to improve agricultural production and nutrition and
otherwise to meet the basic human needs of the poor. Deforestation
results in increased flooding, reduction in water supply for
agricultural capacity, loss of firewood and needed wood products,
and loss of valuable plants and animals. In order to maintain and
increase forest resources, the President is authorized to provide
assistance under this section for forestry projects which are
essential to fulfill the fundamental purposes of this section.
Emphasis shall be given to community woodlots, agroforestry,
reforestation, protection of watershed forests, and more effective
forest management.
(c) Increased agricultural production in least developed countries
The Congress finds that the greatest potential for significantly
expanding availability of food for people in rural areas and
augmenting world food production at relatively low cost lies in
increasing the productivity of small farmers who constitute a
majority of the agricultural producers in developing countries.
Increasing the emphasis on rural development and expanded food
production in the poorest nations of the developing world is a
matter of social justice and a principal element contributing to
broadly based economic growth, as well as an important factor in
alleviating inflation in the industrialized countries. In the
allocation of funds under this section, special attention shall be
given to increasing agricultural production in countries which have
been designated as "least developed" by the United Nations General
Assembly.
(d) Coordination with population planning and health programs
Assistance provided under this section shall also be used in
coordination with programs carried out under section 2151b of this
title to help improve nutrition of the people of developing
countries through encouragement of increased production of crops
with greater nutritional value; improvement of planning, research,
and education with respect to nutrition, particularly with
reference to improvement and expanded use of indigenously produced
foodstuffs; and the undertaking of pilot or demonstration programs
explicitly addressing the problem of malnutrition of poor and
vulnerable people. In particular, the President is encouraged -
(1) to devise and carry out in partnership with developing
countries a strategy for programs of nutrition and health
improvement for mothers and children, including breast feeding;
and
(2) to provide technical, financial, and material support to
individuals or groups at the local level for such programs.
(e) Use of local currency proceeds from sales of commodities
Local currency proceeds from sales of commodities provided under
the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 [7
U.S.C. 1691 et seq.] which are owned by foreign governments shall
be used whenever practicable to carry out the provisions of this
section.
(f) National food security policies and programs; bilateral and
multilateral assistance
The Congress finds that the efforts of developing countries to
enhance their national food security deserves encouragement as a
matter of United States development assistance policy. Measures
complementary to assistance for expanding food production in
developing countries are needed to help assure that food becomes
increasingly available on a regular basis to the poor in such
countries. Therefore, United States bilateral assistance under this
chapter and the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act
of 1954 [7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.], and United States participation in
multilateral institutions, shall emphasize policies and programs
which assist developing countries to increase their national food
security by improving their food policies and management and by
strengthening national food reserves, with particular concern for
the needs of the poor, through measures encouraging domestic
production, building national food reserves, expanding available
storage facilities, reducing postharvest food losses, and improving
food distribution.
(g) International Fund for Agricultural Development; participation
and contributions; availability of appropriations
(1) In order to carry out the purposes of this section, the
President may continue United States participation in and may make
contributions to the International Fund for Agricultural
Development.
(2) Of the aggregate amount authorized to be appropriated to
carry out subchapter I of this chapter, up to $50,000,000 for
fiscal year 1986 and up to $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1987 may be
made available, by appropriation or by transfer, for United States
contributions to the second replenishment of the International Fund
for Agricultural Development.
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