Kenyan Farmers’ Fate Caught Up in US Aid Rules

US legislators debate a massive farm bill – estimated at more than $260 billion – which will fund loans, subsidies, conservation and many other agriculture activities over the next five years. The Bush administration has proposed allowing the purchase of up to $300 million worth of food in poor countries to quicken response times during times of emergency. The US often provides food aid to Africa, limited to US-grown products. The small change could provide a big boost for African producers. Purchasing supplies in Africa would immediately increase efficiency and speed response time, supporters argue. But opponents in Congress suggest that any foreign purchases will decrease overall political support for food aid. Supporting agricultural processes in Africa, rather than merely sending US food products, could make developing nations and their farmers more self-sufficient in the long term. – YaleGlobal