I read a very interesting article about international food aid today in a story about Bill Clinton. As it turns out when America gives aid there’s a directive that says it has to be in American produced food & not in cash. So basically the food is grown in America, & paid for by the American government, therefore benefiting the American farm industry. Then flown to countries in places like Africa where it’s given out for free thereby undercutting the local food producers & seriously undermining their ability to sustain themselves. Thus resulting in nations that can’t produce enough food to feed their populations, & have to depend increasingly on food aid from the so-called ‘generous’ developed nations.
I singled out America as an example but I’m sure other countries do the same. Although Canada for instance gives out 50% of their aid in cash, which can then be invested into the local farming industry. President Bush unsuccessfully proposed in Congress to allow the United States to also deliver some of its aid in the form of cash, but both Republican & Democratic Congressmen stymied its progress.
In conclusion, the aid meant to better the developing nations which receive it actually does the exact opposite & betters the first world country supplying aid. And that’s not right.