Dallas Jesuit OG – Affirmative – Food Aid
Contention 1: Inherency
The U.S. is the largest provider of food aid to Sub-Saharan Africa
Melito, Direct or of International Trade and Affairs at GAO, 2007
(Thomas, foreign assistance—multiple challenges hinder the efficiency and effectiveness of US food aid October 2 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0883t.pdf accessed 1-25)
80% of US food aid goes to Sub-Saharan Africa
Melito, Direct or of International Trade and Affairs at GAO, 2007
(Thomas, foreign assistance—multiple challenges hinder the efficiency and effectiveness of US food aid October 2 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0883t.pdf accessed 1-25)
Current restrictions require the US government to purchase only US grown commodities to fulfill food aid requests. Donating commodities rather than cash limits effective humanitarian responses to sub-Saharan Africa
Kripke, Senior Policy Advisor Oxfam America, 2006
(CQ Congressional Testimony, May 25, Food Aid, Committee on House International Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations
Statement of Gawain Kripke l/n)
Contention 2: Advantages
Advantages 1: Nutrition
First, the requirement to purchase US commodities creates food aid that is not nutritious nor culturally appropriate resulting in malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa
Food and Water Watch, November 2007 (U.S. Food Aid Serves Agribusiness, Not the Hungry, http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/us-farmbill/FoodAid.pdf)
US food aid procurement requirements creates impediments to improving the nutritional quality of US food aid
Melito, Direct or of International Trade and Affairs at GAO, 2007
(Thomas, foreign assistance—multiple challenges hinder the efficiency and effectiveness of US food aid October 2 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0883t.pdf accessed 1-25)
Malnutrition amounts to 60% of annual deaths, exacerbates poverty, and spreads disease
Narula, 2006
[Smita, 44 Colum. J. Transnat'l L. 691, ARTICLE: The Right to Food: Holding Global Actors Accountable Under International Law, lexis] RG
As a judge you have a moral imperative to nutrition
Niada, 2006
[Laura, LL.M. in International Law at University of Westminster, ARTICLE: HUNGER AND INTERNATIONAL LAW: THE FAR-REACHING SCOPE OF THE HUMAN RIGHT TO FOOD, 22 Conn. J. Int'l L. 131, lexis nexis] RG
Additionally, US policy results in more food insecurity in Africa. Despite being the largest food donor, inefficiencies from US commodity requirement reduce the overall availability of food in Sub-Saharan Africa particularly during the peak hungry season
GAO, 2007 (Foreign Assistance: Variuos Challenges impede the efficiency and effectiveness of us food aid” http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07560.pdf)
Furthermore, this food insecurity compels people to destroy local environments in pursuit food – this guarantees deforestation
Trudell 33 Syracuse J. Int’l L and Com. 277 2005
And, this Deforestation makes biodiversity loss, disease spread, and extinction inevitable
Unfortunately, current policies requiring US commodities delay food exacerbating food insecurity—only the flexibility of the plan improves food security during peak hungry seasons
State Department Documents and Publications March 16, 2007 (Administration Seeks To Spend More Food Aid on Non-U.S. Products; Change would increase relief flexibility, USDA's Kennum says, l/n)
Advantage 2: Small Farms
U.S. Buy America food aid policy crushes local food prices hurting local farmers. US cash for direct purchase of local and regional food increases access to food while also increases the profit for local farmers.
Food and Water Watch, November 2007 (U.S. Food Aid Serves Agribusiness, Not the Hungry, http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/us-farmbill/FoodAid.pdf)
And, the current U.S. Buy America Food aid policy creates subsidies for American farmers—failure to remove the provision results in a decrease in food aid to address hunger. Additionally, the subsidy hurts African farmers while delaying food to the most hungry.
Leonard Doyle, August 17, 2007 (US Food Aid is ‘Wrecking’ Africa, Claims Charity. the Independent/UK, http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/17/3224/)
And, these subsides destroy millions of African small farms.
Infozine 6/26/07 www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/23736/
These small farms are key to genetically diversified food--3 reasons
James K Boyce, Department of Economics & Political Economy Research and Environmental research at the University of Massachusetts, July 2004, “A Future for Small Farms? Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture”. Political Economic Research Institute, ideap/wp86.html
Specifically these biodiverse foods grown by small farms is key to prevent extinction.
James K Boyce, Department of Economics & Political Economy Research and Environmental research at the University of Massachusetts, July 2004, “A Future for Small Farms? Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture”. Political Economic Research Institute, ideap/wp86.html
Without biodiversity in crops, monoculture results in extinction.
Fowler and Mooney 1990
(Cary and Pat, Authors of numerous books and reports on genetic diversity in agriculture, “Shattering: Food, Politics, and the Loss of Genetic Diversity”, p. ix)
Text: The United States federal government should increase monetary assistance for food and nutrition aid to so called sub-Saharan Africa regardless of United States procurement restrictions. We’ll clarify.
Contention 3: Solvency
Giving cash solves current failures in US food aid – speed, price, and flexibility guarantee it is better than the status quo and is an increase in food aid.
Kripke, Senior Policy Advisor Oxfam America, 2006
(CQ Congressional Testimony, May 25, Food Aid, Committee on House International Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations
Statement of Gawain Kripke l/n)
And, the U.S. must act because they provide over half the food aid now – reform of current bad American policy is key.
Payne, Chair of Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, 2007
(US Fed News May 24, 2007 Thursday CHAIRMAN PAYNE ISSUES STATEMENT ON 'INTERNATIONAL FOOD AID PROGRAMS: OPTIONS TO ENHANCE EFFECTIVENES' l/n)
Providing cash resources for the purchase of local food allows for accurately address complexities of food insecurity
Melito, Direct or of International Trade and Affairs at GAO, 2007
(Thomas, foreign assistance—multiple challenges hinder the efficiency and effectiveness of US food aid October 2 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0883t.pdf accessed 1-25)
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