Agriculture and Trade
Trade can be a powerful tool for the reduction of poverty in developing nations. But U.S. agriculture and trade policy has sometimes undermined African countries’ efforts to take the first step out of poverty.
The main way Bread for the World has been addressing hunger in the area of trade in agricultural goods is through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This legislation offers tangible incentives for African countries to continue to open their economies and build free markets.
AGOA remains the most important piece of legislation that defines trade relationships between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa.
AGOA allows almost all African products to be imported to the United States duty-free. The act has helped expand and diversify African exports to the United States. Exports from sub-Saharan countries have increased more than four times since 2001 and totaled $26.8 billion for 2013, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
The president signed a new ten-year African Growth and Opportunity Act in 2015. The reauthorized bill expanded U.S. technical assistance that specifically prioritized women smallholder farmers.
AGOA’s achievements illustrate its great potential to spur economic growth. Agriculture-led growth, which has the greatest impact on poverty, is still urgently needed. The food-price crisis of 2007-2008, followed by the worldwide recession, caused an increase in hunger and malnutrition and continued high poverty rates. An estimated 80 percent of Africa’s hungry and poor people support themselves through agriculture.
According to the World Bank, 11 of the 20 fastest-growing economies are in Africa. So there is great potential in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa to expand businesses and thus provide more people with jobs and incomes.
Bread has worked in this area in recent years with a network of African-American and African leaders calling for the empowerment of our African sisters and brothers by advocating for policies that eradicate hunger, poverty, and disease.
By working as partners, we allow the people of Africa to lead more prosperous, stable, and healthy lives.
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
Election Resources
One of the best times to raise the issues of hunger and poverty is during election campaigns. Engage candidates in your state/district on hunger and poverty using our elections resources.U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets
These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C.
Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Global Pandemic, Better Nutrition Protects Lives
With the coronavirus now spreading in low-resource contexts and new waves of infection expected in the coming year, better nutrition for vulnerable people is more important than ever.
For Faith
Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional
Devotional writers challenge us to feel the Spirit of God within us and to hear God’s urgent call to demand justice so all can put food on the table.The Bible on Health as a Hunger Issue
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in faith.” These words from Colossians 2:6 remind us of the faith that is active in love for our neighbors.
The Bible on...
Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
Dear Members of Congress,
As the president and Congress are preparing their plans for this year, almost 100 church leaders—from all the families of U.S. Christianity—are...
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to respond to changes in need, making it well suited to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $200 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition in the fiscal year 2020 budget.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.