Food Aid In Haiti
As the “background of the United States” the Caribbean is close in location but also closely interacts with the US in terms of international politics. Haiti is presently the poorest country in the western hemisphere. It struggles with issues of poverty, natural disasters, food production, poor healthcare and food insecurity. As a rich hegemonic power the US has historically provided aid, including food aid to poor and needy countries. Considering their geopolitical relationship, the US has been administering food aid to Haiti for decades. Food aid should not be overlooked as a kind act of charity provided by richer countries to developing world, but instead as a political tool powered by the ever present demand of need and hunger. The United
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Looking at US foreign policy, particularly the US Farm Bill and its food aid programs, the United States can be seen as partially responsible for Haiti’s poor economic situation and specifically its recent issue of food insecurity. This paper will argue that the United States used food aid, under the US Farm Bill, as a political tool to benefit themselves, subsequently causing Haiti to fall into a state of food insecurity. This paper will present Haiti’s ability to feed itself prior to the 1980’s, the history and structure of the US Farm bill and its food aid programs, how US food aid was used to exploit Haiti and destroy its domestic agricultural sector, and finally recommendations for …show more content…
Between 1980 and the late 1990’s Haiti went from being self-sufficient in the production of rice, to Haitian farmers no longer being able to feed themselves or the population. Haiti has shifted into a position of concerning food insecurity. Presently food insecurity continues to be a persistent issue in Haiti. The country currently ranks third from the bottom on the Global Hunger Index.. This disastrous shift can be partially considered result of US foreign policy and food aid. The very program that claims to be serving the purpose of alleviating hunger actually worsened the situation. Due to the structure of US Food aid, its presence in Haiti was able to benefit US farmers and corporations at the cost of Haiti’s farmers and food
Looking at US foreign policy, particularly the US Farm Bill and its food aid programs, the United States can be seen as partially responsible for Haiti’s poor economic situation and specifically its recent issue of food insecurity. This paper will argue that the United States used food aid, under the US Farm Bill, as a political tool to benefit themselves, subsequently causing Haiti to fall into a state of food insecurity. This paper will present Haiti’s ability to feed itself prior to the 1980’s, the history and structure of the US Farm bill and its food aid programs, how US food aid was used to exploit Haiti and destroy its domestic agricultural sector, and finally recommendations for …show more content…
Between 1980 and the late 1990’s Haiti went from being self-sufficient in the production of rice, to Haitian farmers no longer being able to feed themselves or the population. Haiti has shifted into a position of concerning food insecurity. Presently food insecurity continues to be a persistent issue in Haiti. The country currently ranks third from the bottom on the Global Hunger Index.. This disastrous shift can be partially considered result of US foreign policy and food aid. The very program that claims to be serving the purpose of alleviating hunger actually worsened the situation. Due to the structure of US Food aid, its presence in Haiti was able to benefit US farmers and corporations at the cost of Haiti’s farmers and food