Jean Marie Brown, “Marshall Plan for Food Aid”, Africa Research Bulletin, 30 September 1987

 

This article reports a French proposal for a “Marshall Plan” of food aid to developing countries, especially former French colonies in Africa.  The plan would prevent high-quantity cereal producers (the EU, Australia, the US, Argentina, and Canada) from selling under priced cereal to countries such as Japan, Russia, and Saudi Arabia who could afford to pay a market price for the goods.  The plan called for cereal stock to be sold “at the cost price of the most competitive country below the world price” and for the newly generated funds to be set up in a food aid program that would “cover the immediate needs of developing countries” and provide for “technical support and a provision of expertise”.  The French Minister of Agriculture Giullaume visited the countries of Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, and Chad in late August 1987 to promote the plan, which was supported by all three heads of state.

 

Guillaume also announced new initiatives in each country, consisting in helping to set up a National Agronomy School in Cote d’Ivoire, providing low cost plants to Mali, and buying cereal from Chad.

 

Jeremy Austin Purcell

4 March 2002