AGRAR

Independent: US threatens to sink French plan to stop the West undercutting African farmers


Poltical fallout from the Iraq war is threatening catastrophe for millions of farmers in Africa, because the Americans may torpedo a French plan to ban the dumping of subsidised farm produce in African markets.

British diplomats have been working frantically to bridge the gap, in the hope of keeping alive the plan, which has Tony Blair's personal backing.

The US spends between $3bn (£1.8bn) and $4bn a year subsidising 25,000 American cotton farmers - more than its annual aid budget to the entire African continent - flooding the world market with cheap cotton, while in west Africa, 10 million people rely on cotton growing for their livelihood. A typical small farmer will make about $300 a year.

The European Union is also guilty of undercutting African farmers, through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), turning Europe into the world's biggest exporter of white sugar, with disastrous results in countries such as Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique, which are in effect locked out of the European market. The EU also dumps subsidised milk and wheat on markets from Kenya to Senegal, while restricting imports of African produce.

"Freie Märkte für die die sichs Leisten können. Lasst uns die Welt liberalisieren!. Es ist bedenklich wie sich die Leute jedesmal verarschen lassen wenn unsere "Führer" an einem G8-Gipfel was von solidarität mit der dritten Welt lallen. Don't believe the hype!"