1635 



the resultant food aid was massive. Between 1954 and 1967, exports 

 of Public Law 480 agricultural products amounted to $17.2 billion; 

 recipients were 116 countries with half the world's population. How- 

 ever, during the administrations of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, 

 defects in the program became apparent. In particular, the flow of 

 of U.S. foodstuffs enabled foreign governments to evade the making of 

 hard decisions on agricultural development, internal reforms, and 

 population matters. As recorded by Dr. Nanes, the response of 

 Congress was to redirect the thrust of the program to motivate 

 needed reforms: 



In 1966, Public Law 480 vinderwent a major overhaul; the program of food 

 assistance was tied directly to the efforts of the developing coxmtries to limit their 

 population growth. These changes can be found in the Food for Peace Act, Public 

 Law 89-808. In the first place, the entire rationale of the law was changed. Instead 

 of a device to dispose of U.S. agricultural supluses, the new law advances a 

 program to combat hunger and malnutrition and assist economic development, 

 particularly in those countries that do the most to help themselves. In line with 

 this program, the President is directed, in negotiating and carrying out agree- 

 ments for the sale of agricultural commodities, whether for dollar credits or 

 foreign currencies, to take account of the eflforts of the other countries to meet 

 their problems of food production and population growth. In the Foreign Assis- 

 tance Act of 1968 one of the purposes for which agreements concerning the use of 

 foreign currencies can be made is that of ". ; . activities, where participati-on is 

 voluntary, related to problems of population growth. ; . . Not less than five 

 (5) percentum of the total sales proceeds received each year shall, if requested 

 by the foreign country, be used for voluntary programs to control population 

 growth." (Emphasis added.) That same law also contained a provision stipulating, 

 as one of the self-help criteria the developing country must meet in order for the 

 President to agree to the sale of agricultural commodities, the criterion of 

 "carrying out voluntary programs to control population growth." This is stronger 

 language than that which would merely take account of LDC efforts at self help.'^^ 



Concern continues, however, "lest unchecked population growth 

 lead not only to starvation in the LDCs, but to the wreckage of 

 international development as well." In Dr. Nanes' opinion, "It seems 

 likely that the Congress will continue to monitor events in the field 

 of population with a view to the possible passage of legislation to 

 make U.S. pohcy in this area more effective." ^^^ 



Status of the Issue in 1971 



The distinction between cases and issues in the separate studies of 

 Science, Technology, and American Diplomacy is that the cases repre- 

 sent discrete events with some sort of terminus while issues are by 

 nature continuing and inconclusive. The summation of the study of 

 the issue of the food/people equation conforms with this distinction: 



The final result of the international campaign to bring food and population into 

 balance in the LDCs — in such a way that economic development can go forward, 

 and an acceptable level of human welfare can be achieved and sustained — cannot 

 be foreseen. Certainly the challenge is as difficult as any ever faced by man ; it 

 calls for the careful management of a complex interaction of scientific knowledge, 

 diplomacy, and social engineering. At the beginning of the decade of the 1970s, the 

 issue is very much in doubt. In the years ahead, the extent and character of the 

 U.S. effort can have a crucial effect for good or ill. "^ 



By 1971 it had become evident that the problem of balancing the 

 food/people equation was not fundamentally a technological one. 

 It was true that further applications of science were needed, and 



»«5 76;d., p. 806. 

 i«« Ibid., p. 8.52. 

 ^^T Ibid., p. 864. 



