For years, the countries of Africa have complained that Europe and the US were subsidizing grain exports that were undercutting their farmers with lower productivity.
Now they have a chance to show what they can do. The trouble it is happening too fast and many African countries, like Zimbabwae have destroyed their ag infrastructure and driven out those that know how to produce.
All that said..ethanol subsidies are a bad idea that has caught on with green wennies and now farmers who are getting a windfall.
This is almost as dumb as carbon cap and trade.
Exactly.
The truth here is that the priests of libertarianism and Ayn Rand worshipers at _Reason_ hate US Ag subsidies much more than they care about the food situation in Africa.
Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) used to feed their residents and many, many more in Africa besides. The collapse of their output has NOTHING to do with trade, ethanol or any of this other BS that self-styled ag policy experts want to bluster about.
It is because Mugabe has run off all the white farmers and delivered the lands to savages and morons with AK-47’s.
Rhodesia ( I refuse to call that place “Zimbabwe”) could easily feed all of Africa, it’s a natural breadbasket like the Ukraine. For anybody to go hungry or starve in a place like that is nearly the same proposition as not being able to get laid in a whorehouse; it simply should not be possible. Only the vilest and worst possible forms of government could produce such a state of affairs.