Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 92 Part 1.djvu/998

 92 STAT. 944

PUBLIC LAW 95-424—OCT. 6, 1978

creation and strengthening of local institutions linked to the regional and national levels; organization of a system of financ'al institutions which provide both savings and credit services to the poor; stimulation of small, labor-intensive enterprises in rural towns; improvement of marketing facilities and systems; expansion of rural infrastructure and utilities such as farm-to-market roads, water managernent systems, land improvement, energy, and storage facilities; establishment of more equitable and more secure land tenure arrangements; and creation '"* ' and strengthening of systems to provide other services and supplies needed by farmers, such as extension, research, training, fertilizer, water, forestry, soil conservation, and improved seed, in Avays which assure access to them by small farmers. Infrastructure "(2) In circumstances where development of major infrastructure projects. is necessary to achieve the objectives set forth in this section, assistance for that purpose should be furnished under this chapter in association with significant contributions from other countries working together in a multilateral framework. Infrastructure projects so assisted should be complemented by other measures to ensure that the benefits of the infrastructure reach the poor. "(c) The Congress finds that the greatest potential for significantly expanding availability of food for people in rural areas and augmenting world food production at relatively low cost lies in increasing the productivity of small farmers who constitute a majority of the agricultural producers in developing countries. Incresising the emphasis on rural development and expanded food production in the poor^ est nations of the developing world is a matter of social justice and a principal element contributing to broadly based economic growth, as well as an impoilant factor in alleviating inflation in the industrialized countries. In the allocation of funds under this section, special attention shall be given to increasing agricultural production in countries which have been designated as 'least developed' by the United Nations General Assembly. Nutrition. "(d) Assistance provided under this section shall also be used in Post, p. 9450. coordination with programs carried out under section 104 to help improve nutrition of the people of developing countries through encouragement of increased production of crops with greater nutritional value; improvement of planning, research, and education with respect to nutrition, particularly with reference to improvement and expanded use of indigenously produced foodstuffs; and the undertaking of pilot or demonstration programs explicitly addressing the problem of malnutrition of poor and vulnerable people. In particular, the President is encouraged— "(1) to devise and carry out in partnership with developing countries a strategy for programs of nutrition and health improvement for mothers and children, including breast feeding; and "(2) to provide technical, financial, and material support to individuals or groups at the local level for such programs. "(e) Local currency proceeds from sales of commodities provided under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 7 USC 1691 note. 1954 which are owned by foreign governments shall be used whenever practicable to carry out the provisions of this section.". 22 USC 2403. (b) Section 644 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:

�