Chris Martin saw first-hand the impact
of subsidised US rice on the
people of Haiti, an example of the double standards practised by rich countries.
On the one hand, the USA fixes the trade rules by protecting its rice farmers
with subsidies. Subsidies
encourage farmers to produce more and enable them to sell their rice at a cheaper
price and still make a profit. But in return for aid, Haiti was encouraged to
remove the protection of its own farmers. With a more open market, Haiti has
been swamped by cheap US rice, with devastating effects on Haitian rice farmers.