Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, USAID agricultural aid programs proved to be a monumental success. Across the world, nations increased agricultural production enough to feed their ever-growing populations. American support renewed faith in democracy and Western ideologies, while well-fed populaces decreased susceptibility to communism. On a large scale, agricultural support led many nations to ally with the U.S., while fear of losing support kept them from growing closer to the Soviet Union. On a smaller scale, a sufficient food supply kept the people happy, which stopped them from turning to communism.
US Food distributed in Nigeria , 1974, Medium
"Nasser’s basic suspicions of France and the UK probably will not change. For the next few years at least he is likely to be reasonably restrained in his dealings with both the US and the USSR because of his heavy dependence on the US for food and on the USSR for military and development aid."
-CIA, 1962, Special National Intelligence Estimate
HYV technology provided the U.S. with unique agricultural capabilities that the Soviet Union did not possess. Soviet agriculture was weak, many years requiring grain imports to supplement production. Thus, the U.S. had a critical diplomatic advantage in the form of agricultural diplomacy. Agricultural diplomacy allowed the U.S. to secure allies while stopping other nations from supporting the Soviets. In the end, the allies gathered through sharing HYV technology helped the U.S. overwhelm the Soviet Union and win the Cold War.
US President Ronald Reagan with Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, 1982, The Print
"This then is the setting: We have agricultural capability. This is an asset which our rivals lack and which the developing countries need."
-Dr. Donald Paarlberg, Food for Peace, 1962