Self-Reliant Development and International Food Assistance Reform Act of 1979

Self-Reliant Development and International Food Assistance Reform Act of 1979 - Amends the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to require the use of agricultural commodities under this Act for humanitarian and developmental objectives.

Authorizes the export of commodities to meet developmental purposes even if it results in inadequate domestic supplies.

Permits the dollar sales value of the commodities to be applied by the recipient country against their repayment obligation under the Food for Development Program and credit obligation to the Commodity Credit Corporation.

Directs the President: (1) to give special consideration to increasing demand for food by expanding markets for local foodstuffs, as well as U.S. commodities; and (2) to take precautions that credit sales and commodity distributions do not interfere with local food production or marketing.

Provides for the use of indigenous institutions and workers to assure that food commodities are used effectively and where most needed.

Requires countries selling U.S. agricultural commodities for developmental purposes to agree to use the money generated from such sales to alleviate the causes of the need for such assistance, as well as increasing the effectiveness of food distribution and availability of food commodities.

Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to declare that assistance under such Act and the Agriculture and Trade Assistance Act of 1954 emphasize programs to assist developing countries to increase their national food security.