Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Judd (Labour). It was answered on Thursday, 20 November 2008.

International Development: Agriculture

Question: My Lords, I take the opportunity to congratulate the Government once again on their commitment to overseas aid. Does my noble friend agree that in our response to the global economic and financial crisis we must keep the plight of the world’s poorest people constantly in focus? With 75 per cent of the world’s poor still living in rural areas, and with most of them utterly dependent for their livelihood on agriculture, do the Government agree that for appropriate agricultural technology to be sustainable the farmers themselves have to be genuinely involved and that this means ensuring that extension programmes reach the poorest and the most excluded, including pastoral people, women and those living on subsistence farming? Can my noble friend reassure us on that point?

Answer: My Lords, I think, more or less universally, yes; I acknowledge that 75 per cent of the very poor people are in agriculture. We aim to move people away from humanitarian assistance into long-term protection schemes. Those are about involving farmers and causing them to improve their own capability. We have schemes in Ethiopia, Bangladesh and 18 other countries to achieve that aim.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 705 c1197
Session: 2007-08
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Agriculture Developing countries Development aid Food Productivity
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk