§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Minister of Overseas Development (1) to what extent her Department is at present engaged in helping Third world countries to obtain agricultural machinery from the United Kingdom;
(2) whether she has been consulted by Massey Ferguson or any other companies in the United Kingdom about help which may be needed by underdeveloped countries to enable them to obtain British-made tractors;
(3) what information she has regarding the requirements of underdeveloped countries for tractors and combine harvesters; and if she will make a further study of this matter;
(4) what kinds of agricultural machinery are most needed by underdeveloped countries.
§ Mrs. HartIn 1977, the latest year for which figures are available, agricultural machinery to the value of approximately £3 million was purchased in the United Kingdom from funds provided under the British aid programme.
My professional advisers, including the Overseas Department of the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, assess the needs of developing countries for agricultural machinery in the context of specific development proposals and of the Government's policy of providing more help to the poorest countries. Requirements vary between countries and projects, but the priority we attach to food production by small farmers in rural areas means that the machinery needed is commonly light, for example, equipment for draft oxen work and hand-powered machines for cultivation. However, heavier machinery is also provided 43W and includes earth-moving equipment for land levelling and soil conservation schemes.
No general study of agricultural machinery requirements in the developing world has been undertaken by my Ministry, as this data is available through the Food and Agricultural Organisation.
I have not received any specific approach by Massey Ferguson or other companies recently, but my advisers maintain regular contact with United Kingdom manufacturers of agricultural machinery Association, to whom they convey releand with the Agricultural Engineers' vant information about performance and commercial demand.