§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what guidance her Department gives to Governments and local communities on the relative merits of sustainable and cash crop agriculture. [41041]
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§ Mr. FoulkesThe livelihoods of the majority of the rural poor in developing countries are dependent, at least in part, on agricultural or other natural resource-based activities.
Our objective is to eliminate poverty through strategies which bring about sustainable improvements in rural livelihoods. These strategies may include the production of crops for food or for sale but we give no specific guidance on the merits of cash crops.
Our focus is on better policies, strengthening relevant institutions, training at all levels, the better management of natural resources, problem solving, improving access to environmentally and socially sound technologies and encouraging small businesses.
Through our support for ethical trading approaches we are also encouraging producers and retailers to adopt safe and fair production and marketing practices and to adopt voluntary codes of conduct.
The approaches used by the Department for International Development (DFID) when working with Governments and local communities in the agricultural sector are set out in the Department's Sustainable Agriculture Strategy. A copy of this Strategy is in the House of Commons Library.