§ The Earl of Sandwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their criteria for the alleviation of rural poverty and whether they accept that, in the light of their recent joint research with the Overseas Development Institute, non-government organisations are the most effective channels of development.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyDirect assistance to poor people, including the rural poor, is an important element of the Overseas Development Administration's (ODA) approach to sustainable economic and social development. This includes the provision of basic services as well as enhancing income-generating opportunities. We also support policies that promote wide participation in the benefits of economic growth.
ODA recognises the vital contribution made by NGOs in the context of direct assistance to the poor, which is why it collaborates with them both through the Joint Funding Scheme which supports NGO-sponsored projects and through its bilateral country programmes.