§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what help the Government is giving to Zambia to source non-GM food. [83544]
§ Clare ShortI have made clear to the Government of Zambia that I believe their decision on GM is ill advised and will make it more expensive and difficult to provide food to those who are starving in Zambia. We are nevertheless doing all we can to try to ensure that those in need are provided for.
DFID has provided £8.5 million to the World Food Programme to source food for the humanitarian pipeline and plans to provide £0.7 million to NGOs for the procurement and distribution of supplementary nutritional food supplies.
DFID's support to NGOs and International Organisations for conservation farming and drought recovery programmes will support the supply of non-GM food at the next harvest.
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what analysis the Government has made of food availability in Zambia, in particular the availability of cassava; and whether the Government is supporting efforts to get such foods to areas affected by crop failures. [83546]
§ Clare ShortDFID has been working with the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to determine the availability of food for humanitarian distribution to those in most need.
Through its annual crop forecasts, GRZ has reported a surplus of cassava in the north where cassava is a major staple food for most communities. The redistribution of cassava to drought affected areas in the south is difficult for logistical, social and economic reasons. GRZ is using available funds to purchase surplus maize from the north rather than cassava, as this is the staple crop and preferred food for the south.
534WDFID has provided £8.5 million to the WFP to source food imports into Zambia and is working closely with GRZ and WFP to improve the distribution of food stocks existing in the country.