HC Deb 22 October 2002 vol 391 c196W
Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the impact that the spread of HIV/AIDS is having on the famine in Africa. [76102]

Clare Short

The HIV/AIDS epidemic poses a major threat to food security in Sub Saharan Africa, and has served to contribute to, and greatly exacerbate southern Africa's growing famine.

HIV/AIDS is hitting agricultural productivity hard. In just two decades AIDS has killed seven million farmers in Africa and in some countries, households and villages are losing from 10–50 per cent. of agricultural productivity due to the disease.

HIV/AIDS impacts on reduced food availability as workers become too ill to work the land, care for livestock and maintain essential machinery. At a family level food production has fallen by as much as 80 per cent. when the main producer is affected. This is especially true in areas such as Southern Africa, which uses labour-intensive farming methods.

Goals to eradicate hunger and poverty must therefore include plans to combat the spread and the impact of the HIV epidemic through multi-sectoral HIV/AIDS prevention and care interventions.

Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Government intends to make additional resources available to support the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the light of its contribution to the current famine in Africa. [76099]

Clare Short

DFID's overall programme in Africa is set to increase from 640 million pounds sterling this year to one billion pounds sterling by 2006 and HIV/AIDS will remain one of our highest priorities in the region. We will be focusing efforts on mainstreaming our response to HIV/AIDS across sectors, such as agriculture, education, health etc, to ensure that the impact of HIV/AIDS is better addressed.

DFID spent over 55 million pounds in Africa on HIV/AIDS programmes and related health systems strengthening in the financial year 2000–2001. Reflecting our increased commitment to addressing HIV/AIDS, so far this year (2001–2002), we have committed an additional 180 million pounds to tackle HIV/AIDS in Africa. A further $200 million dollars (£140 million pounds approximately) has been pledged by the UK to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.