Charities hail Africa farm aid plan
19/06/2012 - 16:20:33Aid charities have welcomed the UK’s involvement in a scheme to help poor African farmers to get access to cutting-edge agricultural technology.
British Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed the UK’s support for the AgResults scheme at the G20 summit in Mexico, joining Australia, Canada, the US, Italy, the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The scheme is designed to boost food security in the poor world by providing funds to bring technologies tried and tested in rich countries to a wider market.
The first pilot projects to be backed by the scheme will help Zambian farmers to use vitamin-enriched maize; improve crop storage in Kenya and reduce contamination of maize crops in Nigeria.
International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: “Far too many creative and successful products have failed to get into the hands of the farmers who need them most.
“Many promising pieces of agricultural technology have the potential to transform farming, but a lack of investment or a market for their goods prevents them from getting off the drawing board.
“Britain will help get innovation out of the science lab and into the hands of the farmers that need it. Building demand for new products and providing incentives to help get them to market will give farmers the tools they need to grow more healthy and sustainable crops.”
Save the Children policy spokeswoman Kate Dooley said: “The UK, Australia and Canada have shown important leadership in keeping the world’s focus on hunger while the G20 meets in Los Cabos.
“The new AgResults initiative will play an important role in identifying new ways to boost agricultural production in developing countries.
“With malnutrition responsible for nearly three million child deaths each year, it is particularly encouraging that the initiative includes a pilot focused on biofortification – enhancing the nutritional value of crops.
“But ensuring children thrive beyond the fragile first 1,000 days of life requires a broader package of direct and indirect nutrition interventions.
“David Cameron now has a golden opportunity to build on this initiative and the Olympics Hunger Summit to reduce child malnutrition”.
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