Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure the interests of small-scale farmers are fully represented in her Department’s involvement in the New Alliance initiative.

Mr Desmond Swayne

Smallholder farmers are represented in the New Alliance coordination structures, through the civil society representation at the Leadership Council, and also through the non-state actors’ coalition of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

In addition, our work on responsible investment in land led to a due diligence framework for agricultural investments which we developed jointly with the African Union, other donors, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. This inclusive new tool has been approved and is now being piloted, including through our support for innovative investment approaches developed by smallholders and their organisations.