Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to encourage and support agricultural co-operatives in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

The Department for International Development has supported and worked with co-operatives across sectors for many years. We recognise the benefits and opportunities that co-operatives can offer for small scale farmers, for example as a way to collectively negotiate better prices, increase productivity and access financial services. Co-operatives can also aggregate farmer produce to increase their selling power to the market or set up their own processing, trading or financing facilities. DfID programmes promote co-operatives as one way to support farmers to strengthen their links to markets and promote sustainable and inclusive economic development.