The European Commission has backed a plan to give 1bn euros (£800m) of unspent EU farm subsidies in aid to farmers in Africa. The cash could help farmers boost output, helping tackle food shortages and soaring prices. The money has been allocated to the EU agriculture budget, but not spent. Some countries have queried the move's legality. But if EU ministers and the European Parliament agree, it could take effect in early 2009. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said: "The impact of high food prices is particularly severe for the world's poorest populations." Without European help, United Nations goals to halve world poverty might fail, and tensions between countries in Africa over resources might intensify, he said.
The European Commission has backed a plan to give 1bn euros (£800m) of unspent EU farm subsidies in aid to farmers in Africa.
The cash could help farmers boost output, helping tackle food shortages and soaring prices.
The money has been allocated to the EU agriculture budget, but not spent.
Some countries have queried the move's legality. But if EU ministers and the European Parliament agree, it could take effect in early 2009.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said: "The impact of high food prices is particularly severe for the world's poorest populations."
Without European help, United Nations goals to halve world poverty might fail, and tensions between countries in Africa over resources might intensify, he said.
The European Commission on Friday proposed to deliver €1 billion in emergency funding over the next two years to the developing world to help them grapple with the global food crisis. A number of member states however are critical of the plan, saying that while something must be done to deal with the crisis, "Barroso's billion" - as one diplomat called emergency fund - is not the way to go about it. Spare EU agriculture monies may be given to third world farmers to buy seeds and other farming inputs The commission proposed the establishment of a special "facility for rapid response to soaring food prices in developing countries", operating throughout the rest of 2008 and 2009. The new money would come on top of existing development funds, coming from unused money left over from the European Union's agricultural budget. The aim is not to provide money so that poor people can afford to buy what they need to eat, but instead to give credit and other monies to farmers to help them produce more food and in so doing, bring prices down.
The European Commission on Friday proposed to deliver €1 billion in emergency funding over the next two years to the developing world to help them grapple with the global food crisis.
A number of member states however are critical of the plan, saying that while something must be done to deal with the crisis, "Barroso's billion" - as one diplomat called emergency fund - is not the way to go about it.
Spare EU agriculture monies may be given to third world farmers to buy seeds and other farming inputs
The commission proposed the establishment of a special "facility for rapid response to soaring food prices in developing countries", operating throughout the rest of 2008 and 2009.
The new money would come on top of existing development funds, coming from unused money left over from the European Union's agricultural budget.
The aim is not to provide money so that poor people can afford to buy what they need to eat, but instead to give credit and other monies to farmers to help them produce more food and in so doing, bring prices down.
