Christian Aid agrees with Paul Collier that the focus must be on people living in poverty when considering Prince Charles's views on the future of agriculture (Charles's fantasy farming won't feed Africa's poor, August 22). A hard-nosed analysis of what will work, rather than any romantic or ideological approach, is exactly what is needed. Collier rightly notes it is conventional but unrealistic to say that Africa needs a chemical-led "green revolution". And we strongly support his view that increasing the productivity of farmland is crucial, while expanding the area used is not a long-term option given population and climate trajectories. Where we differ is over his promotion of a GM-led
revolution.

The evidence is that the highest productivity per acre comes from smaller farms, even in the absence of sustainable access to markets and finance. GM technology, requiring greater finance, is likely to militate in favour of less productive large farms. This would inevitably neglect the larger part of the African population and is far from guaranteed to deliver the needed productivity gains.

Our report, Fighting Food Shortages, sets out how structures can be improved to enhance the stability of prices and of access to markets and finance for smaller farms. These measures, together with the ability of governments to protect their markets from heavily subsidised imports, would not only allow the possibility of greater productivity gains in food production. It would also do more to allow families to lift themselves out of poverty, and away from subsistence farming. At least until there is serious evidence for GM benefits in the fight against poverty, we should pursue what works now.

Alex Cobham
Policy manager, Christian Aid