This increase is expected to be particularly dramatic in Sub-Saharan Africa. Against this background of truly awful statistics, it is pretty clear to me that alleviating and eradicating poverty is the most pressing challenge of our time. We must do whatever we can to make sure that our fellow human beings do not have to live under degrading conditions, wondering where their next meal will be coming from. The primary objective of Norwegian development policy is to contribute to consistent and sustainable improvements in the economic, social and political conditions in developing countries. Our development assistance is targeted towards poor regions, poor countries and poor population groups.
Priority is given to the least developed countries.
In many of the poorest countries, up to 90 per cent of the population are agricultural producers or peasants. It has a significant effect on overall employment, and on income and export revenue. The difference between a good and a poor harvest may be a matter of life and death. Or a matter of meeting or not meeting the basic needs of millions of people. In these countries, poverty cannot be alleviated without a proper agricultural policy, laying a solid basis for sustainable growth in agricultural production.