Recommendation 15

HM Government Accepted in Part

Government Response – Partially Agree 13. We agree that smallholder farmers are vital players in the global food system and that it is important to consider the impact relevant government programmes have on them. Smallholder farmers have been central to UK’s ODA policy and programming on food and agriculture, and we support a range of programmes and initiatives to promote food security while also helping smallholders to benefit from sustainably increased incomes (including moving beyond farming). Our programmes have focused on supporting farmers in the most climate vulnerable countries to adopt sustainable and resilient agricultural practices and to secure access to local markets. 14. The UK already has social and environmental safeguarding frameworks in place to ensure we effectively assess, manage and mitigate any negative consequences a programme or policy may have on individuals, communities, or groups. DBT publishes scoping assessments for new free trade agreements, prior to negotiations commencing, impact assessments after negotiations have concluded, and post implementation reviews within five years of the FTA coming into force. These provide an assessment of the potential implications for different groups in the labour market, including women. The UK recognises the importance of expanding our understanding of the gender impacts of trade. We are committed to building our evidence base through analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, which is used to inform our trade agreement implementation activities. 15. In light of these existing processes and in the context of the current Spending Review we do not think a separate assessment of government programmes’ impact on smallholder farmers is warranted at this stage. Depending on the outcome of the Spending Review and the scope and focus of future ODA programmes, we will consider the case for further impact assessment in 2026.