Hilary Benn: Last November (2002), my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) attended the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) at which proposals for addressing the Coffee Crisis was discussed by EU Ministers.

It is hoped that the Conference will help to develop ideas for specific programmes and activities which could make a real contribution to solving the Coffee Crisis.

However, if the Coffee Crisis shows us anything, it is that Ethiopia must be less dependent on one crop and even less dependent on agriculture.