Oxfam Ireland Press Release.
 
April 11th 2005

Ireland Exclusive: It's raining rice for Snow Patrol

Why did Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody agree to have bucket loads of rice dumped on him? The answer lies in the injustice that exists within world trade. Snow Patrol is the latest high profile group to join Oxfam's campaign to Make Trade Fair which already contains Antonio Banderas covered in corn and Michael Stipe(REM) dripping in milk. Snow Patrol took time out of the recording for their latest album in Kerry to have the photos taken so they could be ready for the global week of action for trade justice which starts on April 10th .

Agreeing to be covered by rice was a small sacrifice for Lightbody to make: "There is such gross global trade injustice which is keeping people in some of the poorest countries being caught in the poverty cycle. It is nothing for me to get dumped on with rice if it gets the message out that to make poverty history one of the things we need to do is make trade fair."

For 3 billion people, half the world's population rice is the staple food. In many countries, the word "rice" is the same word that people use for food. Rice also means an income for 2 billion people, many small farmers, who grow rice for a living. This living is gradually being squeezed because rich countries are forcing developing countries to accept imports of cheap, often dumped, food. Rice is one of these "dumped" foods. Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign is calling for new trade regulations that support poverty reduction and the rights to secure livelihoods. Their latest research into rice dumping which coincides with the global week for trade justice, is further evidence of the way in which the world's poorest farmers are being exploited by rich countries for profits.

"Life is unbearable.because we don't have a market for our product. We cannot afford to pay for our children's school fees." Says Sala Azeko, a rice farmer in Nyarriga village in Ghana.In many countries, supporting agriculture - and especially poor farmers -is key to combating poverty and promoting development. Governments in countries such as Viet Nam and Indonesia have successfully used agriculture and trade policies, such as import tariffs, to help secure poor farmers' livelihoods and boost rural economies. However many poor -country governments' hands are tied and they don't have the flexibility to use trade and agriculture policies to support development and combat poverty.

Poor countries have come under enormous pressure from rich countries through regional and bilateral trade agreements and through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to liberalise their economies - to reduce support for poor farmers and cut import tariffs on key crops such as rice. This leads to a flood of imports from sources such as heavily subsidised US farmers which destroys local livelihoods and the prospects of rural development. Rice is just one example of trade injustice which is currently occuring in the world. Oxfam's maketradefair.com hold research on a litany of similar trade injustices,

There are many ways to get involved in the global week of action for trade justice. Sign up online to Oxfam's Big Noise petition at www.maketradefair.com. Over 5 million people have already. This petition will be presented to world trade ministers at the world trade organization meeting in December 2005. Www. tradejustice.ie has information on events taking place around Ireland during the week and view the gallery of celebrities who have been dumped on to make trade fair at www.oxfamireland.org. At this website you can also email world trade leaders asking them to make trade fair. Finally, join the masses and buy your white band to make poverty history from any Oxfam shop in Ireland.