Farmers in Africa suffering from the effects of climate change are to receive a £4million aid boost from Scotland.

The funds will support Scotland-based aid organisations working in Zambia, Tanzania and Rwanda.

They were announced by Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson before he attends the UN summit on sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next week.

He said: "Scotland is well aware of its responsibilities to the wider world and we know that it is some of the world's most vulnerable people in sub-Saharan Africa that are dealing with the harsh realities of climate change."

Under the project, Oxfam will co-ordinate a food security project for Tanzanian farmers.

Relief charity Tearfund will work with communities in Rwanda on food security, water and sanitation, and climate change mitigation. In Zambia, the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (Sciaf) is involved in a programme to support small-scale farmers.

Ralph Roothaert, of Oxfam, said: "This Scottish Government funding will help women and men small-holder producers to build those skills and, together with others, negotiate for better policies and practices for access to land and water, agricultural production and trade.

"It will make farmers more resilient to the effects of climate change by introducing drought tolerant rice varieties."

Mr Stevenson is part of the UK delegation to the UN conference, which runs from Wednesday to Friday.

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