Developing countries must be allowed to use the policy tools necessary to defend and develop their food production, Ictu told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business yesterday.

Making a submission on the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference due to take place in Hong Kong next month, Ictu said developing countries must be allowed protect the rights of their agricultural workers.

It also called for the elimination of all agricultural export supports and said an early date for their elimination should be set in Hong Kong.

"Developing countries need increased, stable, and predictable access to industrialised country agricultural markets," Ictu said.

It also said agricultural subsidies must be redirected to encourage sustainable methods and protect the rights of workers, "rather than overwhelmingly benefiting corporate agribusiness".

The impact of trade liberalisation on employment needs to be taken into account, it said, adding that developing countries must have access to low-cost medicines.