After attending Oxford University followed by a Kennedy Scholarship to Harvard, David’s career as a journalist began working for the Newcastle Journal and then the Financial Times.  David then started a career in politics in 1979 in various positions including Chairman of the Agriculture Committee and Rapporteur of the EU budget. In 1997, David served on several Select Committees and also chaired a number of all-party groups relating to international food and development issues.

From 2005 to 2008 David Curry was the first Chairman of Dairy UK, a newly formed organisation brought about to respond more effectively to new agendas like climate change, the development of ethical issues like food miles and fair trade.  David retired from Parliamentary politics at the 2010 general election.

IDE UK was founded in the dying days of the last century by a group of development professionals convinced that the market provided the key to addressing rural poverty. 

The founding board chair was Chris Underhill, at that time CEO of  ITDG/Practical Action and subsequently founder and current CEO of Basic Needs.

IDE UK employed its first staff member in 2003,  and has since supported programmes in 9 countries in Africa and Asia, working with approx. 90,000 poor farmers (equal to approx. 450,000 individuals), and is currently involved in programmes in Ethiopia, Myanmar and Vietnam, working with approx. 16,000 poor farmers. 

IDE UK’s mission is to create income opportunities for poor rural households by assisting them to substantially increase their production and access new markets, and therefore significantly raise their incomes and earn their way out of poverty in a sustainable manner, and by encouraging entrepreneurship, in particular by stimulating and supporting the use of affordable technologies and by supply chain establishment, improvement advice and support.

IDE UK shares the distinctive IDE family’s market-led approach. Given the increasing general awareness of issues of rural poverty, global food prices and supply, and environmental sustainability, coupled with the growing debate concerning the effectiveness and long term sustainability of initiatives funded by aid, the organization has a great opportunity to contribute to alleviating strategic global problems.

In order to build on the base of its achievements to date, and move forward to create income opportunities on a larger scale, the organization is building a stronger and more sustainable capacity. In particular, it is building a more robust, stable and engaged financial base, and evolving  its culture to engage more entrepreneurially with the changing 21^st century world.

Ensuring small producers in Ethiopia achieve sustainable and fair access to honey and pepper markets

24^th February 2010

	IDE UK’s Lewis had visited Ethiopia to monitor the project of “Ensuring small producers in Ethiopia achieve sustainable and fair access to honey and pepper markets” in Fabruary 2010.
>> More	>> Peddling out of poverty: Melkan Geti/ Dangila District, Amhara Province, Ethiopia
>> More	>> Well drilling as a micro-enterprise / Dangila District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
>> More	>> Beekeeping as a business – Adane Tesfaye and Tadegu Negu/ Arma Beekeepers Cooperative , Armachoho District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
>> More	>> Food security through beekeeping: Asres Teshome
>> More	>> Keeping bees as a business – Mulu Bezuayahu and Tsegaw Itenah
>> More	>> Yedget Chora Beekeepers Cooperative

Peddling out of poverty: Melkan Geti/ Dangila District, Amhara Province, Ethiopia