Hampshire MEP, Chris Huhne, is backing Oxfam's campaign to stop subsidised EU food exports wrecking poor farmers' livelihoods in the developing world.

He joined campaigners at the Oxfam shop in Eastleigh to press for a comprehensive ban on agricultural export dumping at the World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting in Cancun in September.

"European citizens are spending more than two euros a day subsidising each cow when half of the world's population has to live on less than this amount.

"It is time to put people ahead of cows," said Mr Huhne.

"We should cut our farm subsidies, cut our unfair exports and let farmers in poorer countries live."

Mr Huhne said the key was to give people in developing countries a way of earning money.

"If you give people a handout, it feeds them for a day. If you open up opportunities for them to sell on world markets, you feed them for life," said Mr Huhne.