A farming couple whose livestock was wiped out in the foot and mouth epidemic are to travel to Africa to see how fellow farmers cope with hardship.

Chris and Jane Hall's herd of 152 cattle and flock of 1,375 sheep were culled when a neighbouring farm in Airton near Skipton, was hit by the disease.

Now the couple are to travel 2,000 miles to Ghana with representatives from the charity Christian Aid to meet rice farmer Meiri Seidu, whose business has been wrecked by cheap imports of brand-named rice from America.

The trip will also be used to promote the campaign to reduce Third World debt.

The venture will be filmed by Yorkshire Television and will be shown next month to coincide with the anniversary of the first case of foot and mouth.

Mr Hall, 48, a church warden at Kirkby Malham Church, has been farming for 26 years and is planning to re-stock, but not with as many animals as he had before.

"I expect we will be talking to Meiri about diversification.

"She grows rice, but in Ghana they can import it cheaper from America, so she's no longer in business and is having to look to other means to make a living."

Mr Hall said the foot and mouth crisis had forced him to diversify his farming business. "We have just had planning permission to open a farm shop and a tea room and convert a building for three holiday lets," he said.

"We plan to re-stock with 123 sheep in lamb when we arrive back home and to buy cattle later in the year.

Judy Rogers of Malham, near Skipton, who works for Christian Aid, has arranged the trip.

She said: "The idea is to share their experiences and to see that other people involved in farming in other parts of the world experience similar difficulties."

Christian Aid is calling for a ban on subsidised exports and is promoting self-sufficiency.