Critics have attacked the government's land policy, under which all land is owned by the state, as the main reason the country -- one of Africa's poorest -- has faced food shortages, saying it has discouraged peasants from investing to boost yields.

In an interview with Reuters, Benn said he had recently spoken to Ethiopia's agriculture minister who was beginning to develop a plan on how a change of system could develop.

"One of the reasons I'm going is to hear from them about how they propose to take this plan forward," he said. "Clearly land ownership, incentives for planting and production... play a part in helping to raise levels of agricultural production."

The controversial land policy was introduced under Marxist rule and entrenched in Ethiopia's 1994 constitution.

Three years ago, Ethiopia fought a ruinous war with its Horn of Africa neighbour Eritrea which killed more than 100,000 people. On Tuesday, a United Nations envoy said the deadlocked peace process had left an unstable situation but that there were no signs that the fighting will resume.

Benn will travel on Monday to meet Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and senior officials to discuss levels of poverty, HIV/AIDS, improving education and attracting foreign investment.

Benn said the country had recently benefited from a good harvest and increased aid from donors. Britain will give 50 million pounds of budget support over the next three years.

In his three day visit, Benn will spend time with a community dependent on food aid and an association of women living with HIV/AIDS.