Call for a Stronger Anti-Hunger System

The food crisis that started in 2006 and peaked in 2008 was a wake up call for the international community to act synchronously to combat world hunger. In the recently concluded World Grain Forum, Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General Jacques Diouf stressed that, "We need to build a more coherent and effective system of governance for world food security; we have to correct the policies and international trade system that have resulted in more hunger and poverty." In addition, he called for a bigger proportion of development aid for agriculture to be invested in rural infrastructures, in obtaining access to modern inputs and in the utilization of new farming technologies by the small farmers  in developing countries.

The high food prices is the cause of the tremendous increase of hungry people to 115 million, and 100 million more people will go hungry with the current financial and economic crisis. As of last month, 31 countries are in a situation of food crisis requiring emergency assistance.

For details of the press release see:  http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/20452/icode/