FAO seeks political, financial push to eradicate hunger

Dharam Shourie
New York, Oct 17 (PTI) The U.N. food agency has sought a
political and financial push to boost sustainable agriculture
in poor countries and double global food production, saying
that such a move would forge a world of economic and social
progress.

In a message on the occasion of the World Food Day,
Director General of Food and Agriculture Organisation (F.A.O.)
Jacques Diouf said it is known what needs to be done to
eradicate hunger among 923 million poor and double the food
production to feed a population which is expected to rise to 9
billion 2030. But what is needed is the political will.

He noted that only 10 percent of the USD 22 billion
pledged to promote global food security earlier this year has
so far materialised "mainly for emergency food aid".

"What we need ... is political will and delivery on
financial commitments, if we are to be able to make the
essential investments that are needed to promote sustainable
agricultural development and food security in the poorest
countries of the world," Diouf said.

That, he stressed, is the surest way of forging a world
of economic and social progress and creating the conditions
for peace and security of humanity.

Pope Benedict XVI, in a message, said that a lasting
solution to hunger in the world lay in the promotion of an
international order based on social justice.

The world produced enough food to feed a growing
population, he noted. If people went hungry, it was partly
because of a "race for consumption" which "imposes forced
reductions on the nutritional capacity of the world's poorest
regions".

Other reasons, the Pope said, included lack of political
will by nations but also "runaway speculation", together with
"corruption in public life or again growing investments in
weapons and sophisticated military technologies to the
detriment of people's primary needs... "

"An essential condition for increasing production,
safeguarding the identity of indigenous populations as well
as peace and security in the world is to guarantee access to
land, thus helping agricultural labourers and promoting their
rights," the Pope added.

Climate change and bio-energy are the focus of this
year's World Food Day activities, involving over 150
countries. They include a third edition of the popular 'Run
for Food' to take place in Rome on October 19, involving over
4000 people, with a similar event to be held simultaneously in
Milan.