UN chief calls for 50 pc increase in food production
http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/04/stories/2008060455 [2008-6-5]
Tag: food increase
ROME: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon mapped out a twin-trackstrategy to tackle soaring food prices as world leaders met for athree-day summit on Tuesday in a global response to the foodcrisis.
“You all know about the severity and scale of the global foodcrisis. Before this emergency, more than 850 million people in theworld were short of food,” said Mr. Ban at the summit, hostedby the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The high-level conference comes as the world is experiencing adramatic increase in food prices. Agricultural commodity pricesrose sharply in the past two years and continued to rise even moresharply in the first three months of 2008, with foodstuffs such asrice, corn and wheat all reaching record highs, sparking riots inmany countries and worsening the situation of the 850 millionpeople already affected by chronic hunger.
A joint report by the FAO and the Organisation for EconomicCooperation and Development (OECD) warned last week that foodprices were expected to remain high over the next decade even ifthey would ease from their recent peaks. Mr. Ban said theinternational community must take immediate steps to increase foodavailability to vulnerable people as a short-term response. Social safety net
He called on developed countries to help poor countries expand foodassistance through food aid, vouchers or cash, scale up nutritionalsupport and improve safety nets and social protection programmes tohelp the most vulnerable.
Small farmers’ food production should be urgently boosted bydistributing seeds and fertilizers in time for this year’splanting seasons, said Mr. Ban. Some actions have been taken atinternational level to meet immediate needs. The World Bankannounced last week the establishment of a $1.2 billion financingfacility to boost food production, including $200 million in grantstargeted at the world’s poorest countries.
The FAO also called for $1.7 billion in new funding to providelow-income countries with seeds and other agricultural support. Mr.Ban in particular warned against food export restrictions imposedby certain countries in the face of higher food prices on theglobal markets to ensure domestic supply.
“Some countries have taken action by limiting exports or byimposing price controls... They only distort markets and forceprices even higher,” he said. “I call on nations toresist such measures and to immediately release exports designatedfor humanitarian purposes,” he added.
“Food production needs to rise by 50 per cent by the 2030 tomeet the rising demand,” he said. Mr. Ban said investment inagriculture was vital to ensure global food security.
ROME: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon mapped out a twin-trackstrategy to tackle soaring food prices as world leaders met for athree-day summit on Tuesday in a global response to the foodcrisis.
“You all know about the severity and scale of the global foodcrisis. Before this emergency, more than 850 million people in theworld were short of food,” said Mr. Ban at the summit, hostedby the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The high-level conference comes as the world is experiencing adramatic increase in food prices. Agricultural commodity pricesrose sharply in the past two years and continued to rise even moresharply in the first three months of 2008, with foodstuffs such asrice, corn and wheat all reaching record highs, sparking riots inmany countries and worsening the situation of the 850 millionpeople already affected by chronic hunger.
A joint report by the FAO and the Organisation for EconomicCooperation and Development (OECD) warned last week that foodprices were expected to remain high over the next decade even ifthey would ease from their recent peaks. Mr. Ban said theinternational community must take immediate steps to increase foodavailability to vulnerable people as a short-term response. Social safety net
He called on developed countries to help poor countries expand foodassistance through food aid, vouchers or cash, scale up nutritionalsupport and improve safety nets and social protection programmes tohelp the most vulnerable.
Small farmers’ food production should be urgently boosted bydistributing seeds and fertilizers in time for this year’splanting seasons, said Mr. Ban. Some actions have been taken atinternational level to meet immediate needs. The World Bankannounced last week the establishment of a $1.2 billion financingfacility to boost food production, including $200 million in grantstargeted at the world’s poorest countries.
The FAO also called for $1.7 billion in new funding to providelow-income countries with seeds and other agricultural support. Mr.Ban in particular warned against food export restrictions imposedby certain countries in the face of higher food prices on theglobal markets to ensure domestic supply.
“Some countries have taken action by limiting exports or byimposing price controls... They only distort markets and forceprices even higher,” he said. “I call on nations toresist such measures and to immediately release exports designatedfor humanitarian purposes,” he added.
“Food production needs to rise by 50 per cent by the 2030 tomeet the rising demand,” he said. Mr. Ban said investment inagriculture was vital to ensure global food security.
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