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New UN task force on food crisis UN sets up food crisis task force
(about 1 hour later)
The United Nations is to set up a task force to tackle the global food crisis.The United Nations is to set up a task force to tackle the global food crisis.
The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, said the rise in food prices around the world had turned into a challenge of global proportions. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, said the first task was to feed the millions who were now going hungry because of soaring food prices.
The task force, chaired by Mr Ban, will be made up of the heads of UN agencies and the World Bank.The task force, chaired by Mr Ban, will be made up of the heads of UN agencies and the World Bank.
It will explore both emergency and long-term measures to tackle the crisis caused by the recent sharp rise in the price of staple foods such as wheat. The UN believes 100 million people are going short of food, and the World Food Programme says it will need an extra $755m (£380m) this year.
'Unprecedented challenge''Unprecedented challenge'
HAVE YOUR SAY The task force can recommend and formulate a strategy, but the solution lies in the world wide campaign and efforts at every country level Asif Chaudhary, Lahore, Pakistan Send us your comments
"We consider that the dramatic escalation in food prices worldwide has evolved into an unprecedented challenge of global proportions that has become a crisis for the world's most vulnerable, including the urban poor," the UN said in a statement after a meeting of agency heads in the Swiss capital Berne."We consider that the dramatic escalation in food prices worldwide has evolved into an unprecedented challenge of global proportions that has become a crisis for the world's most vulnerable, including the urban poor," the UN said in a statement after a meeting of agency heads in the Swiss capital Berne.
"The challenge is having multiple effects with its most serious impact unfolding as a crisis for the most vulnerable," it went on."The challenge is having multiple effects with its most serious impact unfolding as a crisis for the most vulnerable," it went on.
The cost of staple foods like rice, grain, oil and sugar are all at least 50% higher than they were this time last year.The cost of staple foods like rice, grain, oil and sugar are all at least 50% higher than they were this time last year.
The UN believes 100 million people are going short of food, and the World Food Programme says it will need an extra $755m (£380m) this year to cope with the rising number of people it needs to feed. The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Berne says in the long term the UN wants an end to what it calls trade distorting agricultural subsidies, and measures to address the damage to food production caused by climate change.
Rising food prices are worrying governments across the world More and more people now have to queue up for subsidised food
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Berne says the biggest challenge is the long term - how to promote sustainable agriculture, tackle climate change, and at the same time ensure enough food is produced.
The meeting in Berne was also attended by the head of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, and the head of the World Trade Organisation, Pascal Lamy.The meeting in Berne was also attended by the head of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, and the head of the World Trade Organisation, Pascal Lamy.
Mr Zoellick urged countries not to use export bans to protect food stocks.
"These controls encourage hoarding, drive up prices and hurt the poorest people around the world who are struggling to feed themselves," he said.
In a statement after the meeting, the World Bank said that it would double its lending for agriculture in Africa over the next year.In a statement after the meeting, the World Bank said that it would double its lending for agriculture in Africa over the next year.
It said it was also considering providing quicker and more flexible financing for poor countries.It said it was also considering providing quicker and more flexible financing for poor countries.