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UN in talks on global food prices UN chief urges unity over hunger
(about 1 hour later)
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for a "single global vision" from world leaders to address the problems of world hunger and pollution.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for a "single global vision" from world leaders to address the problems of world hunger and pollution.
Mr Ban's comments came at the start of a UN conference in Rome aimed at stabilising world food prices.Mr Ban's comments came at the start of a UN conference in Rome aimed at stabilising world food prices.
He said the summit needed to co-ordinate closely with the UN climate meeting at Copenhagen in December.He said the summit needed to co-ordinate closely with the UN climate meeting at Copenhagen in December.
The UN says one billion people are hungry and that food production must increase to feed a growing population.The UN says one billion people are hungry and that food production must increase to feed a growing population.
The World Summit on Food Security comes a year after major rises in food prices caused chaos across the globe. The World Summit on Food Security comes a year after major rises in food prices caused chaos in many countries.
Mr Ban said the Rome and Copenhagen summits "must craft a single global vision to produce real results for people in real need". Mr Ban said both the Rome and Copenhagen summits "must craft a single global vision to produce real results for people in real need".
We must make significant changes to feed ourselves, and most especially to safeguard the poorest and most vulnerable Ban Ki-moon
He called for a more co-ordinated approach to the issues, saying there "can be no food security without climate security".He called for a more co-ordinated approach to the issues, saying there "can be no food security without climate security".
"The food crisis of today is a wake-up call for tomorrow," said Mr Ban."The food crisis of today is a wake-up call for tomorrow," said Mr Ban.
"By 2050, our planet may be the home of 9.1 billion people. By 2050 we know we will need to grow 70% more food, yet weather is becoming more extreme and more unpredictable," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. "By 2050, our planet may be the home of 9.1 billion people. By 2050 we know we will need to grow 70% more food, yet weather is becoming more extreme and more unpredictable," AFP news agency quoted him as saying.
"We must make significant changes to feed ourselves, and most especially to safeguard the poorest and most vulnerable.""We must make significant changes to feed ourselves, and most especially to safeguard the poorest and most vulnerable."
Leaders absent The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned that if more land is not used for food production now, 370 million people could be facing famine by 2050.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned that if more land is not used for food production now, 370 million people could be facing famine by 2050. 'End greed'
FAO head Jacques Diouf told the summit that developing countries had made some progress in reversing the decline in investment in agriculture since prices hit record highs at the end of 2007.FAO head Jacques Diouf told the summit that developing countries had made some progress in reversing the decline in investment in agriculture since prices hit record highs at the end of 2007.
Mr Ban symbolically fasted for a day before the summit
But he said much of the money had not yet materialised and that amounts promised were not at the level needed.But he said much of the money had not yet materialised and that amounts promised were not at the level needed.
Mr Diouf said the $44bn (£26.4bn) required for developing countries was far less that the $365bn (£219bn) that developed countries spend each year on subsidising their farmers.Mr Diouf said the $44bn (£26.4bn) required for developing countries was far less that the $365bn (£219bn) that developed countries spend each year on subsidising their farmers.
He recommended that developing countries dedicate 10% of their expenditure to agriculture.He recommended that developing countries dedicate 10% of their expenditure to agriculture.
Mr Ban and Mr Diouf both staged symbolic 24-hour fasts in preparation for the summit. Pope Benedict XVI also addressed the opening of the summit, calling for an end to the "greed" of financial speculation on food prices.
He said hunger in the poorest countries should not be considered "a matter of resigned regret" and criticised unsustainable food production methods and aid practises which damage agriculture.
Critics say the summit may fail to set ambitious goals and have questioned whether it will be effective, as most of the leaders of the world's richest nations are not attending.Critics say the summit may fail to set ambitious goals and have questioned whether it will be effective, as most of the leaders of the world's richest nations are not attending.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is the only leader from one of the G8 leading industrialised countries to take part. Pope Benedict XVI will also address the delegates. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is the only leader from one of the G8 leading industrialised countries to take part.
Francisco Sarmento, of campaign group ActionAid, told the AFP press agency that the absence of other G8 leaders "doesn't signal they are serious about finding global solutions to hunger". Francisco Sarmento, of campaign group ActionAid, told AFP that the absence of other G8 leaders "doesn't signal they are serious about finding global solutions to hunger".
The BBC's David Loyn in Rome says the leaders attending the summit will try to keep the world focussed on the consequences of the massive rise in food prices last year, which hit the world's poorest the hardest. The BBC's David Loyn in Rome says the leaders attending the summit will try to keep the world focused on the consequences of the massive rise in food prices last year, which hit the poor hardest.
However, he says the summit is likely to be big on rhetoric but small on concrete actions.However, he says the summit is likely to be big on rhetoric but small on concrete actions.