United Nations Radio

The way out of the global food crisis, which has plunged at least 75 million more humans into hunger and poverty, lies in increased agricultural production.

The suggestion comes from the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Jacques Diouf while testifying before the Foreign and Agricultural Committees of Italy's Senate and Chamber of Deputies during a joint hearing on the impact of higher food prices on food security.

Diouf said the international community is "facing a challenge of enormous proportions,"

And he called for the mobilization of US$30 billion dollars a year in order to double food production so as to feed a world population of nine billion in 2050."

He said the figure was a modest one, however, compared with the level of agricultural subsidies paid by OECD countries - US$376 billion in 2006 - and the US$1204 billion which the world spent on arms that year.

Diouf told the Italian Parliament "the time has come for the international community to unite in the face of the world food crisis."

He concluded that "in this connection, as President of the G8 next year, Italy bears a historic responsibility".

The FAO is working with the G8 -Group of 8 Industrialized Countries and the international community on creating a Global Partnership on Food and Agriculture.

With Italy taking over the G8 Presidency next year, FAO has already made preliminary contact with Italian authorities on creating a world network of food and agriculture experts in order to assess future needs and risks.

This is Donn Bobb reporting.

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