United Nations Radio

The United Nations independent expert on the right to food has called on leaders of the Group of 8 industrialized countries to do more to tackle the food crisis.

Special Rapporteur on right to food, Olivier De Schutter

Olivier De Schutter has welcomed the increase in agricultural aid and investment G8 leaders committed at their meeting in L'Aquila, Italy on Friday.

But he stresses that heads of state should take measures, such as reducing the volatility in international agricultural markets and committing more funds for sustainable agriculture.

So while welcoming the commitment of world leaders to invest more in agriculture, Mr. De Schutter says the money they've committed is not enough.

"The sums which are announced, which are $20 billion for three years, are not particularly significant in the light of the needs that have been assessed, for example by the FAO or by the United Nations High Level Task Force. Both estimate that for agriculture, particularly in Sub Saharan Africa, to be effectively revitalized and to compensate for past neglect of this sector, we would need around 30 billion each year and we are still far from this target."

Olivier De Schutter says half of the one billion people who are hungry are very small producers who are unable to feed their families during the dry season between harvests.

He points out that governments cannot support them because they are not exporting enough to generate adequate foreign revenue.

Diane Bailey, United Nations.

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