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FAO launches online petition to eradicate hunger
Sixteen countries are on track to achieving the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the number of hungry people by 2015, announced the Food and Agriculture Organization on Wednesday.
man with sack of potatos
Countries like Armenia, Brazil, Nigeria and Vietnam were cited as success stories in a FAO report entitled Pathways to success.
Rising global hunger figures are overshadowing the fact that 31 out of 79 countries are reducing the number of malnourished people and their level of hunger, the agency says.
FAO Director General, Jacques Diouf, says the report provides a message of hope that the battle against hunger can be won, which is why he has launched an online petition to galvanize support in the fight against hunger.
What is required, he says, is an unwavering commitment from developing country governments and the strong backing of the international community.
The number of hungry people is currently at a historic high of 1.2 billion.
A World Summit on Food Security is scheduled in Rome next week, where more than 60 heads of State will meet to discuss strategies for boosting agricultural production and eradicating hunger.
Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations
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