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FAO Says 30 Billion Dollars a Year Needed to Fight Hunger

by Rajshri on Jun 26 2008 1:30 PM

The Food and Agriculture Organization has revealed that at least 30 billion dollars (19 billion euros) will be needed every year to fight world hunger. This year hunger is very acute across the world and is exacerbated by a food crisis.

Speaking to the press ahead of an agriculture conference in Innsbruck, FAO Director General Jacques Diouf said this sum needed to be funneled mainly into boosting global agricultural production.

Diouf also estimated that the price of food commodities -- which rose dramatically this year -- will remain high due to strong demand, harvesting problems caused by climatic changes, as well as low food reserves.

The Innsbruck conference, running Thursday-Friday, will specifically address agriculture in European and Central Asian countries that are experiencing the growing pains of economic transition.

Also on the agenda is how the FAO can support those countries worst hit by the food crisis.

Diouf highlighted that at an FAO Food Summit in early June in Rome, the international community promised to untie seven billion euros. "Outside of European Union member states, development banks and the World Bank also gave their support," he said.

Source-AFP
RAS/S


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