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Ban calls for investment in food production, distribution

Ban calls for investment in food production, distribution
Written by Kabanda Chulu
Saturday, October 17, 2009 1:15:17 AM

UNITED Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday said there is urgent need for attention to respond to the needs of the hungry by ensuring adequate political and financial support for emergency food assistance.

And European Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid Karel De Gucht has said that food insecurity is posing a serious threat to achieving all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of ending abject poverty by 2015.

Commenting on the 2009 World Food Day whose theme is ‘achieving food security in times of crisis’, Ban stated that challenges of food security demand multilateral commitment, creativity and leadership.

“At this time of crisis, I encourage all nations to pursue coordinated and comprehensive strategies for agricultural development and effective social protection so that vulnerable people can get the food they need for nutritional security and well being,” Ban stated.

“Throughout the developing world, food prices remain stubbornly high. We must respond to the needs of the hungry by ensuring adequate political and financial support for emergency food assistance and the 2009 theme, emphasises the need for even greater efforts to respect the dignity of those affected by poverty and hunger and to support the committed women and men who often risk their lives to deliver help.”

He stated that food and nutritional security were the foundations of decent life, sound education and the achievement of the MDGs.

“Over the past two years, volatile food prices, the economic crises, climate change and conflict have led to a dramatic and unacceptable rise in the number of people who cannot rely on getting the food they need to live, work and thrive hence the need to invest in food production and distribution,” stated Ban.

And De Gucht stated that the World Food Day must serve to remind people about doing something to prevent more than a billion people from going hungry.

“To meet the challenge, the EU's 1 billion euros food facility is delivering fast and tangible results by giving small-scale farmers across developing countries the seeds and fertilisers needed to boost their agricultural production,” stated De Gucht.

“We will build on the experience we have gained in implementing the food facility to ensure the new pledge made at the G8 summit in L’Aquila is just as effective in battling global hunger. More than one billion people in the world are malnourished; that's 15 per cent of all humanity. This figure is on the rise in the wake of the food and financial crises. Food insecurity thus represents a real threat to achieving all the MDGs of ending abject poverty by 2015.”

Labels: BAN KI-MOON, FOOD, WORLD FOOD DAY

posted by MrK @ 12:15 AM