U.N. Chief: World Food Production Must Increase 50% to Avoid Crisis

from E Flux Media

By Diane Smith

United Nations Secretary Ban Ki-Moon said the food production must drastically increase to cope with the higher demands of a rising population corroborated with the crisis started by oil prices, climate change and the impact of the bio-fuel market.

While attending a major U.N. food summit in Rome, the U.N. chief called on world governments to take the necessary measures in order to increase the world food production by 50%. According to recent estimations, the measures must fill the demand of nearly 862 million hungry people worldwide.

"Hundreds of millions of the world's people expect no less," Ban said during the opening of the three-day World Food Security conference.

“The world needs to produce more food,'' he added.

Ban added that nothing is more degrading than hunger and it brings with it anger, social disintegration, ill health and economic decline. The U.N. Secretary called on governments to expand microcredit to small farmers, reduce trade barriers and tariffs, and increase investment in agriculture.

The 50% increase of world’s food production should be accomplished by 2030, Ban said. If not, the wide spread hunger will most likely cause civil unrest and starvation.

The government leaders gathered at the summit in Rome are trying to come up with solutions to make sure that the high commodity prices (the highest in 30 years) don't further swell the ranks of the world's 860 million hungry people.

Riots have occurred in about 30 countries (including Egypt and Cameroon) since last year when a 60 percent increase in food prices was recorded.

The leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations provided $6.3 billion in emergency aid last year, but that won’t help much, said most critics. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization chief, Jacques Diouf, an investment of $30 billion each year would be enough to increase agricultural production and prevent hunger from spreading worldwide.