Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, called for world farm production to rise by 50% by 2030 to meet growing demand. He called on leaders to lower export restrictions and import tariffs on food with immediate effect to avoid further hunger and malnutrition
The cost of major food commodities has doubled over the last couple of years. This has fuelled instability in several countries, including deadly riots in Haiti and protests in Egypt and Indonesia.
Delegates at the three days of talks in Rome will discuss issues such as aid, trade and technology to improve farm yields. Biofuel subsidies have already come under attack at the meeting, as the head of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation claimed that "nobody" understood the diversion of food to fuel cars.
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