8
July 2008: In a joint statement, the heads of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) urged G8 leaders to
“strike a decisive blow in the fight against hunger and poverty” by reversing
the decline in agricultural investment, which has been one of the underlying
causes of the current world food crisis.”

The
statement argues that catalyzing public and private investment would accelerate
the implementation of the Rome Declaration adopted at the FAO High-Level Conference
on World Food Security in June 2008, which aims to restore sustainable
agriculture as a key force for development. The statement outlines current
initiatives addressing the food crisis, including: FAO’s Initiative on Soaring
Food Prices, which seeks to improve the supply response of small farmers and
boost crop production in up to 70 recipient countries; WFP’s provision of an additional
US$1.2 billion to meet the needs of the ‘new face of hunger’ in 62 of the
world’s most vulnerable countries; the World Bank’s rapid financing facility
and efforts to boost investment in agriculture from US$4 billion to US$6
billion over the coming year; and IFAD’s funding for rural and agricultural
projects worth up to US$1.3 billion this year. The statement reiterates the
Rome Summit’s call for a ‘twice-green revolution,’ to double food production by
mid-century, while helping local farming systems to adapt to the rapidly
increasing challenges and constraints of climate change and assisting
communities in mitigating its effects. The agency heads also called on the G8
to take a clear lead in moving the Green Revolution forward as a step towards
securing food for all. [FAO/IFAD/WFP
statement] [FAO press release]
[UN
press release]