3 June 2008: UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon urged “bold and urgent steps” to tackle the global food crisis in his
statement to the FAO High-Level Conference on World Food Security, which
convened in Rome, Italy, from 3-5 June 2008. Noting that food production will
have to rise by 50% by the year 2030 to meet rising demand, he said “it is
important that our longer term focus is on improving world food security – and
remains so for some years.”

He reported on the recommendations of
the UN High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis, including:
improving access to food; increasing food availability; expanding food
assistance; boosting smallholder farmer production; improving rural infrastructure
and links to markets; and adjusting trade and taxation policies to minimize
export restrictions and import tariffs. He appealed to countries to resist
“beggar thy neighbor” policies and to immediately release
exports designated for humanitarian purposes. He also called for focusing on
long-term policies, such as: removing structural impediments to
agricultural development; investing in smallholder farming in developing
countries; eliminating market distorting trade and taxation policies; and
supporting research into optimal food crops and better animal production
systems. He explained that requirements for boosting productivity in Africa are
estimated at US$8 to 10 billion annually, suggesting that “the overall global price tag for national governments and international donors could exceed $15 to 20 billion annually.” [Statement] [FAO Conference website] [IISD RS coverage]