15 September 2008: Leaders of the Rome-based UN agencies,
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), World Food Programme
(WFP) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), together with
the World Bank, presented a common statement to the European Parliament’s
Development Committee, urging it to take the lead in providing assistance to
help farmers cope with surging food and commodity prices.

On behalf of the
three agencies, WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran welcomed the Committee’s
proposal to place 1 billion Euro’s saved in unspent subsidies into a fund to
fight food shortages, calling it “the right idea at the right time.”
Stressing
that 130 million people have been pushed deeper into poverty and hunger due to
high food and fuel prices, she said “it would be bold and even poetic if this
Committee were to approve the funding proposal for European farmers, who have
benefited from high food prices to give it to poor farmers across the
developing world.” [WFP
Press Release]