5
June 2008: Olivier de Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food,
reminded participants at the High-Level Conference on World Food Security,
which convened from 3-5 June 2008 in Rome, Italy, that the right to food
imposes obligations on countries vis-à-vis populations outside of their
territory. Noting the need to protect the most vulnerable segments of
populations, he called for an institutional framework to: identify emerging
threats at the earliest possible stage; improve coordination among ministries
and levels of government; and ensure participation, particularly of the most
food insecure segments of population.

He
suggested a “new deal for agriculture…” to “make up for the short-sighted
policies of the past.” He further explained that private sector concentration
in agribusiness is widening the spread between world and domestic commodity
prices, leading to a decline in developing countries’ claim on value added.
Noting the urgent need for international cooperation, he said the current food
crisis is also an opportunity to “rethink the global food system which has
exhibited many weaknesses.” [Statement]
[FAO
Conference website] [IISD RS
coverage]