Dublin hosts global hunger conference

More than 200 representatives from aid agencies, smallholder farmer groups and fishing communities have gathered with UN and government agencies in Malahide, Dublin, for a two-day conference on tackling the global hunger crisis.

The meeting is planning to agree practical measures to help reduce the number of people suffering from hunger. It was organised by Irish Aid - the Government's programme for overseas development, with Concern and the UN high level task force on global food security.

Minister of State for overseas development Peter Power told the conference that one sixth of the world's population was suffering from chronic hunger and global food supplies must increase by an estimated 50 per cent to meet expected demand in the next 20 years.

He said that the world's population was projected to grow by three billion to nine billion by 2050. Feeding these extra billions of people would be one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, Mr Power said.

The conference also heard that Ireland was working with the United States to build a strategic partnership to reduce world hunger. In September, the United States and Ireland will co-host an event during the Millennium Development Goals summit in New York. Both countries will bring together world leaders to highlight the importance of agriculture in reducing hunger and improving
nutrition.

The two governments have also signed a three-year partnership to co-operate on combating hunger in Malawi.

Concern's chief executive Tom Arnold said the hunger crisis would never be solved by governments alone. He stressed the importance of having civil society groups such as farmers' and fishermen's groups represented at the conference.

"Governments, civil society groups and the private sector must find new and better ways of working together if hunger is to be defeated," Mr Arnold said. He said it was crucial to maintain the momentum that had built up around food security since the food price crisis of 2008.