Unless current trends were changed, there would be 680 million people starving by the year 2015, according to predictions by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, Mr Ned O'Keeffe, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, told the Seanad.
This had to be compared with the target set at the World Food Summit almost a year ago to halve the number of malnourished persons from the current level of 800 million. Real and substantial action by the governments and organisations which have committed themselves to this aim would be required, Mr O'Keeffe said.
