Delegates from 183 nations concluded negotiations at the United Nations’ three-day food summit in Rome by issuing a four-page declaration urging coordinated action among nations to respond to a growing shortage in global food supplies.
The issue of biofuels produced from food crops was a contentious issue throughout the meetings and the declarationtext states, "It is essential to address the challenges and opportunities posed by biofuels" and goes on to call for more research into developing biofuels sustainably.
Other main points addressed by the declaration include:
- reaffirming World Food Summit goals set in 1996 to halve the number of undernourished people by 2015
- expanding food assistance programs through the U.N.
- moving swiftly to support agriculture and increase crop production worldwide
- increasing food security by developing food stock capacities, reducing trade barriers and controlling market distortions
- mitigating the effects of climate change on regional food production
Several Latin American countries objected to parts of the text, and Cuban delegates were disappointed that the text did not criticize the U.S. trade embargo, which they said is partially responsible for a lack of food in that country.
The U.N. food crisis task force intends to have an action plan prepared by the Group of Eight meeting in Japan next month.
"We firmly resolve to use all means to alleviate the suffering caused by the current crisis, to stimulate food production and to increase investment in agriculture, to address obstacles to food access and to use the planet’s resources sustainably for present and future generations," the declaration said.
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