03 June 2008

As a UN-sponsored Rome summit on world food prices begins, ActionAid has called for a combination of urgent emergency action to combat hunger, and policy changes to address the causes of the food crisis.

Dr Claire Melamed, head of our trade campaign, said: "The world leaders must agree an emergency aid programme that addresses the true scale of the problem. And unless they want to be back for another food crisis summit in two or three years time, they must begin a complete rethink of the aid and trade policies which got us into this mess.

"Last but not least, the UN task force on the food crisis needs to look at how speculation in agricultural commodities can be curbed."

As part of our HungerFREE campaign we're demanding that governments act decisively to address the food crisis at this summit.

Decisions must be taken that will allow states to act immediately to fund increased social protection and boost the purchasing power of the poor, and to provide support for farmers, particularly women, to boost production through access to seeds, water, credit and other inputs.

Decisions on longer term solutions are equally essential, including the need for investment in small scale sustainable agriculture and strategies to increase access to land for small farmers, especially women.

Claire added: "Developing countries are looking at a 40 per cent increase in their food import bills this year. In countries such as Haiti, Eritrea and Burundi which are heavily dependent on food and fuel imports, the impact is catastrophic. Many families in poor countries are already spending over three quarters of their income on food. They will not be able to cope if prices continue to rise."