Jacques Diouf, director general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, called for a stronger global governance system for world food security during a speech at the World Grain Forum held in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 6.
Diouf stressed the need to build a more coherent and effective system of governance and correcting policies that have resulted in more hunger and poverty.
Talking of food prices, Diouf said international prices of basic food commodities rose by about 60% in the last two years.
The rise in food prices has resulted in 115 million hungry million people, Diouf stated, adding that 31 countries are in a food crisis.
The director general also called for a bigger proportion of development aid for agriculture so that developing countries could increase their agricultural output by investing in rural infrastructures and ensuring access to modern inputs and assistance of adequate institutions for small farmers.
