By Martin Banks - 19th January 2010
An international food security summit has been told that the EU wants to intensify its efforts to tackle world hunger and malnutrition.
Addressing the summit on Tuesday, Simona Mari, a senior commission official, said the EU already finances food security programmes around the globe.
But she said that, in light of a growing food crisis in various countries, the EU has to get even more involved.
Mari, speaking at the summit in Dakar, Senegal, also backed calls for regional authorities in Europe and elsewhere to be given a bigger role in helping combat the problem.
The summit heard that the financing of local initiatives constitutes the "cornerstone" of local food security governance.
But, despite there being a wide range of funding "instruments" this is "insufficient" and does now allow regions in places like Africa to meet the current challenge.
This problem is due, the summit heard, to a lack of coordination, dialogue and clarity about what regions are doing on food security.
Mari, who heads the commission's food security section, expressed hope that regions can play a bigger role in future.
She was speaking at a session on the financing of regional schemes to alleviate food insecurity.
Mari's comments were echoed by CPMR vice president Jean-Yves Le Drian who said the event, which has attracted some 700 participants from 34 countries, represents a "valuable opportunity" to make progress on the issue of food security.
He said the overall aim was to "mobilise action by regional authorities everywhere".
Richard China, of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, noted that one in six people are under-nourished globally.
"The question," he said, "is whether the voice of the regions in tackling this crucial issue will be heard at national and international level."
Concern was also voiced that progress had been slow in meeting the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, which include combating hunger.
The summit heard that the farm industry can mitigate the impact and improve food security by using "appropriate" agricultural practices and managing resources sustainably.
Professor Michel Foucher, of the Ecole Nationale Superieure in France, said, "Agriculture is not just about production but other factors, including land planning, job creation and helping to ensure the poor have access to food."
He said that with current food policies "failing" at both national and international levels, agriculture should be considered a "top priority" issue.
