World leaders pledge action on food crisis, climate change
Leaders from around the world have voiced support to the proposals put forward by UN Secretary-General to address global food crisis and climate change, two of most pressing challenges.
By PTI |
UNITED NATIONS: Leaders from around the world have voiced support to the proposals put forward by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to address global food crisis and climate change, two of today's most pressing challenges.
"The poor and hungry of this world are looking at us for leadership and solutions. We must not fail them," Ban said at a high-level event at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Leaders were in agreement with Ban on the urgent need to increase productivity, especially for smallholders farmers, and to invest more into agricultural development, research, and technology transfer. They called for a "second green revolution," particularly in Africa, and for increases in private sector investment and public funding.
"The cost of inaction, even in what may constitute tough economic times, will be devastating, and the effects will be felt all over the world," he told the gathering, which included representatives of governments, regional organizations and agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Bank.
Ban expressed his gratitude to President Jos Manuel Barroso of the European Commission for his reaffirmation of the continent's commitment to provide an additional one billion Euros for urgently needed food aid and productivity inputs.
The Secretary-General has estimated that it will take as much as $ US 40 bn a year in funding over the next three to five years to alleviate food crisis and ensure long-term improvement in agricultural production.
The upcoming climate talks in Poznan, Poland, later this year should result in a concrete work programme for the Copenhagen summit in 2009 on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the leaders stated.
"The poor and hungry of this world are looking at us for leadership and solutions. We must not fail them," Ban said at a high-level event at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Leaders were in agreement with Ban on the urgent need to increase productivity, especially for smallholders farmers, and to invest more into agricultural development, research, and technology transfer. They called for a "second green revolution," particularly in Africa, and for increases in private sector investment and public funding.
"The cost of inaction, even in what may constitute tough economic times, will be devastating, and the effects will be felt all over the world," he told the gathering, which included representatives of governments, regional organizations and agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Bank.
Ban expressed his gratitude to President Jos Manuel Barroso of the European Commission for his reaffirmation of the continent's commitment to provide an additional one billion Euros for urgently needed food aid and productivity inputs.
The Secretary-General has estimated that it will take as much as $ US 40 bn a year in funding over the next three to five years to alleviate food crisis and ensure long-term improvement in agricultural production.
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The upcoming climate talks in Poznan, Poland, later this year should result in a concrete work programme for the Copenhagen summit in 2009 on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the leaders stated.
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