Food Prices, Mass Hunger’ll Continue for Next Decade – UN

The United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revealed that in the next 10 years food prices will remain well above the levels of the last decade.

According to a new report released by the groups last week in Paris, France, current high prices will hit the poor and hungry the hardest and calls for the urgent mobilisation of humanitarian aid as well as a greater focus on boosting agricultural production in the longer term.

High oil prices, changing diets, urbanisation, economic growth and expanding populations are underlying factors behind the rise in food prices, according to the report.

Mr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the FAO, while speaking at the report launching in Paris, said coherent action is urgently needed by the international community to deal with the impact of higher prices on the hungry and poor.

This Day (Lagos)