Source: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization 1996 (109)
We consider it intolerable that more than 800 million people throughout the world, and particularly in developing countries, do not have enough food to meet their basic nutritional needs. This situation is unacceptable. Food supplies have increased substantially, but constraints on access to food and continuing inadequacy of household and national incomes to purchase food, instability of supply and demand, as well as natural and manmade disasters, prevent basic food needs from being fulfilled.
The problems of hunger and food insecurity have global dimensions and are likely to persist and even increase dramatically in some regions unless urgent, determined, and concerted action is taken, given the anticipated increase in the world's population and the stress on natural resources....
Increased food production, including staple food, must be undertaken. This should happen within the framework of sustainable management of natural resources, elimination of unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries, and early stabilization of the world population.
We acknowledge the fundamental contribution to food security by women, particularly in rural areas of developing countries, and the need to ensure equality between men and women. Revitalization of rural areas must also be a priority to enhance social stability and help redress the excessive rate of rural-urban migration confronting many countries....
We agree that trade is a key element in achieving food security. We agree to pursue food trade and overall trade policies that will encourage our producers and consumers to utilize available resources in an economically sound and sustainable manner....
Particular attention should be given to those who cannot produce or procure enough food for an adequate diet, including those affected by war, civil strife, natural disasters, or climate related ecological changes. We are conscious of the need for urgent action to combat pests, drought, and natural resource degradation including decertification, overfishing, and erosion of biological diversity....
We pledge our actions and support to implement the World Food Summit Plan of Action.
Rome, November 13, 1996
2 Poverty eradication is essential to improve access to food. The vast majority of those who are undernourished either cannot produce or cannot afford to buy enough food. They have inadequate access to means of production such as land, water, inputs, improved seeds and plants, appropriate technologies, and farm credit....
3 A peaceful and stable environment in every country is a fundamental condition for the attainment of sustainable food security.... Farmers, fishers, and foresters, and other food producers and providers, have critical roles in achieving food security, and their full involvement and enablement are crucial for success.
4 Poverty, hunger and malnutrition are some of the principal causes of accelerated migration from rural to urban areas in developing countries. The largest population shift of all times is now under way. Unless these problems are addressed in an appropriate and timely fashion, the political, economic and social stability of many countries and regions may well be seriously affected, perhaps even compromising world peace....
5 Availability of enough food for all can be attained. The 5.8 billion people in the world today have, on an average, 15% more food per person than the global population of 4 billion people had 20 years ago. Yet, further large increases in world food production, through the sustainable management of natural resources, are required to feed a growing population and achieve improved diets....
6 Harmful seasonal and inter-annual instability of food sup-plies can be reduced. Progress should include minimizing the vulnerability to and impact of climate fluctuations and pests and diseases....
7 Unless national governments and the international community address the multifaceted causes underlying food insecurity, the number of hungry and malnourished people will remain very high in developing countries, particularly in Africa south of the Sahara; and sustainable food security will not be achieved. This situation is unacceptable. This Plan of Action envisages an ongoing effort to eradicate hunger in all countries, with an immediate view to reducing the number of undernourished people to half their present level no later than 2015, and a mid-term review to ascertain whether it is possible to achieve this target by 010....
