UN announces increased funding for food crisis at Rome summit

Delegates to the United Nations food security summit in Rome today announced major funding increases to tackle hunger and long-term agricultural development.

A statement from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the money will benefit countries hard hit by the current world food crisis, allowing them to grow enough food for themselves in the coming planting seasons, as well as helping them to achieve continuing food security through investment in agriculture and research.

The funding announced today includes $100 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) and $1.2 billion from the World Bank.

Other contributors include the Islamic Development Bank, France, the African Development Bank, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Venezuela and New Zealand.

The three-day forum, which closed today, brought together more than 40 heads of state and government, representatives from 181 countries, and leaders of international organizations and financial institutions, to tackle the current crisis caused by soaring food prices.

Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced that Spain is willing to host a follow-up conference to the Rome summit this autumn.