PlanetArk 6 Jun 08;
The United Nations food summit issued a declaration on Thursday at the end of the three-day conference.
Here are highlights from the four-page text agreed after tough negotiations between the 183 countries. Objections by Argentina, Cuba and Venezuela will be added in an annex:
COORDINATED ACTION
"We are convinced that the international community needs to take urgent and coordinated action to combat the negative impacts of soaring food prices on the world's most vulnerable countries and populations."
"We firmly resolve to use all means to alleviate the suffering caused by the current crisis, to stimulate food production and to increase investment in agriculture, to address obstacles to food access and to use the planet's resources sustainably for present and future generations.
"We commit to eliminating hunger and to securing food for all today and tomorrow."
EXISTING GOALS
"We reaffirm the conclusions of the World Food Summit in 1996 ... of achieving food security for all through an ongoing effort to eradicate hunger in all countries, with an immediate view to reducing by half the number of undernourished people by no later than 2015..."
FOOD ASSISTANCE
"The relevant United Nations agencies should be assured the resources to expand and enhance their food assistance and support safety net programmes to address hunger and malnutrition ..."
SUPPORTING AGRICULTURE
"All relevant organisations and cooperating countries should be prepared to assist countries, on their request, to put in place the revised policies and measures to help farmers, particularly small-scale producers, increase production and integrate with local, regional, and international markets. South-south cooperation must be encouraged."
"Development partners are invited to participate in and contribute to international and regional initiatives on soaring food prices and, in particular ... measures to give farmers in low-income food-deficit and the most affected countries access to appropriate locally adapted seeds, fertilizers, animal feed and other inputs, as well as technical assistance, in order to increase agricultural production."
STOCKS, EXPORT BANS
"Development partners are called upon to undertake initiatives to moderate unusual fluctuations in the food grain prices. In particular, we call on relevant institutions to assist countries in developing their food stock capacities and consider other measures to strengthen food security risk management for affected countries."
"Members of WTO reaffirm their commitment to the rapid and successful conclusion of the WTO Doha development agenda..."
"We will strive to ensure that food, agricultural trade and overall trade policies are conducive to fostering food security for all. For this purpose we reaffirm the need to minimise the use of restrictive measures that could increase volatility of international prices."
CLIMATE CHANGE
"It is essential to address the fundamental question of how to increase the resilience of present food production systems to challenges posed by climate change...
"We support the establishment of agriculture systems and the sustainable forest management practices that positively contribute to the mitigation of climate change and ecological balance."
RESEARCH
"We urge the international community, including the private sector, to decisively step up investment in science and technology for food and agriculture..."
TRADE
"We encourage the international community to continue its efforts in liberalising international trade in agriculture by reducing the trade barriers and market distorting policies.
"Addressing these measures will give farmers, particularly in developing countries, new opportunities to sell their products on world markets and support their efforts to increase productivity and production."
BIOFUELS
"It is essential to address the challenges and opportunities posed by biofuels, in view of the world's food security, energy and sustainable development needs.
"We are convinced that in-depth studies are necessary to ensure that production and use of biofuels is sustainable..."
(Reporting by Robin Pomeroy and Alister Doyle; editing by Andrew Dobbie)
