June 3, 2008

UN chief warns world food output must rise 50 percent by 2030

World food output needs to rise 50 percent by 2030 to meet rising demand, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a speech to a food summit of world leaders at the Food and Agriculture Organization.

"The world needs to produce more food...We have an historic opportunity to revitalize agriculture - especially in countries where productivity gains have been low in recent years," said Ban Ki-moon.

The FAO is holding an extraordinary conference to find an international strategy that can help stop a global surge in food prices that has caused hunger in developing countries.