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FAO warns of rising global hunger number

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-22 11:33

HAVANA -- The number of hungry people in the world has risen by 50 million and will continue to increase this year, a UN official warned Monday.

Children queue for free rice porridge distributed by student volunteers as a sign of their protest to the state of hunger and poverty in the country during a feeding program at a slum area in Manila July 5, 2008. [Agencies]

Senegalese Jacques Diouf, general director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), made the remarks in a speech at the university of Havana, Cuba.

Diouf, who was invited by the local government, said the soaring food prices have worsened global hunger and pushed more people below the poverty line.

Related readings:  High food prices add 50m people to hunger  FAO: High food prices add 50 mln people to hunger  Fighting hunger and poverty  Food summit haggles over hunger declaration

But if all governments made the hunger problem a priority and used the necessary financial resources, the current crisis could be solved, Diouf said.

During his speech, Diouf regretted the unfulfilled financial aid promised to agriculture from the international banks and official organizations.

"This aid, far from increasing, was reduced by 58 percent," Diouf said.

Diouf will also meet the Cuban authorities, who are boosting measures to raise food production and reduce imports. Cuba's leader Raul Castro recently relaxed land restrictions, permitting farmers to launch private enterprises in a bid to up production.