The president of the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), Alvaro Lario as asked government leaders to step up investment in the world’s poorest people.
Alvaro made the urgent plea at IFAD’s 46th Governing Council meeting held in Rome, Italy on Tuesday.
He said it is time for global leaders to accelerate action for food security by stepping up investments in rural communities and the small-scale farmers who produce one-third of the world’s food.
Lario stressed that as IFAD sets out on the 13th replenishment of its resources, there are unprecedented challenges and dire circumstances now facing the world that must be addressed urgently.
He cites multiple crises, including climate change, conflict and global inflation that are combining to create a food crisis of epic proportions, as progress in achieving Zero Hunger moves backwards.
He added that currently, more than 1 in 10 people suffer from hunger and over 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet.