U.N. joint meeting addresses issues surrounding food security

"Scaling up the global response to food security and nutrition topped the agenda [Thursday] at a special joint meeting between the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the General Assembly, world experts and the U.N. food agencies aimed at identifying steps to build a future free of hunger," the U.N. News Centre reports, noting the meeting "included the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP)." The news service adds, "One in eight people worldwide suffer chronic malnutrition, according to FAO, with volatile food prices, inadequate investment, land degradation and climate making the situation more precarious" (2/14). According to the event's website, the meeting "aims to promote coordinated international action to address both immediate issue of volatile food prices and long-term issues of production, trade and consumption of food" (2/15). A fact sheet (.pdf) on issues discussed at the meeting is available online from ECOSOC (1/23).