The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter, spoke with reporters today about the one billion people across the globe who continue to suffer as a result of hunger.
He urged countries to develop systems to lower the costs of agricultural commodities, and improve water lines so that rural farmers, herders and fisherman can sustain livelihoods in drought affected regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Governments should protect the rights of their people… Access to land is what is needed to realize access to food.”
He underlined climate change, security concerns, and land grabbing as major problems which prevent access to critical food supplies for the poor, especially women.