Food Summit 3-5 June 2008
EDITORIAL
"A First Step"
by Barbara Stocking, Chief Executive, OXFAM GB
The High Level Conference on World Food Security that took place in Rome on June 3-5th 2008 was an important milestone in tackling the food crisis. Recognizing you have a problem is the first step toward solving it. Many leaders have acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and the importance to act, including through investment in and aid to agriculture after 25 years of neglect. Some have pledged money, or promised action...
Voices from the Food Summit
Numerous multidisciplinary experts as well as Intergovernmental, Non Governmental and Civil Society Organizations and private sector exponents attended the Food Summit Fora enriching the policy discourse and the vibrant atmosphere of the Summit. There was virtually no vacant room at FAO premises, the media interviewed attendees untiringly at every available meeting space, nonetheless the International Alliance team managed to ask a few questions...
NGO/CSO Forum
NGOs and CSOs voiced the pressing needs of local communities suffocated by soaring food prices worldwide and challeneged many of the mainstream views on the origins of the crisis and how to address it...
Private Sector Forum
The private sector plays a fundamental role in agriculture and in food marketing systems and must be part of the solution to the current crisis. The following topics have been the core of the Private Sector forum chaired by Kofi Annan on the 3rd of June...
“No More Failures as Usual”: Terra Preta Forum
“It was not unpredictable and for the past ten years we have kept on warning the international community about the current world food crisis.” With these words, Maryam Rahmanian, from the Iranian Centre for Sustainable Development & Environment (CENESTA) opened the press conference of “Terra Preta”, the forum of social movements held in parallel to the High-Level Conference on World Food Security...