José Graziano da Silva, Director-General Elect of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization helped form the “Zero Hunger” Program in Brazil in 2001. This program has helped lift 24 million Brazilians out of extreme poverty and reduce undernourishment by 25 percent. In this edition of Inside Story (I know, it’s long), complex issues of global hunger, the FAO’s role, and da Silva’s experience and capacities are discussed. Da Silva’s outlined vision includes 1) gaining political commitment from wealthy countries to ending world hunger, 2) mobilizing the national resources of poor countries, and 3) setting absolute goals that go beyond the UN’s Millenium Development Goals.
Its disappointing that the first strategy is focusing on multilateral aid. We need to see more commercial investment allowing farmers better access to green farming technologies like drip irrigation, training and affordable loans. This is the starting point before we move onto road networks and market linkages.