U.N.: Food crisis likely to continue

UNITED NATIONS, May 28 (UPI) -- Food price hikes and market volatility likely will continue for the next few seasons, a U.N. report issued before next month's food summit in Rome said.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization listed 22 countries it said would be susceptible to food price increases because they are net importers of food and fuel and already are experiencing widespread hunger, the U.N. said Wednesday in a news release.

"We hope that world leaders coming to Rome will agree on the urgent measures that are required to boost agricultural production, especially in the most affected countries, and at the same time protect the poor from being adversely affected by high food prices," FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said.

The report says increases in domestic food prices, even by 10 percent to 20 percent, negatively affect poor households immediately.

Protecting a nation's most vulnerable citizens would will require targeted direct food distribution, food subsidies, cash transfers and nutritional programs, the FAO said. The agency also called for assisting farmers through vouchers or subsidies.

Participants at the June 3-5 summit will discuss how agriculture can produce enough food to meet the demands of the world's growing population, the U.N. said.