Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "high prices of foodstuff and energy, climate changes, increasing unemployment because of the global financial crisis and rising production of bio-fuel are the basic elements which triggered the global food crisis."

Erdogan, in the Italian capital, attended the summit of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said at a news conference at the Excelsior Hotel, "there are more than 1 billion people in the world suffering from famine. Most of them live in underdeveloped or in developing countries. High prices of foodstuff and energy, climate changes, increasing unemployment because of the global financial crisis and rising production of bio-fuel are the basic elements which triggered the global food crisis. Also, sharp decline in agricultural investments makes the situation even worse."

"Turkey has always supported the efforts made by the FAO to ensure food safety since it is one of the most important elements of a sustainable development. We continue sending humanitarian aid and extending technical assistance to underdeveloped and developing countries," he said.

Erdogan highlighted importance of supporting farmers and rural development as part of a long-term solution to the problem of famine.

"Economic, political problem"

The Turkish prime minister also defined hunger as an economic and political problem.

Erdogan said that hunger, famine and food crisis were a political and humanitarian problem as much as an economic problem.

"Access to sufficient and balanced food is a fundamental human rights, like the right to live, education, health, property and freedom of expression," Erdogan said.

Erdogan said that trying to hide hunger, famine, clashes, wars, massacres and terrorism, and more importantly trying to keep them under certain limits, was against the essence of the current age.

"A solution to this current situation should be found by politicians," Erdogan also said.

Also, Erdogan said food security was the main requirement of human life and development.

"The entire world is paying the costs of hunger and insufficient nutrition as migration and rise in social tension today," he said.

Erdogan said he however, believed the world's course could be turned into positive.

In his speech, Erdogan referred to advantages and risks of globalization, and said children who died of hunger in Ethiopia were every one's children, desperate people in Bangladesh were every one's people, the society killed in Gaza and those who survived in Gaza were every one's society.

The 36th Session of the FAO Conference is taking place in the Italian capital between November 18 and 23.


AA