Poor Nations Get G8 Promise of $20 Billion Toward Food Security

[undeterred]

Source: Voice of America News

Leaders of the world's wealthiest nations have promised twenty billion dollars to increase food security in poor countries. The promise came Friday on the third and final day of the Group of Eight summit meeting in L'Aquila, Italy.

The aim is to help fight world hunger through agricultural development programs. The announcement followed talks between G8 leaders and leaders from Africa. The United States has promised three and a half billion dollars toward the three-year program. A statement noted that while food prices have decreased from their peak last year, they remain high in historical terms. And the economic crisis has only pushed even more people into poverty.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization welcomed the announcement. But some activists say they are waiting for more details. Aid groups have been calling on the G8 nations to honor past promises of food and development assistance.

The G8 summit also dealt with the world recession. President Obama said the leaders agreed that full recovery is still a long way off.


Read more: http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2009-07-10-voa2.cfm

[scarletwoman]

1. What do you want to bet that this "food security" will be dependent on GM crops.

No one actually "helps" if there isn't some profit to be made by some multinational corp.

[varelse]

2. Funny

how one nation can spend upwards of a trillion dollars to bail out investment firms, banks, and insurance conglomerates deemed "too big to fail" but the best the G8 can do to help actually starving people is promise 20 billion.

[undeterred]

3. Starving people don't require bonuses.

Not even dessert.

[jwirr]

4. Promises, promises - do these G8 nations ever really give what they

promise?

[tomm2thumbs]

5. I sure hope the U.S. is one of the ones getting money - we are officially less-than-poor /nt

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.