Mr. Speaker, last week, I joined the Canadian delegation to the World Summit on Food Security in Rome. Hosted by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the summit was part of the international community's continuing attempt to address world hunger and malnutrition.
The situation is catastrophic. With every passing minute, 10 children die of hunger and malnutrition in underdeveloped countries. The United Nations estimates that the number of hungry or undernourished people in the world has now risen to over one billion; that is, almost one in six people on this planet.
Developed countries must strengthen the agricultural sectors in developing nations. The FAO reports the world has the resources, technology and know-how to eradicate hunger now and for the foreseeable future. Indeed, rapid progress is possible if real action is taken and policy is informed by the moral imperative that all human beings have a basic right to food.