Ending world hunger needs $44 billion a year, FAO's Diouf says

The head of a United Nations food agency is asking world leaders for 44 billion US dollars in agricultural aid for improving rural infrastructures in third world countries.

Jacques Diouf, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, says global food output must increase by 70 percent to feed a projected world population of 9.1 billion in 2050. Poor countries will need 44 billion US dollars in annual agricultural aid, compared to 7.9 billion US dollars they currently receive each year.

Jacques Diouf, Director General Food And Agriculture Organization, said, "Solving the problem of food insecurity once and for all requires 44 billion US dollars a year of official Development Assistance to invest in modern inputs and rural infrastructure in developing countries."

Jacques Diouf, Director General of FAO, the U.N. Food and Agriculture  Organization, gestures during a press conference to present the  upcoming U.N. agency's World Food Summit on Food Security, in Rome,  Wednesday Nov. 11, 2009.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)