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http://www.new-ag.info/en/news/newsitem.php?a=1999
Growing food and fuel crisis must be tackled urgently
Two-thirds of developing countries are close to meeting key targets for tackling poverty and hunger but the poorest countries need urgent help, a newly released report from the World Bank and IMF warns. “Reaching the MDGs is a significant achievement for developing countries. But there still is much to do in reducing poverty and improving health outcomes even in the successful countries,” says Hans Timmer, director of development prospects at the World Bank.
According to the Global Monitoring Report 2011, the number of people living on less than US$1.25 a day is projected to be 883 million in 2015, down from 1.4 million in 2005. Yet the report states that most of the progress is as a result of growth in China and India and many African countries are lagging behind. According to the World Bank’s latest Food Price Watch, 44 million people have been forced into hunger as a result of higher food and fuel prices since June 2010. World Bank president Robert Zoellick fears that this situation is the biggest threat faced by poor nations which are already reeling from negative developments in the world economy.
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