It is estimated that almost one billion people do not have enough food to meet their daily requirements. Up to three and a half million children under 5 die each year from lack of adequate nutrition.
The number of undernourished dropped in 2010, recovering from the 2008 food price crisis. Food prices have since hit a new peak, however, and world food prices are set to remain high into 2012, according to the latest FAO analysis.
On Sunday 12 June, Irish Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Eamon Gilmore, T.D., and US Secretary of State Clinton will co-host a High Level Forum in Dar es Salaam on the fight against hunger in Africa. This is part of the ongoing cooperation between Ireland and the US to tackle global hunger and malnutrition, and which was highlighted by President Obama during his recent visit to Ireland.
Mr Gilmore will visit Tanzania, one of the priority countries for the Irish Government’s aid programme, from 9 to 12 June 2011. While there, the Tánaiste (i.e., Deputy Prime Minister) will assess the impact of Ireland’s aid programme in the fight against poverty and hunger. He will meet senior members of Government, and will co-host with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, a High Level Forum on the fight against hunger.