Action needed to feed the hungry

That means breathing new life into rural communities through support to small-scale farmers so they can produce more, sustainably, and it means ensuring that have markets to sell to. Cash transfers and cash for work programmes; rural employment creation; and targeted safety nets that put money in people's pockets, will also help to make sure that the kids of these small-scale farmers are well fed and go to school. Social and productive policies can and should be linked, to complete a virtuous cycle in which local consumption and production feed off each other.

Another aspect to consider in global and regional food balances is food consumption. On top of the world's 925 million hungry, more than a billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies while another billion are overweight or obese. Meanwhile, roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year — approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — is lost or wasted.

Cutting that waste would help keep food prices down, reduce pressure on natural resources and contain greenhouse gas emissions.

Of course ending hunger in Asia or indeed at the global level requires a concerted international effort, which lends special significance to the 31st Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which takes place in Hanoi this week.

Regional cooperation is the key to addressing hunger, especially through South-South cooperation, which enables developing countries to benefit from the expertise of other developing or emerging economies.

The FAO has 47 South-South cooperation agreements so far in the Asia Pacific region, with more than 1,500 experts and technicians from 13 countries sharing what they know in 35 host countries. Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam have been among the providers of South-South support.

Working together as part of the global community the Asia-Pacific region can ensure that its impressive economic advance is matched by rapid progress towards a hunger-free region.

José Graziano da Silva is Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations