European Economic and Social Committee

On 23 May we tried to find answers to the above question. The title of the international conference: Food for everyone – towards a global deal, which we organised together with the European Commission, reflects our vision for global food security. Global players and politicians have, on so many occasions, discussed ways of banishing hunger and poverty, yet still one in six people on the planet struggles to find enough food to live on. What new inputs into global discussions emerged from the EESC conference? I would say focus and a reminder to the EU and international players that we need to stick to the commitment agreed in 2000 under the Millennium Development Goals to halve poverty and hunger by 2015. There are only about 1 300 days left!

"Nine billion people will inhabit the Earth by 2050. Each person will need water and food. Population increase, the demand for agricultural products from emerging economies and environmental changes, all intensified by food price volatility, energy demand and urbanisation are just a few of the challenges of global food security. These challenges are complex and the solutions must be equally varied and tailored. Exposed to food price volatility and extreme fluctuations in agricultural commodities, too many people in developing countries struggle to feed themselves and their families. "...

"To my great sadness, the recent discussions on re-instating border control in Europe have been taking place without the slightest consideration on the part of certain politicians for the basic human rights of those affected, which makes me really wonder: where are we headed with our democratic, human rights-based values in Europe? It may be that our societies are close to burnout and that we are experiencing some kind of democratic fatigue. If our European societies are going through a phase of disenchantment mainly as a result of the economic crisis, could this explain the extremist tendencies that betray a lack of respect for the disadvantaged?"