The United Nations food security summit yesterday heard UN chief Ban Ki Moon call for a 50per cent increase in food production to help deal with soaring food prices which have already provoked riots around the world.

But ahead of the meeting, human rights activists and the World Bank stressed that words would not be enough to help the world's poor, and warned of dire consequences if action was not taken.

Johannesburg-based poverty campaign group ActionAid said: 'The current food crisis amounts to a gross violation of human rights and could fuel a global catastrophe, as many of the world's poorest countries, particularly those forced into import dependency, struggle to feed their people.'

Poor harvests, low stocks and rising demand, especially from India and China, have caused huge food price spikes over the last two years, stoking protests, strikes and violence in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is warning that increased hunger will exacerbate conflict in war zones, while experts say food riots could worsen if nothing is done.

'Our estimate is that higher food prices are pushing 30million Africans into poverty,' World Bank chief Robert Zoellick said, adding that the message he received from Africans is that they are tired of talk and want action.

'We have a lot of world leaders here; let's try to focus on what we can do in

real time to make a difference,' said Mr Zoellick, who last week announced US$1.2billion (S$1.6billion) in loans and grants to help poor countries cope with food and fuel costs.

He said immediate action was needed to deliver aid to the countries most at risk, to send seeds and fertilisers to poor farmers, and to lift export bans which are driving up prices.

Meanwhile, The Times of London reported yesterday that the world leaders attending the summit would be enjoying a 'modest' lunch, with the lobster, goose and foie gras served at the last summit replaced by pasta, mozzarella, spinach and sweetcorn.

It quoted a Food and Agriculture Organisation official as saying: 'It does not look good if leaders discussing global starvation are seen to be dining lavishly.

'At the last summit in 2002, we did not give enough thought to the menu and were open - unfairly, in our view - to the charge of hypocrisy.'

REUTERS