At a time when the global economic crisis dominates the news, the world needs to be reminded that not everyone works in offices and factories. The crisis is stalking the small-scale farms and rural areas of the world, where 70 percent of the world's hungry live and work.

With an estimated increase of 105 million hungry people in 2009, there are now 1.02 billion malnourished people in the world, meaning that almost one sixth of all humanity is suffering from hunger.

Both public and private investments are needed, more specifically through targeted public investment to encourage and facilitate private investment, especially by farmers themselves.

On the occasion of World Food Week and World Food Day 2009, let us reflect on those numbers and the human suffering behind them. Crisis or no crisis, we have the know-how to do something about hunger. We also have the ability to find money to solve problems when we consider them important. Let us work together to make sure hunger is recognized as a critical problem, and solve it. The World Summit on Food Security proposed by FAO for November 2009 could be fundamental for eradicating hunger.

[The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations]

Welcome to contribute your comments and suggestions on achieving food security in times of crisis

A Chinese teacher helps students to tell the difference of agricultural products at an elementary school in Ganyu County, in east China's Jiangsu Province, October 13, 2009. The school organized activities to improve students' awareness of saving food ahead the World Food Day that falls on October 16. [Xinhua]

A Chinese teacher helps students to understand rice production on a rice field in Jing'an County, in east China's Jiangxi Province, October 14, 2009.[Xinhua]