"The UN warned Thursday that the global economic crisis could create up to 100 million 'new hungry' as it wipes out jobs in poorer countries. 'The evidence that we have, still anecdotal, is that the problem is starting up,' said David Nabarro, a UN Assistant Secretary General and coordinator of a task force on global food security...." [Agence France Presse/Factiva]

Xinhua adds that "...according to estimates by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the number of new hungry people that are likely to result from the economic crisis is between 50 and 100 million, Nabarro told a news briefing in Geneva.... 'And we are anticipating that, with the reduction in their purchasing power as a result of this unemployment, [people in poor countries] are going to be facing extreme problems with ensuring that they can feed themselves and their families,' Nabarro said...." [Xinhua/Factiva]

In related news, Reuters writes that "...food security and boosting global agricultural output to stamp out hunger will top the agenda of the first ever meeting of farm ministers from major industrialized and developing nations this weekend in Italy.... Agreement is expected on boosting aid to poor nations, but on easing trade barriers ministers are likely to settle for a less specific call to move ahead with the Doha round of global trade talks, an official familiar with the matter said...." [Reuters/Factiva]