Despite the fact that agriculture is responsible of 14 percent of Co2 emissions (74 percent of which produced in developing countries), FAO's director said the sector "can actively contribute to adaptation and mitigation strategies aimed at tackling climate change."

"We must learn from our past errors and implement an efficient global and local agricultural governance in order to meet current challenges."

Diouf said that "ensuring food security and eradicating hunger in the world is not only a moral, but also an economic duty" and the key is to be found in an increase of investments in the agricultural sector.

"Rural gross domestic product (GDP) growth is twice more efficient for poverty reduction in developing countries than growth created in other sectors,"he said.

The reduction in development aid and investments, Diouf said, drastically dropped by 58 percent between 1980 and 2005. He urged industrialized nations to fulfill their commitments by investing 83 billion dollars a year to feed a growing population.

Other than climate change, the forum discussed the problem of soaring food prices which are likely to stay high and volatile in the medium term.

The experts warned that a repeat of the 2007-2008 price spikes is a realistic possibility. The increase in food prices have caused a sharp rise in the number of hungry people around the world to more than one billion this year.

According to FAO, prices have fallen back since but will remain high and are not likely to drop below their 2006 level. Insufficient investment in productive capacity and further demand growth for bio-fuels were also factors that could keep prices firm in the medium term.

With the theme of How to Feed the World in 2050, the forum is preparing the ground for the World Summit on Food Security, scheduled in Rome on November 16-18.