It is an honour and privilege for me to represent the International Labour Organization, and make a statement on behalf of the Organization at this important Summit. However, given the fact that it is already quite late in the evening, I shall only highlight a few points from my statement and will refer to the full text for details. Hopefully, the full text will find some other outlets, particularly the Website of this Summit, or even ILO's own Website.

High rates of economic growth, in general, and of food production, in particular, are essential for achieving faster rates of poverty reduction and moving more rapidly towards ensuring food security. That, however, is not going to be sufficient because an adequate production and supply of food on an aggregate basis does not guarantee universal access to food.

For higher food production to ensure universal access to food, the fruits of growth and higher production must translate themselves into means of access to food and other necessities of life. Decent and productive employment plays a key role in generating the needed income for ensuring access to food. Economic growth must, therefore, be accompanied by social progress. Decent work is the key to poverty reduction, which, in turn, can contribute to food security.

As regards agriculture, there are an estimated 450 million agricultural workers who work for some form of wage, and they are among the occupational groups with the highest incidence of poverty. Of course, a large number of the small and marginal farmers in the developing countries also face the problem of food insecurity. So while talking about food security, we must consider all categories of farmers and workers in the agricultural sector-farmers of various size groups and wage workers of different categories.

On the employment front, high levels of under-employment and low wages of agricultural workers are serious impediments to food security. Improvements in agricultural productivity, associated with higher employment, real wages and diversification of the rural economy through the promotion of rural non-farm activities would be important for overcoming these impediments. Work in agriculture also involves high levels of health hazards and accidents. Some 170 000 agricultural workers are killed in accidents each year. These workers are not protected and they are not organized.

Today is the World Day for Elimination of Child Labour and in that context I should like to highlight the need to eliminate child labour from the agricultural sector as well.

Finally, an approach to reducing poverty and ensuring food security should include increase in opportunities for sustainable employment in general, particularly through a diversification of the rural economy, adoption of measures including appropriate labour legislation, regarding health, safety and environment to improve conditions in the agricultural sector, and strengthening of social protection for agricultural workers in all categories. Agricultural workers also have a greater voice and more rights at work.

In conclusion, the ILO continues to remain committed to the fight against hunger and malnutrition, and it contributes to that fight by promoting decent work for all workers as a major route out of poverty and towards food security.