The many hundreds of millions of people around the world who are short of food are being denied their human rights, Italy's populist premier Giuseppe Conte told a meeting in Rome on Thursday.
"The denial of food is the denial of humanity, of justice, equality and freedom," Conte told the inaugural session of the UN agriculture fund IFAD's major annual meeting.
"For this reason, we must restore dignity to rural areas of the world in an inclusive development process that is equitable and sustainable," Conte said.
One in nine people globally are still malnourished, a "tragically growing trend," Conte went on.
"This situation makes an appeal to our consciences. We are all responsible for this situation. Urgent joint action is needed to defeat hunger and extreme poverty," Conte said.
IFAD's Governing Council meeting is focused this year on rural innovation and entrepreneurship.
