Speaking at a major international conference on hunger in Beijing, Mr Arnold stated “it is welcome that 25 years after it last highlighted the role of agriculture and rural development in economic growth and poverty reduction, the World Bank has concluded that a renewed international focus on agriculture is essential to relieving hunger in the developing world”.

Mr Arnold continued, “if world leaders are serious about eradicating hunger for the 854 million people who are classified as food insecure, then international efforts need to be focused on rural areas. 75% of the world’s food insecure individuals live in rural areas and are highly dependent on agriculture for their survival. Small-scale farmers constitute the majority of the poor and are the main victims of hunger. Directing resources at this particular group will be essential for dealing with the problem of hunger”.

Although many of the elements of WDR 2008 are welcome, Mr Arnold cautioned that “the World Bank needs to develop specific strategies for small-scale producers to escape from poverty. This will include making local and regional markets work for such marginal farmers; directing resources at female farmers; allocating resources to deal with the disease burden of HIV and AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis; and focusing on the needs of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) – the countries where Concern works”.

More than 400 policymakers and experts from around the world are gathered in Beijing for the three-day conference, "Taking Action for the World's Poor and Hungry People" – organised by the International Food Policy Research Institute and the Chinese government – to assess progress achieved in reducing global poverty and hunger and to identify new approaches for improving the welfare of the world's most deprived people.

• Click here to read the World Bank's World Development Report 2008