Sherwin Bryce-Pease, New York

American soul singer Dionne Warwick and track athlete Carl Lewis have added their voices to calls for the world to do more to provide food security. The shocking statistic that the number of hungry people in the world has topped one billion was central to the observance of World Food Day at the United Nations in New York - under the theme `achieving food security in times of crisis'.

One in six people go hungry everyday – that is over 1 billion people - a 100 million more than in 2008. And it is getting worse.

“Throughout the developing world, food prices remain stubbornly high and volatile. We must respond to the needs of the hungry, first by ensuring adequate political and financial support for emergency food assistance,” says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The causes - volatile food prices affected by climate change, the global economic crisis and conflict zones  - compound an already precarious situation.

According to Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization Jacques Diouf, action must be taken immediately. Diouf says in the short term, safety nets and social protection programmes must be created or improved to reach the most vulnerable populations. Options include targeted food distribution programmes, cash transfer schemes, school feeding and mother and child nutritional programmes.

Food prices have remained high following the spikes that caused crises around the globe in 2007. In July 2009, in sub-Saharan Africa, 80-90% of all cereal prices monitored in 27 countries remain more than 25% higher than the soaring food prices crises two years ago.