The issue of food security was discussed by top UN officials in Madrid on April 4. The high level meeting was set on the UN’s vision for its strategy to fight world hunger after the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) deadline of 2015. Reducing the World’s hunger by half was one the eight anti-poverty targets of the MDGs. Speaking on the matter, José Graziano da Silva, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that food security is effectively addressed only by political commitment at the national level closely supported by regional and global commitments as well as the cooperation of international community of donors and organizations. The meeting acknowledged that there had been some significant progress in combating hunger in recent years citing the "spectacular" economic rise of some countries that made it possible to half the number of people in extreme poverty. Despite this, Mr. Graziano stressed there are still 870 million people worldwide suffering from hunger and that the war on food insecurity is far from over. Mr. Graziano da Silva added that eliminating food insecurity would require strong leadership and global concerted action from all parties involved. He pointed out efforts such the Committee on World Food Security and the Zero Hunger Challenge launched by the UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon as successful examples of international cooperation. UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon also addressed the meeting, stating "We must keep the millennium promise that world leaders made to the human family’s poorest and most vulnerable members." Ban Ki-moon spoke on the need for a collaborative effort to ensure better nutrition for women and children in particular, and support for small house holds before the end of 2015. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44560HYPERLINK "http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44560&Cr=food+security&Cr1"&HYPERLINK "http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44560&Cr=food+security&Cr1"Cr=food+securityHYPERLINK "http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44560&Cr=food+security&Cr1"&HYPERLINK "http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44560&Cr=food+security&Cr1"Cr1= http://theviewspaper.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/food.jpg