In 1996 world leaders gathered in Rome at the World Food Summit to ask why so many continue to go hungry in the world today. The first entries on the blog will be from Stu Clark and Kenton Lobe as we attend the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization meetings on World Food Security in Rome from October 28 to November 4. Ten years later, delegates will once again be gathering to ask if we are any closer to ending hunger?

There is a mad frenzy of preparation that precedes any international travel. Reports must be written, agendas finalized, and it seems that the pressure builds to a crescendo as the departure date draws ever closer. As I prepare, I want to share two websites with those of you who will be joining in for this virtual ride.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization will be hosting the Special Forum on Food Security - a follow up meeting to the World Food Summit in 1996 where world leaders agreed that a "business as usual" approach to ending hunger was not working. Check their website for details on the sessions and for a host of other information on food and agriculture.

The More and Better campaign was launched in 2003 to bring together organizations working to end poverty and hunger. It advocates for increases to both the quantity and the quality of aid for agriculture as an important part of this task. We will be participating in the annual meetings of this campaign while in Rome.

Posts will begin on Sunday, October 29. We look forward to your comments and questions...