Ban said the world needs a dramatic increase in food production to feed people and higher food prices provide an historic opportunity to revitalize agriculture, especially in countries where productivity gains have been low in recent years.

"The world needs to produce more food," he said, "Food production needs to rise by 50 percent by the year 2030 to meet the rising demand."

In the long term, Ban said investment in agriculture, especially in developing countries, was vital to ensure global food security.

"These are parallel tracks – immediate needs must not be met at the expense of long-term solutions," he said.

On the more controversial issue of biofuels, Ban said the international community should reach a greater degree of consensus.

An FAO report said the growth of biofuel production is a factor contributing to higher food prices, a claim denied by major producers such as the United States, the European Union and Brazil.

Aregentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (L) shakes hands with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on the sidelines of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) summit in Rome, capital of Italy, on June 2, 2008.(Xinhua Photo/Telam) 

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2008)