Leaders from 181 countries made the commitment in Rome at the close of a three-day summit on food shortages.

They also agreed to bolster humanitarian interventions to help deal with shortages and soaring prices.  

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned up to £20 billion a year was needed to alleviate the crisis.  

Government representatives and aid agencies welcomed the concluding statement as a signal that agriculture - particularly the support of small farmers in the developing world - was now firmly back on the agenda.  

The summit participants stated that the reality of 862 million people worldwide continuing to be malnourished was wholly unacceptable given the resources available.  

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter, said the adoption of a final declaration was "a sign that the international community is speaking with one voice".