Australia `can help world food security`

Australia has a major role to help meet the global food shortage, says Agriculture
Minister Tony Burke, who is in Europe to discuss how agriculture can play a part in
lifting the world out of recession.
Mr Burke is attending the G8+ Agriculture Ministers Meeting in Treviso, Italy on
Monday (AEST) after which he travels to Siracusa to participate in an environment
ministers meeting on climate change and biodiversity issues.
Mr Burke joins his counterparts from the African Union, Argentina, Egypt, Brazil,
China, India, Mexico and South Africa.
"Australia has a major role to play in meeting the global food shortage and boosting
global food security, which is shown by our involvement in this meeting," he said in
a statement.
"We believe investment in agricultural research will be essential, along with
increasing the capacity of other nations to produce their own food."
Mr Burke said the meeting was a chance to build on the commitment of G20 leaders in
London to resist protectionism and strengthen world trade.