Hunger must have no future Pope tells IFAD

(ANSA) - Rome, February 14 - Pope Francis called for the eradication of hunger on Thursday as he addressed the governing council of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). "Hunger has no present nor future," the pope said. "Only a past". IFAD, which is one of three Rome-based UN food agencies along with the FAO and the WFP, works to fight poverty in rural areas of developing countries.
    "It is paradoxical that a good part of the more than 820 million people who suffer hunger and malnutrition in the world, live in rural areas, are dedicated to food production, and are farmers," the Argentine pontiff said. "May your work, your sleepless nights and your deliberations be for the benefit of the discarded and victims of indifference and selfishness and may we see the total defeat of hunger and a bountiful harvest of justice and prosperity".