One in six people worldwide go hungry every day. But hunger is not the issue. Hunger is the result – the result of the failure, time and again, of our world leaders to deal with the bad policies that cause it and the massive reduction in investment in agriculture in recent years.

This weekend, governments are meeting at the World Food Summit in Rome to attempt to deal with the scandal of hunger. Despite the urgency of the problem, this is only the third such gathering in the last 35 years. And at each meeting, the goalposts keep shifting when it comes to their pledges on the most fundamental right of people's access to food.

The Irish government, through its Hunger Task Force, has put the problem of world hunger at the heart of its aid policy. Ireland must take a leadership role in Rome and insist that new money given by governments to tackle hunger is targeted towards small-scale farmers, both men and women, to help them produce enough food to feed their families and to sell at markets.

Last year, governments committed a total of $20bn to boost sustainable agriculture. To date, less than 15% of this money has been allocated, and most of that has been in food aid, which is only a temporary panacea. If hunger is to be eradicated, governments have to also change their policies to create an environment where small farmers can thrive.

Next month in Copenhagen, governments also have a chance to agree a fair deal on climate change for developing countries, a deal on emission reductions and financial compensation to help poor countries adapt to the impact of our changing climate.

The economic crisis and climate change are hitting the poorest hardest and pushing millions to the very brink of survival. Governments must act now before another generation is condemned to hunger and poverty.

Justin Kilcullen

Director of Trocaire

Maynooth, Co Kildare