G8 Summit in Italy Ends With Food Aid Pledge to Poor Nations

U.S. President Barack Obama said this was a summit of consensus - on dealing with the global economic crisis, climate change, on nuclear non-proliferation, on Iran - and a pledge to help achieve food security for the poorest countries.

"We have committed $20 billion in food security, agricultural development programs to help fight world hunger.  This is in addition to emergency humanitarian aid that we provide," he said.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization welcomed the announcement, as an "encouraging policy shift to help the poor and hungry.

Many international aid organizations are cautiously positive. Development activist Kumi Naido of the Global Campaign Against Hunger, remains skeptical until more details of the plan become clear.

"We would see this as a belated small step in the right direction. How much of it is in the right direction will depend on the details because one of the favorite pastimes of the G8 is recycling old commitments and one of the things our researchers are looking at now is whether this is in fact a restating of old commitments," said Naido.