Farming 'resilient to recession'

The report has concerns about food insecurity and hunger

The global agriculture sector has coped better with the recession than other sectors, but it could suffer if the downturn deepens, a new report says.

Output and consumption will fall less if recovery starts within three years, say the OECD and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

They say average crop prices in the next decade will be 10-20% higher in real terms than between 1997 and 2006.

They warn more hefty price hikes, as happened in 2008, cannot be ruled out.

The report warned that food insecurity and hunger were a growing problem for the world's poor.

It suggests that governments should target spending on infrastructure, research and development and providing incentives for sustainable use of soil and water to improve access to food.