More than 10,000 anti-globalisation activists demonstrated in Rome today ahead of next week's World Food Summit at which some 110 heads of state will discuss plans to fight hunger across the globe.
The protestors called for the right of countries to determine their own food policies, just days before the June 10th-13th meeting hosted by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the Italian capital.
Claiming that development policies supported by UN and developed nations had failed, protesters called for what they described as "the sovereignty of food" to enable states to implement their individual agricultural policies.
"The FAO must not give in to pressure from multinationals and the US government," said Mr Ermete Realacci, president of the environmental group Legambiente.
The demonstrators, representing a number of non-governmental organisations (NGO) and anti-globalisation groups, demanded an international moratorium on the use of genetically-modified organisms.
They also called for the exclusion of the World Trade Organisation from all questions concerned with the supply and distribution of food.
The demonstrating groups will hold their own forum, beginning tomorrow, which will coincide with the FAO summit.
Today’s crowd included the Italian prince Lillo Sforza Ruspoli, who with the crowd marched behind a large placard proclaiming "The Earth and Dignity".
Italian police were also out in force with hundreds of security personnel and overhead helicopters escorting the demonstrators on the march.
AFP