The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation's hunger summit in Rome has failed to make any significant breakthroughs.

The final declaration, released on the opening day of the three-day event, shows that little progress was made. FAO director-general Jacques Diouf blamed the lack of progress on the absence of leaders from the world's wealthiest countries.
 

Less than one third of the 192 heads of state and government invited by the FAO attended the meeting. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was the only G8 leader to attend the summit, although his appearance did mean that his trial on corruption charges had to be delayed.
 

Mr Diouf said the absence of world leaders reduced the summit into a "technical forum". Aid organisations also criticised the event and Oxfam gave the summit a "two out of 10".