There's no shortage of food at this market in Pakistan.

Yet costs have risen so much about half the population can't afford to eat properly.

The same problems are making life increasingly difficult for smallholders trying to live off the land.

[Samina Kausar, Smallholder]:
"It's affecting us.  Inflation is going up, so for example the price of lentils is very high.  We're poor people. We can't afford it.  Lentils have become as expensive as meat now. The government has given us these seeds which we will grow and try to reduce food costs."

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation is about to host a major food summit in Rome.

Its director general says there is no time to lose.

[Jacques Diouf, Director-General, U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization]:
"We have been saying and repeating that the fundamentals that led to the crisis in 2008 are almost all there."

The U.N. wants wealthy nations to more than triple their share of aid earmarked for agriculture, currently five per cent.

The aid is intended to help farmers in poorer nations with fertilisers, disease-resistant seeds, crop storage, and irrigation.

This water system in the Kenyan village of Ahero is an example of why they need help.

Aid donations have helped the villagers bring it back to life.

But the expense of electricity for the pump is forcing them to cut production costs of their rice to compete on the market.

[Nelly Odago, Rice Farmer]:
"If we had more support and avoided expenses like paying for electricity used by the pump, and we used the gravity of water instead, then we would save more and plant other crops like maize and since this is one Kenya, we would feed those who don't have food."

Despite the good intentions of the impending food summit there is little appetite for it among world leaders.

Major figures including Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy aren't going to be there.

Meanwhile a final draft seen by Reuters of a declaration due to be made at the summit will not mention a target to eradicate hunger by 2025.

A commitment to increase aid also fails to specify target or timeframe.