聯合國糧食及農業組織表示，全球食物價格在2007年上升了將近40%。該組織目前正與歐洲銀行業者合作開放東歐及中亞尚未運用的潛力，以不付出額外的環境代價，來生產更多的食物。
由歐洲復興開發銀行（EBRD，European Bank for Reconstruction and Development）召集，3月10日於倫敦舉辦的研討會中，聯合國農糧組織及歐洲銀行業者的官員都表示在東歐、哈薩克斯坦、俄羅斯及烏克蘭，都還有「可觀且未開發的農業生產潛力」。
歐洲復興開發銀行總裁勒米埃（Jean Lemierre）表示：「私人及公共部門現在必須積極共同合作，以創造永續投資的情勢，用以重建這個區域成為農業生產的主要核心」。這些國家，大約有2300萬英畝適合耕種的土地在近年脫離了糧食生產行列。根據聯合國糧食部門表示，至少有1300萬英畝的土地可以重新耕作，而不造成環境成本支出。
勒米埃對參與此研討會的私人業者表示歡迎，因為這展現了他們對解決高漲糧價的誠意。他表示，業者清楚地了解「創新與增長的投資是現在急迫需要的。」
許多政府單位對飆漲的糧價也有所回應，他們引進價格管制措施，增加補助金，降低進口限制，並降低出口管制來造福消費者。
然而，一篇投稿於此研討會的論文卻警告說，許多作法在特意鼓吹的情況下，有可能反而在長時間後對生產造成反效果。這篇論文鼓勵政府單位們限制這些可能扭曲當地市場或是不利於生產者及交易者的介入措施，並主張「因應全球需求量上升而擴大供應源的最有效方法，就是協助對整體農業價值鏈進行投資。」論文裡建議，可以透過「對最脆弱的群體進行一定收入的支援」以協助最貧窮的消費者群。
歐銀表示，銀行會把銀行自己的投資鎖定在發展地區供應鏈上以增加生產，並鎖定發展新的農村資金支援工具。僅僅是在農業產業部份，歐洲復興開發銀行就已經承諾提供49億歐元（約76億美元）在橫跨中歐與東歐及歐洲獨立國協（Commonwealth of Independent States, CIS）的357個計畫上。
在與聯合國糧食部門合作之下，這篇論文指出，歐銀會追求更好的的政策對話機制，來協助克服私人公司與轉型區域相關農業主管單位缺少溝通及有效接觸的狀況。
World food prices rose by almost 40 percent in 2007, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, which is working with European bankers to unlock unused potential in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to produce more food without additional environmental cost.
At a conference Monday in London organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, officials of both organizations said there is "significant untapped agricultural production potential" in Eastern Europe and Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine.
"There is now an urgent need for both the private and public sectors to work together to create the conditions for sustainable investment that will restore the primacy of this region as a crucial center of agricultural production," said Jean Lemierre, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD.
In these countries around 23 million hectares of arable land were withdrawn from production in recent years. At least 13 million hectares could be returned to production, with no major environmental cost, according to the UN food agency.
Lemierre welcomed the participation of private businesses in the conference, saying this shows their commitment to solving the problem of high food prices. He said business clearly understands that "new and increased investments are now urgently needed."
Governments have responded to rising food prices by introducing price controls, increased subsidies, reduced import barriers and restrictions on exports designed to benefit consumers.
But an EBRD paper submitted to the conference warned that many of these measures, while well-intentioned, could prove to be counterproductive in the longer term.
The EBRD paper encouraged governments to limit interventions that would distort domestic markets or disadvantage producers and traders. Instead, it maintains that "the most effective way to generate a supply response to the rise in global demand is to facilitate investment along the entire agricultural value chain."
Protection of the poorest consumers, it suggests, can be achieved through "targeted income support to the most vulnerable segments of the population."
The bank said it would target its own investments to the development of local supply chains to increase production and to the development of new rural financing instruments.
In the agribusiness sector alone, EBRD has already committed €4.9 billion (US$7.6 billion) in 357 projects across central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, CIS.
In cooperation with UN food agency, the EBRD paper says the bank will pursue greater policy dialogue to help overcome the lack of communication and effective contact between private sector companies and related authorities in the agricultural sectors across the transition region.
全文及圖片詳見：ENS
