LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - "Today, I can announce a new global effort we are calling a 'New Alliance' for food security and nutrition. And, to get the job done, we are bringing together all the key players around a shared commitment," Obama declared.

President Obama said that ending hunger by making African farms more productive is a moral imperative.

"Because of smart investments in nutrition and agriculture and safety nets, millions of people in Kenya and Ethiopia did not need emergency aid in the recent drought. (But) when tens of thousands of children die from the agony of starvation, as in Somalia . that sends us a message that we have still got a lot of work to do. It is unacceptable. It is an outrage. It is an affront to who we are," Obama said.

Obama is preparing to host the annual economic summit of the Group of Eight, which will lead industrialized nations at the Camp David presidential retreat outside Washington.

Obama invited the leaders of four African nations to attend the G8 summit and discuss the issue of food security.

John Mills, The president of Ghana, says that making food more plentiful would make societies more secure.

"When you talk about food security, nutritional security, you are at the same time talking about health security, economic stability, and political stability. And without these elements you will struggle with democracy," Mills said.

While some of the G8 countries are dealing with economic austerity, Obama said the "New Alliance" initiative would help ease the burden on some governments.

"That is what I mean by a new approach that challenges more nations, more organizations, more companies, more NGO's [non-governmental organizations], challenges individuals - some of the young people who are here - to step up and play a role, because government cannot and should not do this alone. This has to be 'all hands on deck,'" Obama says.

But the president said private contributions cannot take the place of a government commitment, saying the United States will continue to make what he called "historic investments" in development.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said government contributions are absolutely necessary for African development.

"The role of the private sector can only be to supplement the small-scale farmers. There is the issues of rural roads, water supply systems, irrigation infrastructure - all of these require public investment," Zenawi said.

The new food initiative is intended to build on a 2009 food security effort that brought $22 billion in pledges.

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