The Group of Eight (G8) agricultural ministers gathered in northeast Italy on Saturday to discuss measures to ensure world food security.

The ministers are expected to focus on world hunger, the fight against waste and speculation, as well as efforts to increase agricultural production during the three-day meeting, Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia said.

The G8 ministers will also be joined by their counterparts from Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa, Argentina, Australia and Egypt during their talks in Cison di Valmarino, near Treviso in the Veneto region.

Italy, which holds the rotating G8 presidency, has pledged efforts to make farm production the top concern of its national economy. The Group of Eight comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

The meeting follows on from last year's G8 summit in Japan, where state and government leaders pledged efforts to come up with concrete proposals to stabilize food price and ensure food security.

A document is expected to be worked out by the end of the meeting to be put to G8 leaders at their next summit on July 8-10 in La Maddalena, Italy.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2009)