FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf today signed three cooperation agreements between FAO and international organisations for broadcast media. “Information has always been a key weapon in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. It will become even more important this year,” he declared.Diouf was referring to a number of major events – including today’s World Food Day – aimed at stepping up the fight against hunger at a time when there are more than one billion hungry people in the world.This year’s thrust against hunger culminates in the World Summit on Food Security, on 16-18 November which will bring together in Rome Heads of State and Government from FAO’s 192 Members.The cooperation agreements establish a partnership between FAO and the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), the International Council of French-Speaking Radio and Television (CIRTEF) and the Permanent Conference of Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM).These accords will help foster the spread of information, especially in developing countries’ rural communities. They are part of a wider strategy aimed at obtaining greater coverage of the hunger issue including World Food Day, the World Summit on Food Security and FAO’s 2010 media campaign aimed at young people.The agreements were signed by Diouf on behalf of FAO and on behalf of the broadcasting partners by Mr. Salaheddine Maaoui, Director-General of ASBU, Mr. Emmanuel Hoog, President of COPEAM and Mr. Guila Thiam, Secretary-General of CIRTEF.