APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Income growth, climate change, high energy prices, globalization, and urbanization are all converging to transform food production, markets, and consumption, a new report released on Tuesday by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said.

“As a result, global food demand and prices are likely to rise, threatening the livelihoods and nutrition of poor people in developing countries,” said the report.

The report, \"The World Food Situation: New Driving Forces and Required Actions,\" also indicated that millions of people particularly in the developing countries, like Africa will be affected by the food price increase in the coming years.

“China and almost all African countries, which are net importers of cereals, would suffer from the resulting high prices, but India, a net exporter would benefit,” the report said,

According to the report, climate change will also have a negative impact on food production, compounding the challenge of meeting global food demand, and potentially exacerbating hunger and malnutrition among the world\’s poorest people.

Over 500 millions people in the world are living in hunger.

\"Economic growth has helped to reduce hunger, particularly when it is equitable. But unfortunately, growth does not always reach the poorest people. Global food demand is shifting from grains and other staple crops to processed food and high-value agricultural products, such as vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy,” the report added.

According to the report, cereal prices could further increase by 10 to 20 percent, benefiting certain countries and population groups while ill-affecting others.

Overall, the majority of poor people, who live in households that are net buyers of food, will be worse off and increased food prices will make it even more difficult for them to eat healthy, well-balanced diet, according to the report.