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Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore today announced €8 million in funding to tackle child under-nutrition and support cutting-edge research to boost agricultural productivity in the developing world.

The Tánaiste also announced that Ireland has met the target of investing 20% of the Irish Aid budget in targeted and effective programmes to tackle global hunger. The target was set following publication of the Hunger Task Force Report of 2008.

Speaking at the launch of Concern Worldwide’s campaign“1,000 Days of Baby Nutrition” in Dublin today, the Tánaiste said Ireland had become a leading advocate internationally for urgent action to tackle hunger.

Irish people have shown, by their generosity, time and time again that we will not ignore the plight of the poorest and most vulnerable– even during difficult times at home.

Over the last three years Ireland has forged a leading role in global efforts to fight hunger. Working with US Secretary of State Clinton and with UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, we have put food security at the centre of the international agenda, particularly within the United Nations system.

Through the Irish Aid programme, Ireland is investing in cutting-edge agricultural research to increase the yields of poor farmers and support them to build better futures for their children. We are also supporting programmes to tackle child and maternal under-nutrition through targeted food programmes and food fortification to deliver the micronutrients which are critical for pregnant women and babies. The funding that I am announcing today will help us to further build on this work.

The Tánaiste said Ireland would capitalise on our Presidency of the European Union in 2013 to highlight hunger on the European Union’s development agenda. He also paid tribute to Concern Worldwide for their campaign to combat hunger and under-nutrition.

Trade and Development Minister Joe Costello also attended the launch, where he chaired a panel discussion.

MerrionStreet.ie spoke to Minister Costello and CEO of Concern Tom Arnold at the launch of the 1,000 Days campaign. View the interviews below...