WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- On World Food Day, the United States reaffirmed its commitment to work with the international community together to combat global hunger and poverty through sustainable agricultural development.

    "Making sure that enough food is available and that people have the resources to purchase it is a key foreign policy objective of the Obama Administration," said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in a statement issued on Friday.

    The UN food and agriculture agency's figures showed that more than one billion people, one sixth of the world's population, have been suffering from chronic hunger.

    "We must take action," said Clinton, adding that the United States is committed to working with partners across the world on food security for the long haul.

    According to Clinton, the United States has joined other developed countries to eradicate hunger by investing more than 22 billion dollars over three years to spur agriculture-led economic growth.

    "Our investment in agriculture will complement our commitment to humanitarian aid, which plays a vital role in feeding some of the world's most vulnerable people," said the secretary.

    The theme of this year's World Food Day is "Achieving food security in times of crisis."

    Jacques Diouf, director-general of UN Food and Agriculture Organization on Friday called on world leaders to reach a "broad consensus on the total and rapid elimination of hunger."

    Diouf said the current economic crisis that had forced 105 million more people into hunger was "historically unprecedented" as it directly followed the 2008 world food price rally.