The right to food A/RES/73/171 that these problems are increasing dramatically in some regions in the absence of urgent, determined and concerted action, Recognizing also the importance of traditional sustainable agricultural practices, including traditional seed supply systems, as well as access to cre dit and other financial services, markets, secure land tenure, health care, social services, education, training, knowledge and appropriate and affordable technologies, including efficient irrigation, the reuse of treated wastewater and water harvesting and storage for indigenous peoples and others living in rural areas, Recognizing further the complex character of food insecurity and its likely recurrence owing to a combination of several major factors, such as the effects of the global financial and economic crisis, environmental degradation, desertification and the impacts of global climate change, as well as poverty, natural disasters, armed conflicts, drought, volatility in commodity prices and the lack in many countries of the appropriate technology, investment and capacity-building necessary to confront its impact, particularly in developing countries, the least developed countries and small island developing States, and the need for coherence and collaboration between international institutions at the global level, Noting with great concern that millions of people are facing famine or the immediate risk of famine or are experiencing severe food insecurity in several regions of the world, and noting also that poverty, armed conflicts, drought and the volatility of commodity prices are among the factors causing or exacerbating famine and severe food insecurity and that additional efforts, including international support, to respond, prevent and prepare for increasing global food insecurity are urgently needed, Stressing the obligation of all States and parties to an armed conflict to protect civilians, in accordance with international humanitarian law, and calling upon Member States, the United Nations and other relevant organizations to take further steps to provide a coordinated emergency response to the food and nutrition needs of affected populations, while aiming to ensure that such steps are supportive of national strategies and programmes aimed at improving food security and nutrition, Reaffirming that starvation of civilians as a method of combat is prohibited under international humanitarian law and that it is therefore prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless, for that purpose, objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies and irrigation works, Resolved to act to ensure that the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and the human rights perspective are taken into account at the national, regional and international levels in measures to address the realization of the right to food, Stressing the possible benefits of international trade to improve food and nutrition availability, Stressing also that improving access to productive resources and investment in rural development is essential for eradicating hunger and poverty, in particular in developing countries, through, inter alia, the promotion of investments in appropriate small-scale irrigation and water management technologies in order to reduce vulnerability to droughts and tackle water scarcity, as well as in programmes, practices and policies to scale up sustainable agroecological approaches, Expressing its deep concern at the number and scale of natural disasters, diseases and pest infestations, as well as the negative impact of climate change, and their increasing impact in recent years, which have resulted in substantial loss of life 18-22267 3/11