The Pope said this today when receiving in audience participants in the 34th general conference of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), headquartered in Rome.

"All forms of discrimination, and particularly those that thwart agricultural development, must be rejected since they constitute a violation of the basic right of every person to be 'free from hunger.' These convictions are in fact demanded by the very nature of your work on behalf of the common good of humanity," said the Pontiff.

Speaking in English, the Holy Father highlighted "the relentless spread of poverty in a world that is also experiencing unprecedented prosperity, not only in the economic sphere but also in the rapidly developing fields of science and technology."

Obstacles such as "armed conflicts, outbreaks of disease, adverse atmospheric and environmental conditions and the massive forced displacement of peoples," said the Pope, "should serve as a motivation to redouble our efforts to provide each person with his or her daily bread."

Benedict XVI continued, saying, "Today more than ever, the human family needs to find the tools and strategies capable of overcoming the conflicts caused by social differences, ethnic rivalries, and the gross disparity in levels of economic development."

Technical solutions

"For her part," the Pope explained, "the Church is convinced that the quest for more effective technical solutions in an ever-changing and expanding world calls for far-sighted programs embodying enduring values grounded in the inalienable dignity and rights of the human person."

He added: "The united effort of the international community to eliminate malnutrition and promote genuine development necessarily calls for clear structures of management and supervision, and a realistic assessment of the resources needed to address a wide range of different situations.

"It requires the contribution of every member of society -- individuals, volunteer organizations, businesses, and local and national governments -- always with due regard for those ethical and moral principles which are the common patrimony of all people and the foundation of all social life."

Beyond progress

The Pontiff told the FAO delegates: "Technical progress, important as it is, is not everything. Progress must be placed within the wider context of the integral good of the human person. It must constantly draw nourishment from the common patrimony of values, which can inspire concrete initiatives aimed at a more equitable distribution of spiritual and material goods.

"Religion, as a potent spiritual force for healing the wounds of conflict and division, has its own distinctive contribution to make in this regard, especially through the work of forming minds and hearts in accordance with a vision of the human person."