In a speech on food security to the Fabian Society Hilary Benn will say:
"By 2050 there will be nine billion of us living on this small and fragile planet. And the question is: do we have the capacity to feed the equivalent of another two Chinas?
"Global food production will need to double just to meet demand. We have the knowledge and the technology to do this, as things stand, but the perfect storm of climate change, environmental degradation and water and oil scarcity, threatens our ability to succeed."
And as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation warns that recent food price rises have pushed an additional 40 million people towards starvation, Hilary Benn will warn:
"As a world, we need to own up to the true scale of the problem. And we need a long-term plan for dealing with it.
"The single most important step we can take is to agree a new climate deal in Copenhagen next year. And my message to all those gathering in Poznan this week to lay the foundations of that agreement is that we need it, not just to secure our climate, but also to secure our food and water for the future.
"But even a climate deal can't deal with all of this. Take the new Klondike land rush we are seeing right now in Africa. Is this the right way to ensure a fair distribution of such a precious resource? Will these deals be fair to the countries involved? What about countries that can't afford to 'buy' more land?
"Or take export bans, or failures in distribution, or unfair markets. All of these things require action globally, and a new approach.
"We need to look at how we can build on the work of the World Food Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and others to create a kind of new Kyoto - a global agreement to secure the future of our food."
Hilary Benn's call for action came as he announced the members of a new high level group to advise on all aspects of food policy.
Chaired by Dame Suzi Leather, the membership of the Council of Food Policy Advisors represents expertise in every aspect of our food system.
The group will advise on issues ranging from production to retail, and from regulation and distribution to consumption, as well as on securing the UK's food supply, the affordability of food and the industry's environmental impact
Announcing the membership of the Council, Hilary Benn said:
"We need to ensure that our food supply in future continues to be secure and sustainable. That's why I've set up this new team of advisers who will look at food from farm to fork.
"The members of the Council provide experience from right across the food chain, including farming, retail, community food initiatives, and consumer groups.
"The Council will look at food prices, obesity and health, the environmental impact of food, and links to the wider economy, as well as providing a forum in which all food issues can be looked at together.
"Reporting directly to me, the Council will also work closely with the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency."
Dame Suzi Leather, who will chair the Council said:
"I'm looking forward to working with the other members of the Council of Food Policy Advisers to examine the practical solutions needed to maintain UK and global food security and the long term sustainability of the food chain.
"Our role will be to provide rapid advice and recommendations on key policy issues over the next two years. I do not anticipate producing weighty reports that sit unread on shelves but rather practical solutions and ongoing counsel for Government.
"We expect to meet monthly, usually in London, and also carry out regular fact finding visits around the UK or hold regional meetings."
