ROME: Food and Agriculture Organisation chief Jacques Diouf went on a 24-hour hunger strike on yesterday to put a spotlight on chronic malnutrition worldwide ahead of a UN summit on food security.

Diouf began the hunger strike late Friday. He called on "people of goodwill everywhere" to join his hunger strike in solidarity with the one billion humans who suffer chronic malnutrition, FAO said.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon will join the hunger strike on Sunday, it said.

"I hope through these gestures we will raise awareness, and build pressure from public opinion," Diouf said.

More than 60 heads of state and government will attend the World Summit on Food Security on Monday.