Prepared for the Committee on Global Food Security, this 2005 annual FAO assessment document pays special attention to coping with key shocks to food security and the implications for preparedness, responses and mitigation efforts.In particular the report focuses on what it highlights as the main causes of food insecurity: conflicts, natural disasters, plant and animal pests and diseases, HIV/AIDS, and possible impacts arising out of climate change. It calls for a twin track approach which combines:direct interventions to address the immediate needs of the poor and hungrysafety netsconditional or unconditional cash transfersfood and nutrition programmeswith long-term development programmes to:enhance the performance of the productive sectors (especially to promote agriculture and rural development)create employmentincrease the value of the assets held by the poor (physical, human, financial).The report recommends that the CFS:call on FAO and its partner agencies to assist governments to put in place the appropriate safety nets to ensure that their citizens have access to adequate food when affected by shocks to food securitycall on states and their partners to incorporate and integrate disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies into national development plans (including in PRSPs)call on governments and development partners to adopt and implement the twin-track approachcall for increased allocations and investments in the agriculture and rural sector.