More than 10,000 people have signed a petition by Catholic organisation CAFOD, urging the government to fix the "broken food system."

The document calls for stronger support for alternative means of growing food, both in order to lessen the effects of climate change, and to ensure food is better distributed in areas severely affected by poor agriculture. 

The group warns that nearly 50 million people in East Africa are on the brink of starvation due to severe droughts resulting in devastating harvests.

In less than a month, the government will be pressing ahead with COP27 talks; last year they signed to the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use, promising a more sustainable approach to agriculture.

However, CAFOD believes the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have let the issue slip down the agenda. 

CAFOD's head of Public Policy Graham Gordon said: "The global food system is broken. This is shown most acutely in East Africa, where millions are on the brink of starvation as deadly droughts devastate harvests. 

"The UK committed to support a sustainable farming model globally that puts people and the environment first last year at COP26, but we've seen almost no progress in delivering. We need the UK to step up and put people and the environment first."