United Nations, Jul 19 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for bold and coordinated responses to solve the ongoing global food crisis.

"We face a real risk of multiple famines this year. And next year could be even worse," Guterres warned in his video remarks to a UN General Assembly high-level special event entitled "Time to Act Together: Coordinating Policy Responses to the Global Food Crisis" on Monday.

But, "we can avoid this catastrophe if we act now" and "if we act together to craft bold and coordinated policy responses," the UN chief added.

This means immediately reintegrating Ukraine's food production, and Russia's food and fertiliser, into world markets, and keeping global trade open, he said.

Guterres also stressed the need to tackle the finance crisis in the developing world, and to urgently unlock all possible resources to enhance social protection and support small holder and family farmers to increase productivity and self-reliance, Xinhua news agency reported.

"And it means transforming food systems at every level -- to put affordable, healthy and sustainable diets within reach of every person, everywhere," he added.