U.N. Food Agency Needs $750 Million More To Feed Hungry People

April 19, 2008 8:01 a.m. EST

Geneva, Switzerland (AHN) - The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) needs over $750 million more to meet its commitment to feed 73 million of the world's hungry people this year.

In February, 2008, the WFP announced that it required $500 million more to carry out its efforts, but surging food prices have led the UN food agency to revise that figure up to $756 million, a U.N. press statement said.

The WFP earlier appealed $2.9 billion for this to implement its commitment across the world. So far, $900 million has been received toward its original appeal.

The cost of rice in Thailand swelled from $460 per ton on March 3 to $780 five weeks later, according to the statement.

The WFP also warned that prices could rice even higher.

"We are not looking at a picture anymore, we are watching a movie," the agency's Christiane Berthiaume told reporters in Geneva on Friday, according to a statement.