US President George W. Bush has called for $770 million (€498 million) in new US food aid donations and other measures as Washington seeks to stave off a food crisis threatening to envelop the developing world.
Mr Bush, expressing concern as skyrocketing world food prices intensify unrest in poor countries from Haiti to Burkina Faso, promised the United States would take a lead in fighting the hunger now gripping a greater swath of the developing world.
"With the new international funding I'm announcing today, we're sending a clear message to the world that America will lead the fight against hunger for years to come," Mr Bush said yesterday.
Surging prices for wheat, rice and other staples, along with record-high fuel prices, have eaten into aid budgets in the United States, the world's largest food aid donor.
"I think more needs to be done. And so today I'm asking Congress to provide an additional $770 million to support food aid and development programs," Mr Bush told reporters at the White House as he unveiled a supplemental budget request for fiscal 2009 that would require congressional approval.
Administration officials said the $770 million would include $395 million in emergency food aid, $225 million for food vouchers, seeds, or aid purchases in the developing world, and $150 million for development work aimed at food security.
That will help "improve the ability of the developing world to feed itself," said Stephen McMillin, a top budget official.
If approved by Congress, the funds would become available on October 1st, and would bring overall US support for global food security to $2.66 billion for 2009.