Ottawa pledges extra $50M for global food crisis

Amid rising food prices and dwindling supplies worldwide, Ottawa announced Wednesday it will pledge an extra $50 million to combat the global crisis.

International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda said the additional money will mean Canada will contribute a total of $230 million to the UN's World Food Program in 2008.

The announcement comes a day before the UN deadline for emergency aid contributions from donor countries in what the World Food Program is calling the worst food crisis in 40 years.

The World Food Program is seeking an extra $755 million in food aid from donor countries, a 30 per cent increase in its overall budget.

Canada, which has been considered one of the world leaders on this front, has been put under intense pressure from the UN to make an announcement on how much it will pledge.

In 2007, Canada was the second-largest donor to the UN program, behind only the United States.

A global surge in food prices — brought on by rising fuel costs, biofuel production, drought in Australia, market speculation and increased demand from China and India — has sparked violent riots in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, and rationing in some parts of the United States.

A number of countries, including Germany and Switzerland, have already committed additional money to the UN program.

Source:CBC top stories