– Food prices cannot rise and rise without political instability resulting and without countries near the poverty edge falling over into government-less anarchy like Somalia.
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The head of the UN World Food Programme has warned that the rise in basic food costs could continue until 2010.
Josette Sheeran blamed soaring energy and grain prices, the effects of climate change and demand for biofuels.
Miss Sheeran has already warned that the WFP is considering plans to ration food aid due to a shortage of funds.
Some food prices rose 40% last year, and the WFP fears the world’s poorest will buy less food, less nutritious food or be forced to rely on aid.
Speaking after briefing the European Parliament, Miss Sheeran said the agency needed an extra $375m (244m euros; £187m) for food projects this year and $125m (81m euros; £93m) to transport it.
She said she saw no quick solution to high food and fuel costs.
“The assessment is that we are facing high food prices at least for the next couple of years,” she said.
Miss Sheeran said global food reserves were at their lowest level in 30 years – with enough to cover the need for emergency deliveries for 53 days, compared with 169 days in 2007.
Biofuel prices
Among the contributing factors to high food prices is biofuel production.
Miss Sheeran says demand for crops to produce biofuels is increasing prices for food stuffs such as palm oil.
Miss Sheeran said governments needed “to look more carefully at the link between the acceleration in biofuels and food supply and give more thought to it”.
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