The World Food Programme (WFP) request came on top of another "extraordinary emergency appeal" of 500 million dollars made by the agency in March to top up its 2008 budget.

The agency has estimated that food prices have risen some 55 percent since June 2007 and that these costs have had "an enormous impact on our operations", said WFP spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume.

The WFP has already warned that it would have to cut rations if the necessary funds were not available.

Food prices have been spiralling higher globally due to rising populations, strong demand from developing countries, the use of certain foods in biofuels to combat global warming, and the increasing frequency of floods and droughts as a result of climate change.

The WFP provides food for 73 million people in 78 countries.

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