Xinhua
Washington, April 30 (Xinhua) The US government has released an additional $40 million in emergency food aid to help ease the global food crisis, the State Department said. The fund from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) was provided to the World Food Programme after President George W. Bush authorised the USAID $200 million earlier this month, the State Department said in a statement Tuesday.

It said that with the $240 million, the USAID would provide emergency food aid to countries including Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Kenya and Haiti.

According to the State Department, the country has set aside $1.36 billion to help reduce the food crisis in the world.

US senators Monday called the White House for an additional $200 million for international food aid this year as the world is hit by the worst food crisis in more than 30 years.

Due to increasing populations, expanding demand for food and more consumption of crops in biofuels, food prices has surged significantly across the world.
Xinhua