The response of the United States to the food crisis that is already affecting the world’s poorest countries came swiftly. President Bush ordered the release of $200 million in emergency aid to help poor African countries as well as other parts of the world such as Haiti, Bangladesh, Egypt or the Philippines who were hit by riots over the surging food prices.

The White House’s measure to draw money from a food reserve to aid the countries worst hit by the food crisis was triggered by an appeal to the international community made yesterday by World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

"The international community must fill the at least a $500 million food gap identified by the U.N.'s World Food Program to meet emergency needs. Governments should be able to come up with this assistance and come up with it now," World Bank President Robert Zoellick said.

The World Bank estimated that the food prices have doubling over the past three years and this could push 100m more people into poverty.

"This additional food aid will address the impact of rising commodity prices on US emergency food aid programs and be used to meet unanticipated food aid needs in Africa and elsewhere," said the statement released by the White House when announcing the emergency food aid.

The White House statement also underlined the fact that the United States has spent more that $2.1 billion in food aid delivered to 78 countries in the past year alone, which makes it the world's largest provider of food aid.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also addressed the issue of the food crisis at a high political level and called for short term emergency measures that would prevent the inhabitants of the countries dealing with the crisis from starving.

According to the appeal launched by the UN World Food Program, the international community should come up with at least $500m until 1 May to avoid food rationing.