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.
UN warns over food aid rationing ...
Accused had sex with four victims ...
Suffolk murders trial under way ... 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; Ј187m) for food projects this year and $125m (81m euros; Ј93m) 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".
The WFP says countries where price rises are expected to have a most direct impact include Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Haiti, Djibouti, the Gambia, Tajikistan, Togo, Chad, Benin, Myanmar, Cameroon, Niger, Senegal, Yemen and Cuba.
Areas where the WFP is already seeing an impact include:
(BBC)
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