Over the Easter holidays, the WFP appealed to donor countries to pledge an additional 325 million euros to its programmes. Soaring food prices are necessitating additional contributions to avoid a forced rationing of food aid.
Paavo Väyrynen, Finland's Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, says the decision on whether Finland will raise its WFP funding will be on the table after the Easter holidays.
This year Finland has earmarked six million euros for the WFP. The government also sets away additional emergency funds for crises that may erupt unexpectedly.
Väyrynen however noted that similar requests from other aid agencies have also been made recently. The Minister also highlights the role of the relatively strong euro -- which means that EU countries' donations have grown in terms of US dollars.
Donations made towards international food aid efforts total 1.5 billion euros annually. Around half of these funds are channelled through the WFP.
Rising food prices hinge on a number of factors: the cost of oil and energy, economic growth in India and China and poor harvests due to weather conditions. Biofuels also play a role, especially when crops are grown for fuel rather than nourishment.
