A nice anti-dote to all that "quick quick, send us formula, we have a 
crisis..."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7286307.stm

- - - -
UK pledges £3m Afghan food aid
*
The government has promised an extra £3m in new funding to help meet 
growing food shortages in Afghanistan. *

The money will be given to a joint United Nations and Afghan government 
appeal for £40m in food aid.

It will be used to alleviate malnutrition, particularly among pregnant 
and breastfeeding women.

The International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the cash 
would provide a "safety net" that would will help avoid a humanitarian 
crisis.

UN research suggests that poor Afghans are struggling to buy food 
because of rising wheat prices. In Kabul it is estimated that people 
spend up to 60% of their income on bread alone.

*Rising global prices *

The UK government says the shortages have been caused by rising global 
prices made worse by severe cold weather.

Mr Alexander said: "Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the 
world, and least able to cope with spiralling food prices combined with 
severe winter weather.

"Providing an immediate safety net will help avoid a humanitarian crisis 
and end the immediate suffering."

He said that the food shortage is evidence of the impact of rising 
global food prices hitting the poor hardest.

The £3m pledged by Mr Alexander brings the total amount of UK 
humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to £124m since 2001.

Since 2001 the UK has also spent £490 million on reconstruction and 
development in the country.

Last December, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a further 
commitment of £450 million to Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.

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