The head of the United Nations' World Food Programme has said "the world's misery index is rising and as soaring food and fuel prices roll through the lives of the most vulnerable."

Speaking in Washington, Josette Sheeran also said increasing costs of food are forcing the organisation to look for cuts in aid to some of its recipients.

"Without increased donations, all of WFP's work is threatened with a 40 percent reduction in coming months. This is why we have put out an emergency appeal to the world - an extraordinary emergency appeal. WFP must raise its core budget of 2.9 billion and our emergency gap appeal, which I announced in February, was 500 million. Since that announcement the gap has increased to 755 million. Neither of these numbers includes new needs."

Sheeran also said the programme's budget shortfalls are forcing the organisation to borrow from accounts meant for future expenditures.

On Thursday the EUROPEAN UNION'S top trade official said rising world prices for food must be tackled with trade deals that encourage developing nations, particularly in Africa, to boost food production.