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Former United Nations chief <Kofi Annan> is warning that climate change is making the food crisis worse. He said this threatens political security. Mr. <Annan> spoke Tuesday in <Geneva> for the Global Humanitarian Forum, a new group that examines the effects of climate change. The former U.N. secretary general predicted more food strikes and demonstrations. Severe and unpredictable weather he says has hurt the ability of many areas to grow crops. He said poorer farmers are the most effected. Mr. <Annan> said countries that produce the most pollution should help poorer farmers deal with climate change. The United Nations food agency says rising food prices threaten more than one hundred million additional people around the world. The head of the world food program, <Josette Sheeran>, said the additional one hundred million people facing hunger within the past six months. She says a major and long-lasting action is needed to prevent a crisis. Such action she said should be like the emergency effort after a huge wave in the Indian Ocean destroyed many coastal communities in two thousand four.
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Source: VOA Special English April 23, 2008 0030UTC

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