AP
People queue up to buy the cheapest rice available in the market, the NFA (National Food Authority) Rice, at a mobile rice-distribution centre at suburban Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines, April 15, 2008. The Philippines has enough rice for the foreseeable future, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Tuesday as officials vowed to crack down on hoarders amid skyrocketing food prices and tight grain supply.

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned Friday that soaring world food prices can have dire consequences, such as toppling governments and even triggering wars.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn told France's Europe-1 radio that the price rises that set off rioting in Haiti, Egypt and elsewhere were an "extremely serious" problem.

"The planet must tackle it," he said.

The IMF chief said the problem could also threaten democracies, even in countries where governments have done all they could to help the local population. Asked whether the crisis could lead to wars, Strauss-Kahn responded that it was possible.

"When the tension goes above and beyond putting democracy into question, there are risks of war," he said. "History is full of wars that started because of this kind of problem."

Strauss-Kahn was appointed last year to head the IMF. He was a finance minister in the late 1990s in France.

Global partnership

Also on Friday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy suggested a global partnership among financial institutions, governments and the private sector to tackle the reasons for rising food prices. He also said France is doubling its food aid budget this year to about €60 million (US$95 million) because 37 countries are experiencing "serious food crises."

Earlier, at the top of the week, US President George Bush also ordered the release of US$200 million in emergency food aid to help nations where surging food prices have brought worse hunger and sparked violent protests.

Bush directed Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer to draw down the funds from a food reserve known as the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.

The United States delivered more than US$2.1 billion of food aid to 78 developing countries in 2007.

- AP