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| UN food body 'should be scrapped' | UN food body 'should be scrapped' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An African leader has dismissed the UN's food agency as a "waste of money" and called for it to be scrapped. | An African leader has dismissed the UN's food agency as a "waste of money" and called for it to be scrapped. |
| President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal spoke out days after the UN announced an emergency plan to bring soaring world food prices under control. | President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal spoke out days after the UN announced an emergency plan to bring soaring world food prices under control. |
| Mr Wade said the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) was itself largely to blame for the price rises. | Mr Wade said the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) was itself largely to blame for the price rises. |
| His comments came as bakers in Nigeria began a week-long national strike in protest at the cost of flour and sugar. | His comments came as bakers in Nigeria began a week-long national strike in protest at the cost of flour and sugar. |
| Some global food prices have nearly doubled in the past three years, provoking riots and other protests in Africa, Asia and Latin America. | Some global food prices have nearly doubled in the past three years, provoking riots and other protests in Africa, Asia and Latin America. |
| The current situation is largely the FAO's failure and the cries of alarm will not help at all Abdoulaye Wade | The current situation is largely the FAO's failure and the cries of alarm will not help at all Abdoulaye Wade |
| Mr Wade said on Senegalese radio and television on Sunday that the FAO's work was duplicated by other bodies that operated more efficiently, like the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development. | Mr Wade said on Senegalese radio and television on Sunday that the FAO's work was duplicated by other bodies that operated more efficiently, like the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development. |
| That agency has unveiled a $200m (£100m) package to support farmers and boost production in the countries worst-affected by the food crisis. | That agency has unveiled a $200m (£100m) package to support farmers and boost production in the countries worst-affected by the food crisis. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYProviding tools and skills to help people grow thier own food is the answer Tom, UKSend us your comments | |
| Mr Wade said that despite the qualities of the FAO's leader - his compatriot Jacques Diouf - the agency was a "waste of money largely spent on doing very little". | Mr Wade said that despite the qualities of the FAO's leader - his compatriot Jacques Diouf - the agency was a "waste of money largely spent on doing very little". |
| "The current situation is largely its failure and the cries of alarm will not help at all," he added. | "The current situation is largely its failure and the cries of alarm will not help at all," he added. |
| Mr Wade said he had campaigned in the past for the agency to be relocated from Rome to a country in Africa - the continent most affected by food shortages. | Mr Wade said he had campaigned in the past for the agency to be relocated from Rome to a country in Africa - the continent most affected by food shortages. |
| "This time, I'm going further, we must scrap it," he said. | "This time, I'm going further, we must scrap it," he said. |
| Price hike threat | Price hike threat |
| As the UN digested Mr Wade's comments, members of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers in Nigeria began a week-long strike, during which they have said they will stop producing bread. | As the UN digested Mr Wade's comments, members of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers in Nigeria began a week-long strike, during which they have said they will stop producing bread. |
| Lower food production and rising demand are being blamed | Lower food production and rising demand are being blamed |
| The group is threatening to hike the price of bread by 25% at the end of its action unless the government acts to lower the price of ingredients. | The group is threatening to hike the price of bread by 25% at the end of its action unless the government acts to lower the price of ingredients. |
| Rising use of biofuels, increased demand from India and China, poor harvests, oil prices and increasing transport costs have all been blamed for spiralling global food costs. | Rising use of biofuels, increased demand from India and China, poor harvests, oil prices and increasing transport costs have all been blamed for spiralling global food costs. |
| The World Bank has said two billion people across the globe are affected, and warned 100 million may be pushed deeper into poverty by the crisis. | The World Bank has said two billion people across the globe are affected, and warned 100 million may be pushed deeper into poverty by the crisis. |