The World Food Programme has launched an “urgent appeal” to governments to donate a record $5.2bn (€3.8bn, £3.4bn), as it confronts an increase in aid recipients because of the economic crisis at a time when food prices are high and its coffers are empty.

The WFP, the United Nations agency responsible for relieving hunger, said in a letter to donor countries over the weekend that it needed a significant proportion of the money immediately as it does not have enough funds left to spend in early 2009.