United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice addressing the media at her office here on Thursday, said the food scarcity and high prices which have hit the developing and poor countries hardest is a global crisis and the U.S. has taken steps to alleviate the suffering. She said First the rapid rise in global food prices is an urgent concern. Those who are hit hardest are the poorest people and, of course, this is a matter of social justice because no one should have to spend all of their daily wages just to buy their daily bread. Rising food prices are source of social instability, as we are seeing in a number of places around the globe. There are many causes for rising food prices, from fast-growing global demand to devastating droughts to record high fuel costs. But one thing is clear. This is a current emergency but it has long-term global challenges, and the United States is responding accordingly. "In recent years the United States has consistently provided more than half of all food aid worldwide. We are now taking further steps. The President pledged this week to provide an additional $200 million to meet unanticipated needs. This is on top of an extra $350 million for emergency food assistance that we are requesting from Congress in our supplemental. "We are also asking Congress for the authority to provide more of our food assistance through locally purchased agriculture. This will enable the hard-earned dollars of the American people to feed even more hungry people.