LONDON, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Britain has promised an extra 3 million pounds (about 5.9 million U.S. dollars) in new funding to help meet growing food shortages in Afghanistan.

    The money will be given to a joint United Nations and Afghan government appeal for 40 million pounds in food aid to be used to alleviate malnutrition, particularly among pregnant and breastfeeding women, International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander announced on Sunday.

    Alexander said "Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and least able to cope with spiraling food prices combined with severe winter weather. Providing an immediate safety net will help avoid a humanitarian crisis and end the immediate suffering."

    He said that the food shortage is evidence of the impact of rising global food prices hitting the poor hardest.

    UN research suggests that poor Afghans are struggling to buy food because of rising wheat prices and in Kabul it is estimated that people spend up to 60 percent of their income on bread alone.

    The 3 million pounds pledged by Britain brings the total amount of UK humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to 124 million pounds since 2001.

    Britain has also spent 490 million pounds on reconstruction and development in the country since 2001.

    British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced last December a further commitment of 450 million pounds to Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.