CANBERRA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australia signed here Monday an agreement with the United Nations committing to provide at least 180 million Australian dollars (167 million U.S. dollars) in the next four years to global food programs.

    The agreement signed in Canberra on Monday includes 10 million Australian dollars (9.3 million U.S. dollars) a year for school meals programs in Southeast Asia, Africa and possibly South America. And Australia will also provide support in the event of emergencies, like its previous support for typhoon victims in the Philippines.

    United Nations World Food Program boss Josette Sheeran, who had flown in from the Philippines, said previously Australia was one of the first countries to respond to the UN's emergency response there.

    However, Sheeran told reporters Monday the typhoon victims are not out of the woods yet, adding food security for several million people was still at risk.

    The agency aims to develop more "predictability" in the funding it receives from nations, and the four-year agreement with Australia is a first.

    The deal was brokered after talks between Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Josette Sheeran during the L'Aquila G8 meetings in July.

    Monday's agreement is reported to be Australia's largest ever commitment in the program and is a breakthrough for the UN agency, which relies on annual commitments for most of its funding.