Food prices could harm growth, security: Ban Ki-moon

ACCRA, GHANA: The recent rise in global food prices could develop into a crisis that affects economic growth, social progress and security, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday."If not handled properly, this (food) crisis could trigger a cascade of others and develop into multiple crisis, becoming a multi-dimensional problem affecting economic growth, social progress and even political security around the world," warned Ban in a speech at a UN trade conference in Accra.The UN chief was addressing the 12th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which opened Sunday afternoon.In recent weeks the soaring price of essential foodstuffs such as rice, wheat and corn in some of the world's poorest nations have caused riots in Haiti and demonstrations across Africa.