A young Thai boy and other Bangkok, Thailand, residents receive a food handout outside the Poh Teck Tung Foundation Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009. The annual event, which is based on the Hungry Ghost Festival of China, attracts large crowds from all over Thailand with many waiting in line throughout the night for the free items. The foundation expects to give out more than 60,000 food basket. (AP Photo / David Longstreath) LONDON (Reuters) – Food aid is at a 20-year low despite the number of critically hungry people soaring this year to its highest level ever, the United Nations relief agency said Wednesday. The number of hungry people will pass 1 billion this year for the first time, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) said, adding that it is facing a serious budget shortfall. To date the WFP has confirmed $2.6 billion in funding for its 2009 budget of $6.7 billion. “This comes at a time of great vulnerability for the hungry,” the WFP said in a statement. “Millions have been buffeted by the global financial downturn, their ability to buy food is limited by stubbornly high prices. In addition, unpredictable weather patterns are causing more weather-related hunger,” the WFP said. (Editing by Anthony Barker)

World food aid at 20-year low, 1 billion hungry