How the War in Ukraine Is Putting Our Food Systems at Risk

Until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, global food systems seemed resilient, able to respond to price signals in the marketplace.??

But the war is causing massive food shortages and price shocks, leading to a humanitarian crisis that extends well beyond Ukraine’s borders. As the conflict continues, it will be increasingly difficult to feed the world’s most vulnerable populations and minimize suffering if global stakeholders do not respond with a collaborative emergency action plan.?

DANGEROUS RIPPLE EFFECTS?

An estimated 1.7 billion people—most of them in developing economies—could suffer greatly because of heightened food insecurity, energy prices, and debt burdens, according to the UN Task Team for the Global Crisis Response Group.??

The effects will be most severe in the many countries where food accounts for more than 40% of consumer spending—including Pakistan, Guatemala, Kenya, and Nigeria—and for the most vulnerable populations everywhere.?

Let’s look at the factors behind this crisis:?

• Russia and Ukraine supply 28% of the world’s wheat and 69% of its sunflower oil.??
• Other leading food-exporting countries have announced export bans or licensing restrictions—a tough blow to countries that rely on imported food
• Fertilizer prices are going up because of sanctions and transport disruptions, severely affecting exposed populations for years to come.?
• The rising cost of fuel hurts farmers and affects last-mile inland transportation, which accounts for as much as 40% of food costs in many developing countries.??
• Debt levels have skyrocketed in many developing economies because of pandemic spending, and governments are struggling to support the fast-rising cost of food, fertilizer, and fuel.?

A RAPID RESPONSE?

What we need now is a coordinated and immediate response that meets people’s most pressing needs by providing humanitarian aid in the form of food, financial support, seeds, inputs, tools, and technical assistance.??

In addition, multilateral institutions and bilateral creditors should pursue debt relief and restructuring to give affected countries much-needed financial liquidity. This will make it easier for governments to provide emergency safety net funding and support their populations.?

For the longer term, we’ll need solutions that address globally traded commodities and in-country production to prevent the prolongation or worsening of the global food crisis—along with preemptive moves to increase food security for the most vulnerable.??

Stakeholders across sectors have a role to play:?

The current crisis provides an opportunity to rethink and repair our food systems. We need to make them more equitable, resilient, and responsive so that we’re prepared for the next crisis. But most important, the global community needs to come together now to alleviate the suffering this war is causing in Ukraine and around the world.??

For Further Reading

The War in Ukraine and the Rush to Feed the World?

Agribusiness Can Lead the Shift to Sustainable Farming?

Closing the Food Waste Gap

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