The findings of our second report must be a wakeup call to the international community on the need for decisive diplomatic and practical action to avert a global food security crisis.
We estimate impacts of the war may result in 47 million more people facing severe food shortages this year — on top of the 276 million people thought to at risk at the start of 2022.
Shortages of fertilisers and self-defeating barriers to agricultural trade risk exacerbating food insecurity well into 2023.
The risks to peace and prosperity worldwide from the trends outlined in our report are immense and entirely foreseeable — but absolutely avoidable if the international community can take the necessary collective action.
Most urgently, we will continue to support ongoing diplomacy to unblock exports of Ukrainian grain and vegetable oils — as well as encouraging efforts to restart trade in Russian fertilisers.
More broadly, we encourage all governments to commit to unwinding beggar-thy-neighbour policies that risk further destabilising already fragile markets. The World Trade Organization's ministerial next week should be an opportunity for governments to show that the necessary spirt of collaboration exists to do what is needed to save millions from hunger and the real threat starvation.
