The director general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyuwarned this Monday that the conflict in the middle east adds more pressure on “fragile agri-food systems and global supply chains.”
The director general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyuwarned this Monday that the conflict in the middle east adds more pressure on “fragile agri-food systems and global supply chains.”
During the opening of the 38th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC38), held at the organization’s headquarters in Rome, Qu described the current scenario as a “critical moment” for the region, according to a statement from the organization.
The person in charge explained that the crisis affects “all agricultural inputs,” including chemicals and machinery, and noted that he has transferred the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterresthat this impact will have “long-term consequences for agriculture,” even if the conflict ended today.
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Likewise, he stressed the need to maintain trade flows and guarantee access to adequate food for all, “particularly in import-dependent countries.”
Qu also warned that disruptions to food production, trade and distribution systems in the region are compounded by global effects such as rising energy prices and disruptions to fertilizer markets.
These dynamics, he added, are raising production costs and reducing agricultural productivity both within and outside the region.
Iran and the United States may have entered a phase in which war and negotiations are taking place simultaneously.
For FAO, its director general insisted, “peace is a prerequisite for food security.”
“Efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems are essential to support recovery, reduce vulnerabilities and contribute to long-term stability and peace in the Near East,” he concluded.
The conference, chaired by the United Arab Emirates and represented by the Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, brings together policymakers to analyze an increasingly complex risk landscape that seriously affects food security.
