Page 4 - AfrElec Week 19 2022

AfrElec COMMENTARY AfrElec

Climate change, war in Ukraine and

rising prices create perfect storm

threatening global food security

INDIA THE war in Ukraine has interrupted grain world.”
exports from the country and could create a Meanwhile, Russia itself has halted the export
global food crisis as vulnerable wheat import- of grain and fertiliser to “unfriendly countries”
ing countries in Africa and the Middle East face in response to Western sanctions.
shortages and rising prices. The war is exacerbating more established
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy threats to food security posed by climate change,
this week warned that the international com- as rates of deforestation and desertification rise
munity to take immediate steps to end Russia’s in vulnerable countries in Africa and Asia, often
blockade of Ukraine’s ports. caused by overfarming and intense agriculture.
“For the first time in decades there is no usual The war also follows sustained rises in food
movement of the merchant fleet, no usual port over the last decade, especially in the last three
functioning in Odesa. Probably this has never years.
happened in Odesa since World War Two,” he The FAO cereal price index showed prices hit
said after the port of Odesa was hit by Russian their previous 2008 high in 2021, and since the
missiles on May 9. invasion they have exploded. Between 2019 and
“Without our agricultural exports, dozens March 2022, cereal prices increased by 48%, fuel
of countries in different parts of the world are prices by 86% and fertiliser prices by 35%.
already on the brink of food shortages. And
over time, the situation can become downright Rising prices
terrible … This is a direct consequence of Rus- The removal of Russian and Ukrainian wheat
sian aggression, which can be overcome only from world markets has pushed wheat prices
together – by all Europeans, by the whole free to a 14-year peak in March, and maize prices

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 19 12•May•2022