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2026-04-17 09:34:46
[World Central Kitchen Founder Warns: Fertilizer Supply Disruptions Could Trigger Global Food Crisis for Years] (1) José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, warned that fertilizer supply disruptions caused by the US-Israel war against Iran could trigger a global food crisis lasting for years. Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have already driven up energy prices and disrupted global trade. This waterway not only carries about 20% of global crude oil exports but is also crucial for the transport of nitrogen-based fertilizers. (2) Andrés stated that delays in fertilizer delivery could lead to missed critical planting windows, reduced subsequent harvest yields, and a chain reaction of declining production and rising food prices. He predicts that famine will worsen significantly globally by the fall of 2026 and 2027. In addition, the closure of several fertilizer plants in the Gulf region has further exacerbated supply shortages, while nitrogen fertilizer supports about half of global food production. (3) Poorer countries will be hit hardest (such as Haiti), and he recommends that governments allocate a portion of their budgets to food security. A United Nations Development Programme report estimates that up to 32 million people in 162 countries could fall into poverty due to the economic impact of war, with countries reliant on imports under the greatest pressure. Parts of Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and small island states will bear the heaviest burden.
