Ukraine invasion could cause global food crisis, UN warns

Image source, EPA

The UN warned that the invasion of Ukraine could cause food shortages in the coming months.

The Secretary-General said the war had made it harder for people in poorer nations to get food.

If Ukrainian exports are not restored to pre-war levels, the world could face famines for years.

Grains such as maize and wheat were once exported from the ports of Ukraine, which have been cut off by the conflict.

The price of alternatives has gone up because of this. According to the UN, global food prices are 30% higher than last year.

The conflict threatens to tip tens of millions of people over the edge into food insufficiency, followed by malnutrition, mass hunger and famine, according to the UN Secretary General.

There is enough food in the world if we act together. Unless we solve this problem today, we will face a global food shortage in the coming months.

He warned that there was no effective solution to the food crisis without reintegrating Ukraine's food production into the global market.

In an effort to restore food exports to normal levels, Mr. Guterres was in contact with Russia, the US, and the EU.

He said that the complex security, economic and financial implications require goodwill on all sides.

On the same day the World Bank announced extra funding for projects addressing food insecurity, his comments came.

Over the next 15 months, the total amount available for such projects will be more than 30 billion dollars.

Prior to the war, Ukraine was seen as the world's bread basket, exporting 4.5 million tonnes of agricultural produce per month through its ports.

Since Russia invaded in February, exports have collapsed and prices have gone up. India banned wheat exports on Saturday.

The UN says around 20 million tonnes of grain are stuck in Ukraine from the previous harvest, which could ease pressure on global markets.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Moscow of making a difficult situation even worse on Wednesday, as the number of people facing food insufficiency had been growing.

Russia is stoking a global food crisis at a time when millions are being threatened by hunger, Berlin's top diplomat said.

The Secretary of State said the world faced the greatest global food security crisis of our time, which had been worsened by the war of choice between Russia and the US.