FAO warns of global food crisis due to closure of Strait of Hormuz

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has sounded an alarm about the threat to global food security posed by the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The UN agency warned that the prolonged closure of the strait would lead to a deep structural shock in the agri-food sector, portending a severe crisis in global food prices over a period of six months to a year. Maximo Torreiro, FAO Chief Economist, sounded the alarm Warning that the window of time available for taking effective proactive action is shrinking. In audio statements, he stressed the need for "serious thinking in enhancing the ability of countries to adapt and withstand this great obstacle." FAO has also put forward more than twenty urgent, medium and long-term measures, including finding alternative trade routes and providing soft loans to farmers. On the political front, German Chancellor Friedrich Meretz announced Berlin's willingness to contribute with military capabilities in securing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as possible". Meretz stressed in a press conference with the Swiss president that the Iranian blockade is causing serious damage to the export-dependent German and Swiss economies, on the condition of stopping the war and obtaining parliamentary approval to participate. In the same context, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte revealed informal discussions among alliance leaders about the possibility of the alliance assuming a role in the Strait of Hormuz. Rutte noted that “the situation is constantly changing” and that he is considering the possibility of NATO playing a “positive role” in the crisis, while French Defense Minister Catherine Foutran expressed uncertainty about the presence of mines in the strait despite US reports. International concerns are further complicated by FAO warnings that the situation could be worsened by an expected El Niño weather event that could bring droughts to many regions around the world. The development compounds the scale of the challenge facing the international community in ensuring the stability of global food supplies amid rising geopolitical tensions.