The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General QU Dongyu warned on Tuesday that immediate action is critical to prevent disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz from escalating into a deeper global food security crisis, according to a press release. Qu delivered the warning during a Special Event on the Middle East crisis at FAO headquarters in Rome, organized by the Government of Spain as part of Rome Nutrition Week 2026. The meeting was attended by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain, and International Fund for Agricultural Development President Alvaro Lario. Qu described the moment as one of “profound geopolitical and economic fragility.” He cautioned that the decisions taken now will shape whether the shock remains manageable or evolves into a wider crisis through 2026, 2027, and beyond.
According to FAO, severe disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have already affected the movement of oil, liquefied natural gas, sulfur, and fertilizers. These bottlenecks are driving up agricultural input costs and placing upward pressure on seed prices due to fertilizer dependence. Rising energy prices are making agrifood systems more expensive across all regions. Input import-dependent countries are facing higher bills, while vulnerable households are losing purchasing power as inflation erodes incomes. For many nations in Africa and parts of Asia, the impacts are compounding existing pressures from debt distress, climate shocks, conflict, and constrained public finances.
Qu noted that the largest impacts may not be immediate but could surface months from now, when farmers begin harvesting less because they planted less, fertilized less, or could no longer afford production. “What we are witnessing today is not only a geopolitical crisis, it is a systemic shock to the global agrifood system,” Qu said. FAO has responded by mobilizing technical support, strengthening monitoring systems, and expanding coordination through mechanisms such as the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS). The organization has also issued evidence-based policy recommendations to governments and partners. These aim to safeguard supply and protect the most vulnerable populations.
FAO’s recommendations include the following:
- Keep trade flowing: avoid export restrictions on fertilizers and agricultural inputs.
- Smarter agricultural responses: support inter-cropping, improved nitrogen efficiency, and crops less dependent on synthetic fertilizers.
- Targeted support: direct resources to vulnerable populations through social protection and rural support mechanisms.
- Support from international financial institutions: provide liquidity to farmers and import-dependent countries before the next agricultural cycle.
The Director-General emphasized that the crisis highlights the dependency of agrifood systems on a limited number of trade bottlenecks and fertilizer suppliers, a vulnerability further amplified by the risk of a potentially strong El Niño.
“We have a window to act, but that window is narrowing,” Qu noted. Speaking during Rome Nutrition Week 2026, held under the theme Shaping the Future of Joint Nutrition Action in a Changing World, he stressed that food security depends on nutritious food being available, accessible, and affordable. “It is critical that even amidst supply shocks, we must protect the nutritional integrity of our agrifood systems,” Qu said. He also thanked Spain and Prime Minister Sánchez for their “ongoing commitment to multilateralism, agrifood systems transformation and rural development.”
