West Asia Conflict Deepens Global Hunger Crisis

West Asia Conflict Deepens Global Hunger Concerns

Why in the News ?

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the prolonged conflict in West Asia is worsening global food insecurity and threatening nutritional security. Rising energy prices, trade disruptions affecting international trade, and humanitarian funding shortages are increasing the risk of hunger for millions worldwide, particularly impacting access to essential micronutrients and protein content.

Conflict-Driven Food and Energy Crisis

• The ongoing conflict in West Asia has disrupted global markets and energy sectors, leading to higher oil prices and increased transportation costs affecting agricultural exports and food processing industries.
• The World Food Programme (WFP) had earlier warned that sustained oil prices near $100 per barrel could push an additional 45 million people into acute hunger, limiting their access to functional foods and essential dietary fiber.
• Nearly 320 million people were already experiencing acute food insecurity at the beginning of the year, with reduced access to nutritional benefits from diverse food sources including traditional grains and nutri-cereals.
• The closure and disruption of maritime routes around the Strait of Hormuz have contributed to rising costs of essential commodities such as rice and wheat, while also affecting maritime logistics for climate-smart crops and ancient cereals like millets that offer health benefits including gluten-free and low glycemic index properties.
• Food-importing and developing countries are particularly vulnerable to these price shocks and supply disruptions, affecting market access for value-added agricultural products and processed food products including millet-based products and ready-to-cook millet options.
• The crisis demonstrates how regional conflicts can rapidly generate global economic and humanitarian consequences, disrupting the entire value chain from sustainable agriculture and millet cultivation to international markets and export development.

Global Spillover Effects and Humanitarian Challenges

• According to WFP assessments, the conflict is causing widespread spillover effects through fuel price increases, food inflation, income losses, and trade disruptions, impacting export promotion initiatives and agri-food exports globally.
• The situation is drawing comparisons with the global cost-of-living crisis that followed the Russia–Ukraine conflict in 2022, which severely affected the export basket and trade promotion for underutilized crops with anti-diabetic properties and high mineral content.
• Rising food and fuel prices disproportionately affect low-income households and vulnerable populations, limiting their access to foods rich in antioxidants, phytochemicals, and bioactive compounds essential for health.
• Humanitarian agencies are facing additional challenges due to declining international aid flows and funding constraints, affecting food safety standards and quality standards for emergency food assistance programs.
• The WFP estimates that it will be able to assist 1.5 million fewer people than originally planned this year, reducing distribution of functional foods and millet functional foods that provide essential nutritional benefits.
• Children under the age of five are expected to be among the most severely affected groups due to increased malnutrition risks and reduced access to micronutrients, protein content, and dietary fiber from diverse sources.