McKinsey&Company
Responding to rising risks
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Scarce rice. The price of fertilizer has skyrocketed so much that rice farmers in Asia are using less of it, which, in turn, means that less rice will grow. As a result, rice crops could drop by 36 million tons by next season, an amount that would feed 500 million people. The lack of rice will likely contribute to the food inequalities already present in developing nations. And the high price of fertilizer is just one of myriad factors contributing to a growing worldwide hunger crisis. [Bloomberg] |
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Soaring food prices. As COVID-19-era supply chain issues continue, food prices across all categories have hit all-time highs not seen for decades. High fuel costs and worker shortages have now been compounded by recent events—including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a serious avian flu outbreak in the US, an ongoing and worsening drought in the American West, as well as border snarls delaying produce from entering the US. [WaPo] |
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Regional and global repercussions. Millions of Ukrainians are trapped in the greatest humanitarian crisis since World War II, and among all else, their access to food amid the immediate conflict is in jeopardy. The war is also threatening to majorly disrupt global food systems: the Black Sea, whose north and northeast borders are Ukraine and Russia, respectively, is a key food supply hub. The region’s instability will undoubtedly have secondary effects on other breadbaskets dependent on its wheat and fertilizer.
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A whiplash effect. To understand what’s at stake and at risk as the war continues—including the crucial roles that the region plays within the worldwide food system—McKinsey global editorial director Lucia Rahilly sat down with McKinsey partners Daniel Aminetzah and Nicolas Denis for The McKinsey Podcast on April 4. They discussed the supply chain strains already happening as a result of the Russian invasion, as well as potential outcomes and what can be done to help.
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| — Edited by Justine Jablonska |
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