APA – Lusaka (Zambia) – Thabo Mbeki Foundation (TMF), a South Africa-based platform that brings together key stakeholders and new voices, on Monday warned critically low supplies of fertilizers are endangering food security across the continent.
Entitled “Major changes in the fertilizers market in 2022-2023 and their impact on global food security”, the report unveils that the supply of fertilizers has never been so crucial.
Fueled by COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and conflicts, the crisis is escalating as the conflict in Europe, and the subsequently imposed limitations on global trade decreases fertilizer supply globally and hence drives up the costs of food and fertilizers, it said.
As a consequence, hunger globally has reached unparalleled levels, with the direst situation observed in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
Estimates show that in 2022, the number of people facing acute food hunger reached 262 million in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Without any support measures and given the current trend, it can reach a dramatic 400+ million by 2026 in sub-Saharan Africa, according to experts.
Commenting on the report, Max Boqwana, CEO of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation pointed out that Africa is at a critical crossroads as the world is facing the worst food crisis in decades, particularly in several regions of Africa.
“We are fast approaching a tragic situation. We need to act collectively and urgently,” Boqwana said.
The report provides thorough economic analysis of how, despite the European Union’s desire to support fertilizer supplies, the sanctions regime and, above all, personal sanctions against individuals allegedly involved.
“We urgently need to find a systemic solution to stop worsening of food security in the most vulnerable communities, in order to get back on track towards the Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Creating a world free of hunger by 2030.” said Ilya Tipunin, Director General of Andrey Melnichenko Foundation which co-authored the new study.
CU/abj/APA