global food supply

New data indicates the current El Niño is the strongest ever measured, marking a major shift in global weather patterns. The warming of the Pacific is expected to bring droughts, floods and temperature extremes across many regions, and scientists are watching closely for impacts on agriculture, water supplies and extreme weather in the months ahead.

Ukraine is confronting two pressing problems at once: securing international funding to keep its state running amid the war, and getting its grain exports to world markets. Officials and allies are weighing how to fill budget shortfalls while working to maintain export routes for agricultural goods that many countries depend on.

Al Jazeera reports that the world may be heading toward a global meat crisis, driven by pressure on cattle production and the challenge of feeding growing herds. The piece examines how rising demand for meat, constrained feed supplies and environmental pressures could disrupt global protein supply chains, raising concerns about food security and prices worldwide.

A UK climate minister has warned that the global food system is vulnerable to El Niño, the periodic warming of Pacific Ocean waters that disrupts weather patterns and can hit crop harvests. The warning highlights concerns that extreme weather linked to El Niño could drive up food prices and threaten supply security at a time of already strained agricultural conditions.

The African Development Bank has put in place a crisis response framework that could channel up to $5.1bn to help African countries cope with shocks to energy prices and fertiliser supplies. The facility is aimed at easing the impact of global price spikes and supply disruptions on food production and power costs across the continent.

Türkiye is strengthening what it calls 'agro diplomacy', using agricultural exports, cooperation programmes and trade ties to reduce its vulnerability to geopolitical tensions. The Daily Sabah reports the strategy aims to secure food supply chains and open new markets, positioning agriculture as a foreign policy tool amid ongoing regional instability and global trade disruptions.

The BBC has published a list of foods to stock up on in case supply chains are disrupted by extreme weather or global conflicts. Commentators note the guidance resembles the British government's early 1980s 'Protect and Survive' civil defence booklet, though with healthier food suggestions. The advice has reignited debate about preparedness and rising global instability.