Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and attacks on Ukraine’s agricultural system have led to unprecedented impacts on global agricultural markets, food security, and nutrition, writes CSIS in a piece on the current situation in Ukraine and how it is affecting the world.
“Since the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in August, Ukraine has exported over 22 million tons of grains through the Black Sea ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi, which collectively handled approximately half of Ukraine’s pre-war maritime agricultural exports”, says the article linking to a recent IFPRI issue post.
Speaking about the increase of staple foods prices, the article states that low-income families shift consumption away from more nutritious food and toward less nutritious food. “A recent analysis from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) illustrates this phenomenon. Prior to the war, Egypt, the world’s largest importer of wheat, procured about 85 percent of its wheat imports from the Black Sea. War-related supply chain disruptions and other factors have led to more than 30 percent increase in domestic food prices. Across more than 6,000 low-income households across the country, IFPRI found that 85 percent of households consumed less meat and 75 percent of households consumed less poultry and eggs, with price increases cited as the main reason for cutbacks. At the same time, consumption of potatoes and pasta increased among 21 and 14 percent of households, respectively. These shifts in consumption could worsen malnutrition across Egypt, including anemia among women of reproductive age and overweight and obesity across the population.”
