The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns in a report that prolonged disruption to trade through the Strait of Hormuz amid the Middle East war could create cascading impacts across energy markets, fertiliser supply chains and global agrifood systems.

The FAO report, titled ‘Global Agrifood Implications of the 2026 Conflict in the Middle East’, adds that this, in turn, will raise production costs, tighten agricultural supply and increase food prices worldwide.

While global food markets remain more stable than during previous crises, the current shock underscores the vulnerability of interconnected energy and agrifood systems and the importance of coordinated international action to stabilise markets, maintain open trade routes, and protect vulnerable populations from rising food insecurity, the FAO says in its report.

It calls for a coordinated policy response to mitigate these risks and build resilience.