Africa’s food systems are under pressure as conflict in the Persian Gulf disrupts global fertilizer supplies, exposing the continent’s heavy reliance on imports. Sub-Saharan Africa imports roughly 80% of its fertilizer, with key suppliers including Iran and Qatar now effectively cut off due to the war. Fertilizer prices are already climbing, and unlike oil, no international strategic reserve exists to cushion the blow. Past disruptions during COVID-19 and the Ukraine war forced farmers to cut fertilizer use, reducing yields and incomes. Experts warn similar impacts could follow unless systems adapt. They recommend diversifying into nutrient-dense crops, investing in bio-fortified crops, and adopting precision farming innovations like “reporter plants”—genetically engineered tomatoes that turn red to signal nitrogen deficiency before yields are lost.
The Conversation
