Ukraine's agriculture minister announced today that in the area that
the area in which the country spring crop will be planted, might
shrink by more than half this year, compared with the levels expected
before the Russian invasion.
As a major exporter of wheat, other grains and vegetable oils. This
hit to Ukraine's production will affect the global food supply and
experts say drive up food prices, which were already at all time
highs. And as Stephanie Sire reports, this will only worsen the food
security of some of the world's most vulnerable people.
The war in Ukraine is a continent away. But its impacts are Rick
wishing in this market in northwest Syria, prices for food are skyrocketing
in Idlib. We know a lot of necessary food essentials originate in
Ukraine, and especially for us, so we definitely feel the impact.
This bakery uses flour made with wheat from Ukraine to bake flatbread,
a local staple. There's a shortage and a chance that we will stop
coming in. If this war continues, people like Bassem Al Hussein are
worried about being able to feed their families. I have a family
of eight bread is really expensive.
We used to buy this for 2.5 Lira. Now it's five lire.
But if we ate this now we won't be full. I have kids who only eat
lunch, Not anything else the rest of the day. Now, Food prices in
Syria were already at record highs last year and 11 years of civil
war have left 60% of Syrians. Food insecure.
Syria used to grow enough wheat to feed its population. But the conflict
multiple droughts in a dire economic situation mean it increasingly
relies on international imports, mainly from Russia and also Ukraine.
The black Sea region straddling Russia and Ukraine is known as the
breadbasket of Europe because of the bounty from its fertile soil.
Wheat production is so central to Ukraine's identity. It's reflected
on the nation's flag. The colors symbolize blue skies over golden
fields of grain.
But since the Russian invasion, farmers have left those fields for
safety or to take up arms. Besides, the government banned exports
of staple crops, a wartime measure to attempt to feed Ukrainians
as the conflict disrupts the country supply lines. Shipping from
the region has also been disrupted. All of this is putting a squeeze
on populations in the world most vulnerable to hunger.
Even before the conflict, developing countries was struggling to
recover from the pandemic, with record inflation, rising interest
rates and looming depth burdens.
Their ability to respond has been erased by exponential increases
in the cost of financing.
Now they're breadbasket is being bombed.
According to U. N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres. 18 developing
countries, including Yemen, Somalia and Lebanon, import at least
half of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine. In Lebanon, Officials
are scrambling to make up for a predicted shortage. A massive explosion
at a port in Beirut in 2020 destroyed the Middle Eastern countries
main grain silos.
And nobody without the presence of silos and Lebanon to store wheat.
We import wheat according to our needs. The quantities we have are
enough for one month because it is being stored in mills were really
in uncharted territories. Michael J. Puma is the director of the
Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University. He says
high energy prices and disruptions to exports of fertilizer from
Russia.
And its ally, Belarus could also affect the global food supply in
coming years. The country's below the Sahara, sub Saharan Africa
are importing
Above 70% of their potassium fertilizers from just Russia and Belarus.
So well, you know, what are the impacts of not having sufficient
fertilizer while you can? You can't
Get anywhere near near the yields that you need to feed your population.
International aid agencies are also feeling the pinch. We get about
50% of our wheat and grain from inside Ukraine.
Ukraine alone.
Grows enough food to feed 400 million people on Planet Earth. The
head of the World Food Program, David Beasley, visited Ukraine last
week. He says the U. N agency now faces higher prices and less supply
to carry out its operations around the world.
And provide aid to Ukrainians in besieged cities. We've got enough
supplies moving right now inside Ukraine
and coming into transit in Ukraine to reach about three million people
over the next 30 days. I'll tell you it's gonna be tough to negotiate.
With the military forces that are blocking access, and we're going
to demand that access because in my opinion as a crime against humanity
to see people denied
A when they're just innocent victims of conflict Are you having to
cut elsewhere in order to feed the refugees coming out of Ukraine
and the people in Ukraine? Yeah, Yeah, let me let me tell you before
Ukraine hit we were already short of funds.
We were cutting. For example, in Yemen eight million people. We just
cut to 50% rations because of lack of funds before Ukraine. In fact,
we're looking at having to cut those eight million down to zero rations.
Don't ask us to choose
Which Children we feed or don't feed, which Children live with Children
die. That's not fair to us. Let's reach all the Children. We can
do it. We just need the resources to do it before Russia invaded
Ukraine. Other conflicts such as the war in Syria were already leading
to hunger.
Yousef al Judo, a had come to rely on food assistance. Now he's worried
that will go away. When we first arrived. Our situation was okay.
We had sugar, flour and food was affordable. After the war began
in Ukraine, we started getting less sugar and flour. Actually, there
is no more sugar at all. Here now No more butter. No more Olive oil
or situation is really bad. Did all the NGOs go to Ukraine? Did they
forget about us? Please? Do not forget us.
The spring planting season is meant to start soon in Ukraine, But
with the war in full swing crops will go on sewn and experts say,
hungry mouths around the world on Fed.