About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of the Iran War on global food prices and humanitarian crises, particularly in Sudan and other affected regions.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is causing a surge in food prices around the world — particularly in places already in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. And it's about to get worse. This is the planting season for much of Africa and Asia, and fertilizer shortages mean that farmers are cutting back. Come this fall, crop yields will be reduced. One of the epicenters of this trend is Sudan, which, after three years of civil war, is the site of the world's largest humanitarian emergency. This is where I caught up with my interview guest, Kate Philipps-Barrasso, Vice President for Policy and Advocacy at Mercy Corps, a large international humanitarian relief organization. She spoke with me from Port Sudan, on the Red Sea, where she describes the immediate impact that the war in Iran has had on access to food and water. Mercy Corps recently released a report showing how fuel, fertilizer, and shipping disruptions have affected Somalia, Sudan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Myanmar, including the kinds of decisions farmers are making right now. The war in Iran's impact on global food prices has thus far been on the periphery of commentary about the conflict — but as this conversation…

People in this episode

Guest: Kate Philipps-Barrasso

Topics covered

• global food crisis
• Iran War
• humanitarian emergency
• fertilizer shortages
• impact on agriculture
• food prices
• civil war

Keywords

• food prices
• humanitarian crisis
• fertilizer shortages
• Iran War
• Sudan
• Mercy Corps
• agriculture
• crop yields
• civil war

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mercy Corps

Places: Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Strait of Hormuz

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