Africa: What Do Disruptions in Major Trade Routes Mean for Food Security?

Conflicts in strategic shipping lanes across the Strait of Hormuz, Red Sea, and Black Sea are causing severe disruptions to global food, fuel, and fertilizer supplies. Food, fuel, and fertilizer are essential for feeding the world's population. These trade routes facilitate the delivery of essential commodities to farmers, trucks, and markets.

When these shipping routes are disrupted, delays and price spikes can have far-reaching consequences, ultimately threatening food security for millions of people. High oil prices, for example, can lead to increased costs for farmers, processors, and consumers, pushing food prices up and making it harder for people to afford basic meals.

This is already being felt in Sudan, where food costs have risen by nearly 40 percent since February 2026. Disruptions also affect humanitarian operations. The World Food Programme (WFP) has experienced 20 percent higher shipping costs and 35 percent higher airplane fuel prices, which reduces their resources for delivering aid to those in need.

Fertilizer is especially important for food production. When fertilizer supplies are disrupted or become more expensive, farmers are forced to reduce their usage, leading to smaller harvests and tighter food supplies. The current crises could have lasting effects on global food systems. Prolonged disruptions to fuel and fertilizer shipments can lead to smaller harvests, while prolonged disruptions to major trade routes can drive up costs throughout the global food system.

The most vulnerable countries are those that rely heavily on imports. In Africa and the Middle East, where conflict, displacement, and climate shocks are already putting immense pressure on families, the risks are particularly acute. WFP relies on these trade routes to deliver food assistance to communities facing hunger. Despite the growing disruptions, they have continued to keep cargo moving by maintaining partnerships with shipping companies, freight forwarders, and port operators.

They also source food as close as possible to where it's needed, reducing transport times and limiting exposure to disrupted routes. However, keeping these routes open and predictable is essential to global food security. Addressing these disruptions now can help lower the risk of food insecurity in the future.