{
  "id": 27137,
  "title": "How two wars and El Nino could fuel world hunger",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/29/how-two-wars-and-el-nino-could-fuel-world-hunger",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-07-29T08:27:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW Business",
    "slug": "dw-business",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/how-two-wars-and-el-nino-could-fuel-world-hunger/a-78126433?maca=en-rss-en-bus-2091-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The world faces a potential perfect storm that could exacerbate hunger, as a strong El Nino, combined with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and rising food prices threaten global food security. The US National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a 63% chance of a very strong El Nino this year, which could lead to drought or flooding in key farming regions. Oil prices at $100 per barrel could increase food inflation by up to 1.5%, according to JP Morgan. The World Bank warns that El Nino could cut rice output by 20% to 50% in affected regions. El Nino can shift rainfall and temperature patterns worldwide, potentially weakening India's monsoon season, which is crucial for rice planting. India produces nearly a third of the world's rice, most of which is consumed domestically. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) anticipates the highest risk of drought in Africa's Sahel region, southern Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America's Dry Corridor. Despite geopolitical turmoil, food prices remain nearly 20% below their 2022 peak, and the world is expected to harvest the second-largest grain harvest in history. However, the UN reports that 266 million people still face acute hunger, primarily due to conflict. The worst affected countries include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Yemen, where supplies cannot reach the people in need. War destroys local food sources, displaces millions, damages infrastructure, and severely cuts humanitarian access. In some conflict hotspots like Sudan and Gaza, hunger is increasingly being used as a weapon, with parties deliberately targeting farmland, livestock, water systems, food storage facilities, and transport routes. Another risk to global food supplies is fertilizer, with a third of it traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains disrupted after a failed US-Iran ceasefire. If oil prices surge past $120 a barrel, grain exports from Ukraine are blocked, or El Nino impacts next year's crops, hunger could spike, potentially reaching 5% food inflation in 2027, with emerging markets bearing the brunt.",
  "summary": "The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East haven't yet crippled global food supplies. Add a powerful weather pattern like El Nino, however, and the risks multiply.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Business)",
        "title": "How two wars and El Nino could fuel world hunger",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/29/how-two-wars-and-el-nino-could-fuel-world-hunger-327968",
        "published": "2026-07-29T08:27:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}