Doha, April 23 (QNA) - Rising tensions in the Middle East are placing increasing pressure on agricultural and food systems and threatening the stability of global supply chains, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned, calling for urgent international action to address global food security challenges.

The warning came during the 38th session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East and North Africa held in Rome, which emphasized the need for coordinated international efforts to mitigate the crisis.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said geopolitical tensions in the region are directly disrupting agricultural trade flows, increasing transport and insurance costs, and driving up food prices, particularly in import-dependent countries.

He also urged the preservation of global trade flows and avoidance of additional restrictions on food exports.

He noted that armed conflicts damage agricultural infrastructure, disrupt production and distribution chains, displace farmers, and reduce local output, increasing reliance on humanitarian aid that cannot fully address underlying challenges.

The organization also attributed rising costs of fertilizers, seeds, fuel, and energy to ongoing regional instability, which raises production expenses and puts further pressure on consumers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

FAO further warned that disruptions to key trade routes and supply corridors are delaying shipments, increasing shipping and insurance costs, and prompting some countries to impose export restrictions, reducing global supply and pushing prices higher.

It added that global supply chains remain fragile due to previous shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war, increasing vulnerability to new disruptions.

The organization continues to call for greater investment in local agricultural systems, improved resource efficiency, particularly water use, support for small-scale farmers, and expanded social protection networks, alongside stronger international cooperation and evidence-based policies to ensure food system stability amid ongoing crises.

The current crisis in the Middle East is expected to significantly disrupt global export and supply chains and worsen food security challenges regionally and worldwide, according to economist Dr. Abdullah Al Khater in comments to Qatar News Agency (QNA).

He said the agricultural sector would be adversely affected, noting that around 30 percent of global fertilizer needs depend on Gulf supplies, warning that any disruption would drive prices higher and impact more than 30 percent of global agriculture, ultimately pushing food prices up significantly.

Al Khater added that the global economy could face major shocks and price volatility, given its reliance on roughly 20 percent of oil, 20 percent of gas and clean energy, and 30 percent of fertilizers from the Gulf region, potentially creating an unprecedented global food and economic crisis.

He called for enabling safe humanitarian corridors for food and medicine, and for insulating agricultural inputs and food supplies from conflict dynamics, stressing the need for coordinated international action and improved transparency in global markets.

He also warned that rising prices and weak oversight could damage the agricultural sector, as many farmers would be unable to resume production without adequate financing, a role he said international institutions are best positioned to support.

On future scenarios, he urged strengthening food security through diversified supply chains, alternative maritime and air routes via the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and Mediterranean, as well as deeper agricultural linkages with Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkiye, alongside enhanced regional air cargo capacity.

He further called for regional food alliances, strategic coordination in agriculture and pharmaceuticals, and UN-backed agreements to protect humanitarian supply lines for food and medicine during crises.

Al Khater stressed that no population should be deprived of food or medicine during blockades or conflicts, urging the UN and international bodies to lead constructive negotiations that prioritize humanitarian needs.

He concluded by calling for closer coordination with institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the creation of emergency food security funds to support regional and global crises, warning that prolonged instability would increase acute food insecurity across the region unless urgent collective action is taken. (QNA)