Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of potential impact of (a) 2022 supply constraints and (b) fertiliser costs on global food security in 2023; and what steps he is taking to improve global food security.
FCDO is monitoring food security. Global food production will be constrained, including by high fertiliser prices. Whilst there will be no absolute risk to food availability, we expect hotspots of reduced availability and increased levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. The challenge will be possibly unprecedented numbers of people not able to afford or access the food that they need to survive and live a healthy and productive life.
FCDO is addressing underlying causes; promoting robust food systems in low-income countries; saving lives in famine risk areas; and ensuring an effective international response, including through a focus on the most vulnerable.