logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2022
22m 58s

Has the war in Ukraine sparked a global ...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Each year, Ukraine exports enough food to feed 400 million people around the world. But the Russian invasion has disrupted vital trade routes, trapping an estimated 25 million tonnes of grain in silos around the port city of Odesa.

The African Union describes the situation as a catastrophic scenario, and the UN Secretary General says the shortages could tip millions of people into food insecurity.

But how reliant is the world on Ukrainian – and Russian – grain? What will a shortfall do to the world’s most vulnerable countries?

On the Inquiry this week, Charmaine Cozier asks, has the war in Ukraine sparked a global food crisis?

Producer: Ravi Naik Researcher: Chris Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

Up next
Today
How can Nepal’s economy rebuild after floods?
Nepal is still reeling from the devastation caused by recent flash floods. More than a thousand people are reported to have lost their lives and thousands more are still missing. The physical impact is extensive with many hydropower stations, providing the country’s main source o ... Show More
23m 53s
Sep 22
How did Italian politics become stable?
Italy has long been associated with political instability, with governments on average lasting just over a year.Current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has broken that pattern. Her government has become the longest continuously serving administration in post-war Italian history, su ... Show More
24m 6s
Sep 15
Can China’s polar silk road change global trade?
Conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global shipping routes including the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca. China is now turning to Russia for support in developing an alternative trade path: the Northern Sea Route. On 15 August, China sent its first ship on ... Show More
24m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2022
How the War in Ukraine is Creating a Global Food Crisis
<p>Ukraine and Russia are enormous producers of wheat, corn, barley, sunflower oil and fertilizer. One study calculated that the two countries accounted for 12 percent of the world’s calories.</p><p>With Ukraine under attack and Russia hit with strict sanctions, a huge supply of ... Show More
21m 36s
May 2022
Ukraine and the global food emergency
<p>Russia’s blockade of the port of Odesa is preventing Ukraine from exporting vital supplies of grain to a hungry world. A failure to resolve the problem will lead to food price rises and starvation, resulting in more migration and global unrest, according to David Beasley, head ... Show More
24m 29s
Mar 2022
How the War in Ukraine Will Impact Food Prices and Food Security Around the World
Ukraine is a major exporter of key food staples around the world. Even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the prices of food commodities like wheat were near all time highs. Since the outbreak of armed conflicted, these prices have soared even higher.  What impact is this war h ... Show More
30m 55s
Apr 2022
How The War In Ukraine Is Deepening The World's Hunger Crisis
The pains of every war ripple out beyond the borders of the conflict zone. And as the war between Russia and Ukraine drags on, the disruptions in the global food supply chain are beginning to deepen the already dire hunger crisis around the world. Ukraine and Russia combined expo ... Show More
10m 32s
Jul 2023
Russia’s Newest Target: The Global Food Supply
<p>When Russia invaded Ukraine, it put the global food supply at risk — until the two countries struck an unusual deal to keep shipments flowing. </p><p>Last week, that deal fell apart.</p><p>Marc Santora, who has been reporting from Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict, e ... Show More
21m 51s
Mar 2022
How the war in Ukraine is affecting food prices
Food price inflation was already a problem. Could the conflict make things even worse?Ukraine and Russia are both major food exporters. Tamasin Ford looks at how the war in Ukraine is affecting global prices.Food price inflation was already a major problem in many parts of the wo ... Show More
17m 28s