The war in the Middle East is heightening concerns over global food prices and supply flows. The current international environment, marked by rising commodity prices, could make food more expensive and harder to access, further complicating efforts to combat hunger worldwide this year, according to experts interviewed by Valor who took part in the seminar “How Brazil Left the Hunger Map?”, hosted by Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) in Rio.
Charlotte Bilo, Knowledge Lead and Regional Liaison for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Global Alliance Support Mechnanism, noted that the Middle East conflict nevertheless poses a challenge for food prices this year. The alliance, launched in 2024 during Brazil’s G20 presidency, is a multilateral initiative developed by the Brazilian government. Bilo added that since COP30 in 2025, discussions on international financing mechanisms to combat climate change have intensified. One option under consideration, she said, is using climate funds to support small farmers. She called for further discussion on protecting small-scale agriculture, which could help mitigate potential scenarios of global food insecurity—likely to worsen amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Photo: FAO