Global Agrifood Implications of the 2026 Conflict in the Middle East: Impacts on energy and fertilizer trade, and food security

This information note analyzes the effects of the armed conflict in the Persian Gulf, which erupted in February 2026, on global agrifood systems, with a focus on disruptions to maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz. The document examines the rise in energy and nitrogen fertilizer prices, the impact on agricultural production costs and crop yields, threats to food security in Gulf countries and import-dependent regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and the specific situation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.