WIRED.me quotes Charlotte Hebebrand, IFPRI Director of Communications and Public Affairs, in the article focusing on the the Gulf fertilizer industry—and why the ongoing escalating conflict is putting global food systems under strain.
Built over decades on abundant natural gas, the fertilizer production in the Gulf evolved from a marginal activity into a strategic pillar of global food security.
“Initially, natural gas was just a by-product of oil production, and it was often flared – basically wasted,” explains Hebebrand. “Then there was a realization that natural gas could actually be used as a key input for nitrogen fertilizers.”
That shift helped turn the region into a global supplier. “In fact, some estimates suggest that around 50% of the world’s food production now depends on fertilizers,” Hebebrand notes.
As shipping routes tighten and costs rise, the implications extend far beyond the region. “If you take Gulf production out of global trade, it has ramifications for the entire world,” she warns. Farmers are already feeling the squeeze. “Right now, crop prices aren’t particularly strong, so farmers are squeezed,” Hebebrand says, adding that much depends on how long the disruption lasts.