Researcher sounds alarm on global food shortage

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The world is on the verge of a global food shortage sparked by the war in Ukraine and by the pandemic supply-chain woes, according to an expert in food distribution and security at Dalhousie University.

“We need to be clear on the fact that by fall more than 100 million people will experience either famine or severe hunger,” said Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Dalhousie University.

On Wednesday, I tweeted “Is Ottawa aware the world is on the verge of a food shortage? honest question.”

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There are several factors pushing us toward a world food shortage, according to Charlebois.

Not the least of which is the war in Ukraine.

“That region is responsible for 25% of export of wheat and corn,” said the professor.

“So the question is: Can North America produce enough to cover that gap?”

The price of wheat is up 51% in the past year.

That increase started to gain momentum in the week before the Russian invasion — and has continued since.

Corn is up 20%.

“Wheat and corn together represent almost 30% of all calories consumed on planet Earth,” Charlebois said, explaining how the effect will easily ripple across the globe.

Existing supply-chain issues rippling out of the pandemic are also seen as major factors jolting prices for other commodities.

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The price for oats is up 67% in the past year.

Coffee is up 49%.

And rice is up 27%.

Charlebois said many in the agri-food business were looking to the federal budget to help Canadian farmers as they try to produce more goods.

“With the federal budget out we were all hoping that perhaps Ottawa would do something to make sure that fertilizer prices remained somewhat affordable for farmers, but it just didn’t happen,” he said.

The researcher, who is also the host of the The Food Professor podcast, said he does not expect the supply issue to impact grocery isolates here.

“I don’t think we’ll experience food shortage here in Canada but we certainly will be paying more for our food,” he said.

Those inflationary pressures could continue as long as the war in Europe rages.

“The conflict is going to make an entire region miss this year’s (growing) cycle,” Charlebois said. “So we are going to have to wait until next year and see whether or not the conflict is still ongoing.”