By Reloaded News Desk
The United Nations has warned that delays in an agreement between the United States and Iran to facilitate fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a food security crisis in parts of Africa and Asia.
UN Under-Secretary-General Jorge Moreira da Silva said on Wednesday, October 14, that the proposed arrangement must be activated within weeks to prevent further disruption to agricultural production as planting seasons approach.
The UN established a taskforce in March to develop a mechanism for moving fertiliser safely through the strategic waterway, where shipping has been severely disrupted by the conflict involving Iran and the United States.
Under the proposal, a coordination centre in Oman would register vessels, verify cargoes and help organise safe passage. Moreira da Silva said the mechanism could become operational within seven to 10 days if Washington and Tehran reached an agreement. The plan envisages the passage of at least five vessels daily.
Before the disruption, the strait carried about one-third of globally traded urea and nearly half of seaborne sulphur, a key input in fertiliser production. The interruption has tightened supplies and increased pressure on agricultural input costs.
The warning has implications for Nigeria, where domestic fertiliser production has expanded but farmers and manufacturers still depend on imported raw materials, including potash and phosphate.
Research by the International Food Policy Research Institute has highlighted how global fertiliser and fuel price shocks can feed into Nigeria’s food system through higher production, transport and distribution costs.
For farmers, delayed or unaffordable fertiliser supplies can mean reduced application, lower yields and increased pressure on household food budgets. The eventual impact will depend on supply availability, prices, planting schedules and the ability of farmers to absorb higher costs.
The UN’s warning comes as efforts to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remain entangled in wider diplomatic tensions. Failure to reach an agreement before critical planting periods, the organisation cautions, could deepen pressure on food production and prices beyond the immediate conflict zone.
Reloaded News — NEWS THAT INFORMS. MEDIA THAT TRANSFORMS
