FAO urges open trade on all agricultural inputs and efficient fertilizer use amid global food production risks

Rome – The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), QU Dongyu, today opened the 181st Session of the FAO Council (8-12 June), noting recommendations for countries to address the impacts of the Strait of Hormuz crisis, particularly the urgent need for efficient fertilizer use as global agrifood systems face unprecedented challenges.

“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is not a regional issue – it is a global food security risk,” Qu highlighted, noting that around 35% of global crude oil exports, 20% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, 20–30% of global fertilizer exports, and approximately 50% of global sulfur exports transit through this critical chokepoint. These essential flows are vital for food production, affecting energy and agricultural inputs significantly.

“The greatest risk was not an immediate food shortage, but a fertilizer and production shock,” Qu stated. As the crisis reaches its 100-day mark, its effects are becoming increasingly visible. Farmers across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are grappling with higher production costs and difficult choices regarding fertilizer use and crop decisions.

In response, FAO has launched a comprehensive package of recommendations for immediate, medium, and long-term actions. “In the immediate term, we have called for keeping trade open, avoiding export restrictions on all agricultural inputs, protecting humanitarian food corridors, and securing alternative logistics routes,” Qu detailed.

Additionally, FAO is working to enhance fertilizer use efficiently through initiatives like soil mapping and precision agriculture. “We are promoting intercropping systems to reduce dependence on nitrogen fertilizers,” he added. FAO is also actively working to develop innovation funds for alternative fertilizers, such as green ammonia and biofertilizers.

The Director-General pointed out that El Niño-related weather risks later this year could further threaten food production and food security in countries already facing severe food crises.

Funds and Emergency Appeal

In December 2025, FAO launched its first Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal, aiming to reach 100 million people by 2026. As of the end of May, the Appeal had received $206 million against the required $2.5 billion – approximately 8% of what is needed. “While the resources received are making a difference, they also remind us of the scale of the challenge ahead,” Qu remarked.

In Sudan, FAO and its partners have vaccinated more than 6.2 million livestock across 17 states, helping protect the livelihoods and food security of approximately 1.9 million people. “In Gaza, emergency livestock feed support provided to over 2,200 herders has enabled families to maintain their herds and continue producing food,” he added, noting that these efforts led to a 30% increase in sheep and goat populations despite challenging conditions.

These results reaffirm that supporting farmers, livestock herders, and fishers in their food production is one of the most effective ways to save lives, protect livelihoods, and reduce future humanitarian needs.

Despite the resource gap related to the Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal, the Director-General noted that, as at end May 2026, FAO had mobilized USD 564 million in voluntary contributions – about 4% ahead of the same period last year.

FAO continues to receive strong support from International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and vertical funds, such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Global Environmental Facility (GEF). In December 2025, the FAO-GEF partnership reached the milestone of USD 2 billion in financing, making FAO GEF’s second-largest partner.

Qu also expressed gratitude for the strong regional support for FAO’s work on transboundary animal diseases and plant pests. “More than 77 countries have confirmed their participation in the Global Partnership Programme for Transboundary Animal Diseases (GPP-TAD), demonstrating real professionalism and multilateralism,” he said. “Together, we have transformed FAO into a center of knowledge and service excellence, based on sound data and a science-based approach.”

Regional Priorities and FAO Initiatives

The 181st Session of the FAO Council will assess the outcomes of the 2026 FAO Regional Ministerial Conferences, where Members identified specific priorities.

In Africa, the narrative is shifting from challenges to opportunities, with the continent holding 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land and the youngest population globally. Qu emphasized the potential for Africa to become a breadbasket for the world, urging support for the AU Kampala Strategy to mobilize USD 100 billion, boost agrifood output by 45%, and triple intra-African agricultural trade. However, the stark reality remains that one in five Africans is still undernourished.

In the Asia and Pacific region, where over half of the world’s population resides, FAO continues to harness agricultural capacities while ensuring that smallholders benefit from technological advancements and trade. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the priority is to protect recent gains in hunger reduction while addressing the high costs of healthy diets and persistent rural poverty. The Near East Regional Conference identified urgent priorities, including rural transformation, food security, and addressing climate action and water scarcity.

The Director-General also highlighted the status of several initiatives launched over the past seven years. As of the end of May, 84 member countries were participating in the Hand-in-Hand Initiative. The FAO One Country, One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative has expanded to include 95 countries, promoting 56 Special Agricultural Products.

FAO’s Digital Villages Initiative has helped transform 1000 rural communities worldwide into digital hubs, aimed at reducing the rural divide.

The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) programme has officially designated 104 systems in 29 countries, reflecting FAO’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding living heritage systems that combine biodiversity, food diversity, traditional knowledge, and resilient agricultural practices.

Across all regions, Qu highlighted the need for resilience and strategic foresight to anticipate shocks, particularly in light of the ongoing impacts of the Middle East conflict.

“We continue to try our best to seize the opportunities that lie within the multiple, complex and overlapping crisis affecting us globally to increase FAO’s comparable advantage and be a better service provider to our Members, partners, and those who need us most – the world’s most vulnerable, and the farmers and the consumers we serve.”

The 181st Session of the FAO Council can be followed through webcast.