Scientists Warn: Geopolitical Tensions and Climate Impacts Hamper Global Hunger Fight
Indian agricultural scientists highlight how geopolitical conflicts divert focus from hunger eradication while climate change threatens crop yields, land, and food nutrition in vulnerable regions.
Scientists and global food security experts are warning that ongoing geopolitical conflicts are undermining the world’s efforts to combat hunger at a time when climate change is already stressing food systems, with far-reaching consequences for agricultural productivity and nutrition. Researchers speaking at international forums say that wars and territorial disputes have diverted political focus and investment away from hunger solutions, even as extreme weather events intensify risks for farmers and vulnerable populations.
According to the latest UN FAO-WFP reports, conflict and violence are the dominant drivers of acute hunger in most of the globe’s hunger hotspots, with such conditions directly contributing to food shortages, disruption of supply chains, and restricted humanitarian access. In 14 of the 16 high-risk food insecurity zones identified, armed conflict remains the primary factor, compounded by economic shocks and extreme weather events linked to climate change.
Experts at seminars and conferences have emphasised that these geopolitical tensions absorb political attention and financial resources that could otherwise bolster food security initiatives. A senior Indian agricultural scientist highlighted that climate-induced threats to crop yields and land productivity—such as increased disease pressure on plants and shrinking arable areas—are made worse when governments prioritise military spending and territorial disputes.
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Climate shocks are already manifesting in unusual extremes, including record temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns that devastate crops and reduce nutrient quality. Those stresses, scientists say, are most acutely felt in dryland and marginal agricultural regions, further risking food availability and livelihood security for millions of smallholder farmers.
The combination of war, climate change, and under-resourced humanitarian responses means global hunger remains entrenched. UN agencies report that a significant portion of the world’s population faces severe food insecurity, with conflict-affected zones in Africa, the Middle East, and beyond seeing alarmingly high levels of acute hunger and famine risk.
Analysts warn that unless international leadership shifts toward addressing both geopolitical instability and climate adaptation—including stronger support for resilient agricultural systems and humanitarian aid—progress toward eliminating hunger by 2030 will be jeopardised. The interconnected nature of conflict, climate extremes, and food crisis demands a coordinated global strategy that transcends short-term political priorities.
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