18.04.2026 New publication in Nature Food: Global food security rests on the Strait of Hormuz

Prof. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan (CNMS, Philipps-Universität Marburg), together with Dr. Omid Zamani (IIASA), has published a correspondence in Nature Food highlighting a critical but often overlooked vulnerability in the global food system.

The study shows that global food security is not only shaped by grain markets but also by the stability of fertilizer supply chains. In particular, the Strait of Hormuz emerges as a key chokepoint for nitrogen fertilizer exports from major producers in the Persian Gulf. Disruptions in this route could trigger simultaneous shocks to fertilizer availability, energy prices, and agricultural production worldwide .

The authors emphasize that many countries, including India and Australia, are highly dependent on fertilizer imports passing through this route, making them particularly vulnerable to geopolitical tensions. Given that synthetic nitrogen fertilizers support roughly half of global food production, such disruptions could have immediate and severe consequences for global food prices and food security .

The correspondence calls for greater attention to fertilizer supply resilience, including diversification of supply chains and alternative transport routes.

🔗 Read the full article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-026-01340-1