Fertilizer Supply Crisis and Hidden Micronutrient Deficiency Raise Global Hunger Risks

Brot für die Welt warned that geopolitical tensions, including the war in Iran and a blockage of the Hormuz Strait, could sharply increase energy, fertilizer and transport costs, jeopardising nitrogen‑fertiliser supplies for rice‑dependent countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan. The organization estimates that around 45 million additional people could fall into hunger, adding to the 645 million already chronically undernourished worldwide, and urges the German government to adopt agro‑ecological policies.

An international research team led by Germany’s Leibniz Institute for Plant Biochemistry reported that combining conventional breeding with genetic engineering and CRISPR‑Cas technologies can boost vitamin and mineral levels in staple crops. More than two billion people suffer from “hidden hunger” – micronutrient deficiencies – and the study highlights rice’s low micronutrient content, calling for bio‑fortified varieties to improve global nutrition and climate resilience.