Africa’s next food crisis may not begin on the farm, but in a distant shipping lane.

Disruptions in the are raising concerns over Africa’s food supply, as fertiliser shipments passing through the key route are increasingly affected by the ongoing crisis, News.Az reports, citing Defence Web.

While global attention has largely focused on oil flows, the same corridor is critical for fertilisers that underpin agricultural production. Many African countries rely heavily on imported fertilisers and are poorly positioned to absorb supply shocks, with domestic production unable to meet demand.

A large share of fertiliser production is concentrated in energy-rich Gulf regions, where natural gas supports the production of ammonia and urea. The Strait of Hormuz connects these producers to global markets, with nearly half of the sulphur used in phosphate fertilisers passing through the route. Disruptions have already led to reduced output in some plants and tighter supply of key inputs.

As supply tightens, fertiliser prices have surged, increasing costs for farmers and threatening lower crop yields. Import-dependent countries across Africa face rising food prices and declining agricultural output, while major exporters risk losing revenue due to constrained production.

The impact is particularly severe given the importance of agriculture across the continent, where a large share of the population depends on farming and has limited capacity to absorb higher input costs. Reduced access to fertilisers is likely to lower usage rates and further weaken food production.

The disruption highlights structural vulnerabilities in Africa’s food system, where reliance on external supply chains leaves countries exposed to distant geopolitical shocks affecting critical agricultural inputs.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova