The world’s food system is facing another major test, with global development institutions warning that food security remains one of the most urgent challenges confronting developing countries.
A group of multilateral development banks and international financial institutions says repeated global shocks have exposed serious weaknesses in the supply chains that provide farmers with fertiliser and other essential agricultural inputs.
The warning is significant because fertiliser plays a major role in agricultural production, particularly for smallholder farmers who depend on it to maintain crop yields.
Food security is not simply about having enough food.
It also involves whether people can consistently access food that is affordable, nutritious and safe.
But that stability is becoming harder to guarantee as farmers and food systems face multiple pressures at the same time.
Conflicts, climate-related disasters, economic disruptions and problems with global trade have all affected the movement and cost of agricultural inputs.
The latest statement from the development banks specifically highlights weaknesses in global fertiliser supply chains.
When fertiliser becomes expensive or difficult to obtain, farmers may reduce the amount they use or struggle to maintain production.
That can eventually affect the quantity of food available and put additional pressure on food prices.
The institutions say these disruptions disproportionately affect smallholder farmers and low-income households.
For farmers operating on small margins, a sharp increase in the cost of fertiliser can make production significantly more expensive.
And when production costs rise, the impact can move beyond the farm.
Higher agricultural costs can contribute to higher food prices, putting additional pressure on households that already spend a large share of their income on food.
The problem is particularly important for developing economies, where agriculture remains a major source of employment and livelihoods.
The warning comes despite some signs of improvement in global food security.
The 2026 edition of the UN-backed State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report says global hunger declined modestly in 2025.
However, progress remains uneven.
The report estimates that about 645 million people experienced hunger in 2025, while approximately 2.1 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity.
That means millions of people still do not have reliable access to adequate food, despite improvements in some parts of the world.
The development institutions are calling for greater investment in fertiliser supply chains to make them more resilient to future shocks.
But they say simply increasing the availability of fertiliser is not enough.
Countries also need to improve how fertiliser is used, diversify sources of nutrients, restore soil health and invest in food systems that can withstand disruptions.
They are also calling for stronger cooperation between governments, development institutions and the private sector.
The broader goal is to reduce the vulnerability of farmers and consumers whenever another global crisis affects agricultural production or trade.
For Africa, the issue carries particular weight.
The continent continues to face significant food and nutrition challenges, while many farmers depend heavily on imported agricultural inputs.
At the same time, climate change is increasing the risk of droughts, floods and other extreme weather events that can damage crops and disrupt food production.
The challenge, therefore, is not only producing more food.
It is building agricultural systems capable of continuing to produce food when the next economic, climate or geopolitical shock arrives.
And as global institutions warn, strengthening those systems will require investment, better supply chains and long-term cooperation because food security is ultimately about much more than what is produced on the farm.
