The ongoing armed conflict in Eastern Europe is unraveling the shaky foundation of the world’s food system. Two-thirds of our calorie intake is provided by just three species of cereals: rice, maize and wheat. With Ukraine and Russia among the world’s largest exporters of maize and wheat, global food security is under threat.
Even if this volatile situation is resolved and trade is restored, an overreliance on so few species remains the achilles heel of food security in the face of a changing climate.
The negative effect of climate on food systems is nothing new.
