The war in Ukraine could have dramatic consequences for food distribution in developing countries, a forecast by the United Nations has shown.
If there are major cuts in the export of grains from Ukraine and Russia and prices rise worldwide, millions of people will be threatened with malnutrition by next year, a simulation by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found.
The FAO estimates that the number of undernourished people worldwide will rise by 8 million to 13 million by 2023 if the conflict in Ukraine continues for months.
The Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and North Africa, along with sub-Saharan Africa, would be particularly affected.
According to the FAO, around 50 countries worldwide depend on imports of wheat from Ukraine or Russia. Russia is the world's largest supplier of wheat, while Ukraine ranks fifth in the statistics.
"The conflict's intensity and duration remain uncertain. The likely disruptions to agricultural activities of these two major exporters of staple commodities could seriously escalate food insecurity globally, when international food and input prices are already high and volatile," FAO Director General Dongyu Qu said in a statement.
It is unclear whether other countries in the world will be able to fill the impending supply gap, Qu said.
