Since the implementation of the UN-led Black Sea Grain Initiative on July 27, 2022, global food prices have fallen to pre-war levels, positively impacting vulnerable countries, Global Affairs Canada said in September 2022.
Gains at risk
“Without this agreement, the gains made in lowering food prices will be lost causing further hunger,” the Canadian government said in its fact sheet on Russia’s war against Ukraine and global food security.
The grain deal
The initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey and signed in Istanbul in July, created a safe corridor for ships carrying grain, foodstuffs and fertiliser from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which had been blockaded by Russia since the start of the invasion. Ships are inspected in Turkish waters by joint teams of Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and UN officials.
A global breadbasket
Before the war, Ukraine was one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, maize and sunflower oil, and the blockade drove global food prices to record highs in the spring. Millions of tonnes of grain have since been shipped under the deal, much of it to Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The agreement runs for 120 days and is due for renewal in November.
Sources
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