The world is precariously dependent on just a handful of staple food crops – we must diversify

The underlying reason why the war in Ukraine has had such a significant impact on global food security is because the world is precariously dependent on only a handful of staple food crops.

Just six crops – rice, wheat, maize (or corn), potato, soybeans, and sugarcane – account for more than 75 per cent of total plant-derived energy intake globally.

So, there is no wonder that the conflict between major exporters of wheat and maize has contributed to rising levels of food insecurity. New UN figures indicate that around 735 million people are currently facing hunger, an increase of 122 million from 2019.