Bayer boss Baumann: We must act immediately to prevent a hunger crisis

As the people of Ukraine face an ongoing nightmare, the Russian invasion has unleashed a global food crisis that requires our immediate action.

Even before that, the global food system had to cope with major setbacks.

The situation was already tense due to the pandemic, weather phenomena and relatively weak harvests in Africa and Latin America.

The consequences are record prices for food in poorer countries or increasing energy and fertilizer costs for farmers.

Now, with the devastating war in Ukraine, there is a risk of a massive disruption in supply - with serious consequences for millions of people.

The market alone will not solve these immediate effects of Russian aggression on the global food system.

We need joint emergency measures as soon as possible to prevent a humanitarian crisis.

According to calculations by the World Food Program, 276 million people are currently suffering from hunger, of which 44 million are on the verge of starvation in 38 countries.

The effects of war could double these numbers.

Ukraine is considered the granary of the world, but the situation in agriculture there is more than uncertain: fighting is going on in large parts.

The infrastructure is damaged.

The ports are blocked.

Nobody knows whether the conflict zones will spread to the agricultural areas.

If Ukrainian farmers cannot plant now, the summer harvest will be significantly smaller and world market prices will continue to soar.

We are already seeing that the Egyptian government is stopping grain purchases because they cannot afford the current record prices.

Persistent droughts in the region exacerbate the problem.

In addition, there is the current weather phenomenon La Niña.

If things develop like they did ten years ago, the harvests will be even worse.

In this situation, companies, governments and international organizations must act decisively:

1. Support

We have to help with the acute food supply of the people.

In addition, we must support the work of Ukrainian farmers as much as possible.

March and April are the most important months there for sowing seeds and using fertilizers.

2. Priority for the food supply

Russia is also a major exporter of the world food supply, which leaves the international community with an almost insoluble dilemma: the need for tough sanctions against Russia and, at the same time, the need to maintain levels of food production.

I support strict sanctions, but also call for avoiding unintended consequences for global supplies.

3. International Cooperation

All actors in the food sector should support the global supply and not only look out for their own interests.

This is something like an appeal to governments that have full grain stocks and should bring them to market.

It is also an appeal to global companies to work together on solutions and not to take advantage of the crisis.

4. Focus on small farmers

In developing countries, subsistence farmers provide about 80 percent of the available food.

Given their importance to the world, governments and companies need to ensure that smallholder farmers receive comprehensive support to increase their agricultural production.

5. Sustainable intensification

I don't believe in questioning the EU Green Deal.

The climate crisis is not gone; on the contrary, it is making a decisive contribution to the global food crisis.

That's why now is the time to act, free of ideologies and emotions, fact-based and decisive.

In my view, the solution is clear: we need sustainable intensification of agriculture.

And we in Germany have to start thinking bigger.

The goal of food security, like climate neutrality, is not about 80 million people, but about 8 billion.

6. Promote biological alternatives in fertilizer

The current shortage of fertilizer and the dependence on Russia for its production endanger the global supply.

Nitrogen fertilizer is the basis for about 40 percent of global food, but also for about 4 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

That's why it has to be clear: Today's agriculture needs artificial fertilizers, but the future needs biological alternatives.

As with energy production, it is an ecological, economic and now also a geopolitical imperative to use biological processes for fertilizer.

The clock is ticking.

With each day that the war goes on, the hunger crisis will deepen.

This is not the moment for lengthy discussions or ideological reservations, but for broad-based action to prevent disaster.

Werner Baumann is the CEO of Bayer AG.