Dire Straits: Hormuz, Fertilizers, and Food

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global flows of fossil fuels and fertilizers. But what does a shipping route in the Middle East have to do with the price of food? How are farmers coping? And what does this disruption tell us about our food system’s dependence on fossil fuels and synthetic fertilizers?  Synthetic fertilizers tie food production to fossil fuels, leaving farmers exposed to price shocks and geopolitical disruption. In this episode, food systems experts unpack the risks of that dependence, the alternatives already taking shape, and how philanthropy can help build more resilient food systems. Two years after the original Fuel To Fork podcast series, we return to the connections between food and fossil fuels to ask what has changed – and whether our food systems are any better prepared for the next shock.  Want to share your reflections on the episode? Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected] For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/ episode107 Listen to Fuel to Fork Listen to Feeding 1 in 6: China and the Future of Food Guests Anna Lappé, Global Alliance for the Future of Food Jennifer Clapp, IPES-Food Lisa Tostado, Center for International Environmental Law Joanna Larson, Prairie Gates Farm Episode produced and edited by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.