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A Russia-Ukraine grain deal that has been critical to keeping global food prices relatively stable and preventing famine in parts of the world is in tatters. Earlier this week, Russia said it was pulling out of the year-old deal, which allowed shipments of grains and other foodstuffs to travel past the Russian naval blockade in the Black Sea. And to make matters worse, over the next two days Russia bombed the Ukrainian port of Odesa, destroying more than 60,000 tons of grain.
As a result, food prices have surged, with the cost of wheat, corn and soybeans in Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere all skyrocketing. So, what is the grain deal, and why is it so important to the global food supply chain?
Anna Nagurney is an expert on supply chains, including those involving perishable products like food, and is co-chair of the board of directors overseeing the Kyiv School of Economics in Ukraine. Here, she explains how important Ukrainian grain is to feeding the world – and why the Black Sea is a vital route to getting it to people who need it.
Also this week, check out a trio of reports on China, and read our coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which kicks off today.
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The grain deal allowed Ukrainian corn and other products to reach ports in Lebanon and elsewhere.
AP Photo/Hassan Ammar
Anna Nagurney, UMass Amherst
Russia’s move, which it followed by bombing the key port city of Odesa and threatening to attack any ship sailing for Ukraine, sent global food prices skyrocketing.
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Too few children means China needs to look outside the country for new blood.
Zhang Peng/LightRocket via Getty Images
Dudley L. Poston Jr., Texas A&M University
Chinese politicians have looked toward policies to encourage couples to have more children to offset population decline. It hasn’t worked.
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Jingdong Yuan, University of Sydney
Beijing has dialled back its aggressive stance and is adopting a more proactive and confident diplomacy to counter US encirclement.
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Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS); Yeta Purnama, Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS)
Mixue’s rapid growth is more than just a business success story. It helps China’s efforts to promote a positive image in Indonesia.
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Treisha Hylton, Wilfrid Laurier University
While the 2023 Women’s World Cup might be the best yet for women in terms of investments and viewership, there is still room for improvement for the 2027 World Cup.
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Charles Helm, Nelson Mandela University; Andrew Carr, University of Leicester
Ammoglyphs – ancient ‘sand art’ – are a relatively new find.
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Jack Anderson, The University of Melbourne
There will likely be a settlement between Victoria and the games organisers for breaching the contract. But the Commonwealth Games may be the ones to suffer long-term reputational damage.
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A.D. Carson, University of Virginia
As hip-hop turns 50, an unfortunate reality is that so many of its pioneering artists never live to see much more than 50 years themselves, a professor of hip-hop writes.
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Harriet Fletcher, Anglia Ruskin University
While the film obviously appeals to women, it is men who really need to watch it.
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