Latin America is expected to experience a severe El Niño weather phenomenon from October to December, which is likely to worsen agricultural supply shocks caused by conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, a senior United Nations official told Reuters.
Impact on the Region
Maximo Torero, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization, warned the region faces a “double blow” of extreme weather stress and reduced supplies of fertilizers and hybrid seeds. Those have been affected by the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S.-Iran war.
Torero said governments must design policies to address both extremes simultaneously. The U.S. Climate Prediction Center recently estimated an 81% probability of a “very strong” El Niño, potentially ranking among the most severe since 1950.
Torero urged investments in preparedness, saying every dollar dedicated here yields a $7 return, compared to just $3 for reactive measures. Torero recommended focusing on infrastructure to prevent transport disruptions, developing resilient seeds and accelerating harvests to mitigate damage from storms.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
