The WFO-led session explored how instability affecting energy, agricultural inputs and transport markets is shaping farmers’ decisions and putting pressure on food systems.

Events along distant trade routes can quickly reach the farm gate. When energy, fertiliser, feed and transport costs rise, farmers face tighter margins, greater uncertainty and more difficult decisions about inputs, investment and production.

These connections were at the centre of the WFO-led session “Ensuring Global Food Security amid Trade Disruptions”, held on 16 September at the 2026 WTO Public Forum in Geneva.

The discussion took place one day after the launch of the World Trade Report 2026, which warned of the economic costs of further fragmentation in the global trading system and pointed out the importance of stronger multilateral cooperation. Against this backdrop, the WFO session examined how global disruption reaches the farm gate and what responses are needed to protect food security.

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Moderated by Bodhild Fjelltveit, Vice President of Norges Bondelag, the discussion brought together Andrea Zimmermann of FAO; Beat Röösli, Managing Director of the Association of Swiss Feed Manufacturers; Isadora Barbosa Souza, Senior International Affairs Advisor at CNA Brasil; and Roger Pelissero, Chair of Egg Farmers of Canada and representative of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

From Global Disruption to Farm-Level Decisions

Providing a global perspective, Andrea Zimmermann highlighted how disruptions to Black Sea export logistics, extreme weather and uncertainty over energy and fertiliser supplies following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are combining to put pressure on food and agricultural markets. She explained that higher input costs can affect farmers’ decisions on planted areas and fertiliser use, with potential consequences for yields and production in the coming seasons.

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Drawing on the experience of the Swiss feed sector, Beat Röösli highlighted how disruption in the Strait of Hormuz is increasing pressure on energy and fertiliser markets, while drought and low water levels on the Rhine are affecting the transport of feed materials in Central Europe. These overlapping disruptions are increasing costs and making access to some raw materials less predictable, with consequences for farmers’ margins and liquidity. Röösli noted that supply chains optimised for efficiency may lack the flexibility needed during long-term instability. While resilience carries a cost under normal conditions, he argued that greater diversification and more adaptable supply chains are necessary to protect feed and food security.

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From the perspective of Brazilian farmers, Isadora Barbosa Souza described how uncertainty in international transport can increase freight and insurance costs, disrupt delivery schedules, and make contracts less predictable. She also highlighted Brazil’s dependence on imported fertilisers, noting that prolonged disruption could affect purchasing decisions, production costs and investment, particularly for smaller producers with less financial flexibility.

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Roger Pelissero explained how rising costs and geopolitical uncertainty are putting pressure on Canadian farmers’ margins and causing them to reconsider suppliers and other production decisions. He stressed that predictable conditions are crucial for long-term investment and generational continuity, while also drawing attention to the pressure that extended uncertainty can place on farmers’ wellbeing.

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Building Resilience While Keeping Trade Open

In the final part of the session, panellists considered both immediate and longer-term responses.

Zimmermann stressed the significance of international cooperation to keep markets open and trade flowing, alongside greater diversification of supply sources and closer market monitoring. She also pointed out the need for access to credit and targeted financial support for farmers facing liquidity constraints caused by higher energy and fertiliser costs.

Röösli called for greater stability, flexibility and diversification in trade and sourcing strategies, while finding a better balance between the benefits of open trade and the need for more resilient supply chains.

Souza called for timely and reliable market information, targeted support where needed and the direct involvement of farmers’ organisations in designing responses. Pelissero emphasised that strong domestic production and predictable trade must work together, and that bringing farmers into policy discussions is essential to developing practical solutions.

A recurring point was that stronger domestic production and international trade should not be treated as alternatives. Building resilience requires a combination of domestic production capacity, diversified sources of supply and open, predictable trade, so that disruptions affecting one market or route do not leave farmers without essential inputs or reliable outlets.

For WFO, farmers and their organisations must be directly involved in developing responses to trade disruptions. Keeping agricultural trade open, predictable and rules-based is essential, but it must be supported by measures that strengthen farmers’ resilience and capacity to continue producing. These priorities reflect the immediate measures set out in WFO’s statement on the impact of the Middle East crisis on farmers and food security.

Listen to the full audio recording of the session.

Cover by: ©WFO