A senior Iranian lawmaker has said there are no concerns over the supply of agricultural products and essential goods in the country, adding that potential external pressures, including reported threats of a naval blockade, would not affect the agricultural sector due to the country’s high level of domestic self-sufficiency.

Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), stated on Tuesday that if the conflict in the Middle East continues until summer, the number of hungry people worldwide could rise by 45 million. Analysts believe that Africa and Asia will suffer the most, with hunger reaching record levels. “This is a terrible prospect,” Skau emphasized.

For much of modern history food was treated as a domestic economic concern rather than a strategic instrument.

Seymur Mammadov, a special commentator for News.Az, is the director of the international expert club EurAsiaAz. The article reflects the author’s personal views and does not necessarily represent those of News.Az.

Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group Abbas Abbasov is participating in the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

As part of his official visit to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Berik Aryn, Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS).

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new regional program to promote sustainable water use and food security in Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Pakistan, amid the catastrophic impacts of melting glaciers, News.Az reports.

Sustainable agricultural practices are crucial for combatting climate change, which is vital for global food security and the well-being of populations, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam said, News.Az reports.