AI for Food Security Forum | Panel III

Why It Matters

AI‑enabled logistics can mitigate food‑insecurity spikes caused by geopolitical crises, while rising fertilizer and energy costs threaten global supply stability, demanding coordinated private‑sector and policy responses.

Key Takeaways

• AI accelerates humanitarian supply‑chain rerouting amid Iran conflict.
• Fertilizer price spikes threaten crop margins and future yields.
• Energy costs dominate post‑farmgate food price volatility globally.
• Geopolitical shocks now viewed as systemic, not isolated, risks.
• Private sector, like Bayer, must address global, not regional, impacts.

Summary

The panel examined how artificial intelligence can bolster food‑security efforts as the Iran war, the Russia‑Ukraine conflict, and the lingering COVID‑19 fallout strain global agriculture. Moderated by Atlantic reporter Vivian Salama, experts from the World Food Programme, IFPRI, the UN World Food Programme, and Bayer discussed the intersecting geopolitical, planetary, and technological forces reshaping supply chains.

AI is already being deployed to re‑route shipments in real time. The WFP cited a recent operation that moved food for 17 million Afghans through a seven‑country overland corridor, a route generated by AI predictive modeling after traditional ports closed. At the same time, rising fertilizer prices and volatile energy costs are squeezing farmer margins, prompting crop‑mix shifts such as U.S. corn growers moving toward soybeans.

Panelists highlighted that the Iran conflict illustrates a broader trend: geopolitical shocks are no longer isolated events but systemic risks that ripple through fertilizer markets, maritime logistics, and commodity pricing. Bayer’s Helga Flores Tjo emphasized that even firms with limited direct exposure must prepare for global supply‑chain disruptions, while IFPRI’s Joseph Glober warned that delayed fertilizer deliveries could depress yields in the Southern Hemisphere later this year.

The discussion underscored the urgency of integrating AI‑driven analytics with public‑private coordination to build resilient food systems. Policymakers and corporations alike must anticipate cascading shocks, manage energy‑intensive post‑farmgate costs, and ensure that humanitarian logistics can adapt instantly to border closures or port blockades.

Original Description

This panel session from the CSIS Global Food and Water Security Program’s AI for Food Security Forum will feature an in-depth conversation moderated by The Atlantic Staff Writer Vivian Salama, and featuring Bayer Vice President and Special Envoy for Multilateral Affairs & Sustainability Helga Flores Trejo, CSIS Senior Adviser (Non-resident) Joseph Glauber, and World Food Programme Global Head of Communications Michele Quintaglie.

The conversation will explore global agriculture-market disruptions brought by the war with Iran, following recent disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. The panel will explore the ways AI-enabled technologies can help mitigate the impacts of these shocks on global food security—and prepare food systems to withstand future disruptions.

This conference is made possible by generous support from Google.org.

Artificial Intelligence for Food Security Forum

This panel discussion is part of the CSIS Global Food and Water Security Program’s AI for Food Security Forum. On April 30, 2026, the Forum will explore the promises and risks of AI-enabled technologies for food security. Sessions will address what is needed to ensure that AI will be an effective tool to strengthen agricultural productivity, enhance data ecosystems, build more resilient food systems, and ultimately contribute to the realization of a more food-secure world.

To view the full agenda, visit the AI for Food Security Forum.

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