Assessment of the global food security implications of the Kakhovka Dam collapse

Abstract

As a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war, on June 6 2023s, an armed Russian attack partially destroyed the Nova Kakhovka dam in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, which was a severe blow to global food security. The relevance of this crisis is determined by serious disruptions in agriculture, crop losses and threats to food security for numerous population groups. The research aims to establish the link between the loss of agricultural land in Ukraine and the impact on global food security. The methods of analysing various data, regression analysis of the global food price index of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, statistical methods, and sensitivity analysis were used. The main results were direct indicators of the dependence and impact of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. This was highlighted by the dramatic changes in the European Union market for imported inputs such as energy, animal feed, feed additives and fertilisers. The attack was followed by a sharp rise in food prices, which reduced global food security. The practical implications of this article are realised in the benefits to various actors with an interest in global food security.