The panel was chaired by Mr. Teodor TRAȘCĂ, Vice-Rector of the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV), Romania. The panel featured the following speakers: Mr. Igor BURAKOVSKY, Head of the Board at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting, Ukraine; Mr. Nkem KHUMBAH, Chairman of the Africa Development Futures Group, based in Canton, Michigan and Nairobi, Kenya; and Mr. Nigel SCOLLAN, representing the Institute of Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom.

The panel discussed the weaponization of food in the context of the war in Ukraine, highlighting its devastating impact on agricultural production, logistics, and global supply chains. The conflict has severely affected Ukraine’s ability to produce and export grain, with reports of its confiscation and resale by Russia. Tensions with neighboring countries over Ukrainian grain exports have further exacerbated the situation. At the same time, the war has exposed the vulnerability of African nations, prompting them to scale up domestic food production, diversify import sources, and strengthen long-term food resilience. Given the global interconnectedness of supply chains, the weaponization of food represents a major—yet often underestimated—threat to security.

Watch the live sessions on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/bIZd51WB9gg?feature=share