CSIS Global Food & Water Security Program
@foodwater.csis.org
Proposing nonpartisan policy solutions to food and water insecurity in the U.S. and around the world.
Next week, @fao.org launches the 2026 “State of Food Security & Nutrition in the World” (SOFI) report, focused on the rising cost of a healthy diet. Follow along for related analysis by subscribing to our monthly newsletter & 'Food Security' topic page here: cs.is/4yexsah
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NEW: @csis.org scholars assess the implications of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire amid ongoing uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz and global energy markets. Among the experts, Joely Virzi and Caitlin Welsh examine what it means for global food security. Read more here: cs.is/4oZh7lv
What a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Means for Energy and Beyond
CSIS experts assess the implications of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire amid ongoing uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz and global energy markets.
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NEW: The @csis.org Global Food and Water Security Program's June newsletter is out now! ➡️ Catch up on our latest analysis and media here: cs.is/4wlgC7N ➡️ Read the Director's Note from Caitlin Welsh here: cs.is/3QUlFNE
NEW: The U.S.-Iran conflict has highlighted the increasing weaponization of water, exposing desalination infrastructure as a critical national security vulnerability. Learn more from @csis.org Senior Associate (Non-resident) Franck Gbaguidi: www.youtube.com/shorts/GyS4v...
NEW: Did the #G7Summit defy expectations? Director Caitlin Welsh joins Will Todman, Victor Cha, Kristi Govella, and Philip Luck to discuss key outcomes, implications for U.S. alliances, and the role of the G7 in an evolving international order. Listen here: cs.is/4vXy2HC
From robotic milking systems to autonomous tractors, AI-enabled technologies are helping farmers improve productivity & navigate labor challenges, per @nytimes.com. These examples highlight the growing role of AI-enabled precision ag in food systems. Read more: cs.is/3JxC725
As the Iran war reaches the three-month mark, disruptions to global energy and fertilizer markets continue to threaten agriculture markets and food prices around the world. Revisit analysis by Director Caitlin Welsh to learn more: cs.is/4sMrRoJ
Iran, Fertilizer, and Food Security: Risks, Impacts, and Policy Responses
The war with Iran is threatening global agriculture markets and food prices, with some impacts emerging and more expected in the coming months. What can policymakers do to protect farmers and…
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Recently, @theatlantic.com Staff Writer Vivian Salama moderated a panel discussion on global agriculture-market disruptions brought by the war with Iran, following recent disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic & the Russia-Ukraine war. Watch or read here: cs.is/4epjZ8f
At the AI for Food Security Forum, @csis.org Global Development Department President Enoh Ebong highlighted AI’s growing role in food systems—from early warning systems to crop breeding. Watch the Forum here to understand how AI offers untapped potential: cs.is/4szUJjF
At the AI for Food Security Forum, Director Caitlin Welsh moderated a panel exploring steps that all stakeholders—including tech developers, policymakers, regulators, & funders—must take to implement AI-enabled technologies across food systems. Watch or read more here: cs.is/3P44YhG
We're #hiring! Our team is seeking a highly motivated, exceptionally organized Program Coordinator to support our food and water security programming. Read more about the position and apply here: cs.is/4d5umgh
How can AI shape how data is uncovered, created, obtained, & shared among those who use it for global food security? What are the risks of widespread data collection & availability—& how can these risks be mitigated? Discuss next week at the AI for Food Security Forum. Register now ➡️ cs.is/4szUJjF
In 1 week, @theatlantic.com’s Vivian Salama will moderate a panel with Bayer’s Helga Flores Trejo, @wfp.org’s Rania Dagash-Kamara & @csis.org’s @jwglauber.bsky.social. They’ll explore recent global ag-market disruptions—& how AI-enabled technologies can mitigate impacts. Register ➡️ cs.is/4szUJjF
THURSDAY, APRIL 30 | At the AI for Food Security Forum, Director Caitlin Welsh will moderate a panel with IDinsight's Crystal Huang, Google’s Olivia Graham, @ifpri.org's Judy Chambers, @bezosearthfund.org’s Amen Ra Mashariki, and @ai.csis.org’s Aalok Mehta. Register to attend here: cs.is/4szUJjF
NEW: Sudan’s civil war has now entered its fourth year with its two main factions locked in a grinding war of attrition—driving an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. 10 charts by @csis.org offer snapshots of the magnitude, brutality, and international implications of the war: cs.is/4sOyAxs
NEW: The @csis.org Global Food and Water Security Program's April newsletter is out now! ➡️ Catch up on our latest analysis & media here: cs.is/3OnuUVq ➡️ Read the Director's Note from Caitlin Welsh here: cs.is/4tbY48V
CSIS Global Food and Water Security Program Newsletter: April 2026
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Can the U.S. enable post-conflict stability in nations such as Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba? Experts from the CSIS Global Development Department offer analysis from initial planning to post-conflict recovery. Read: https://www.csis.org/analysis/can-united-states-enable-post-conflict-stability
Can the United States Enable Post-Conflict Stability?
When the United States takes military action, how can it help countries go from that military action to prosperity, democracy, and stability?
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STARTING NOW | Government leaders explore how U.S. economic tools can be leveraged, individually and in coordination, to meet the demands of a new era of global development. Watch the panel at the CSIS Futures Summit: https://www.csis.org/events/leveraging-us-economic-tools-next-era-development
NEW: What consequences would stem from a sudden collapse of the Cuban regime, and what should the United States and the international community be doing to prepare for this eventuality? @csis.org experts unpack in the latest Critical Questions: cs.is/4cEgmsH
“It will take some time to see the impacts of high fertilizer prices on agriculture markets and food prices, but in the near term, it's high energy prices that are driving food prices higher globally,” Director Caitlin Welsh explained to @pbsnews.org. 🧵 Follow the thread for more:
Join us Thursday, April 30, for the Artificial Intelligence for Food Security Forum (AI.FS). Explore how AI can strengthen ag productivity, enhance data ecosystems, build resilient food systems, & contribute to a more food-secure world. 🔗 Register here: cs.is/4szUJjF
Energy and fertilizer market disruptions resulting from the Iran war threaten agriculture markets and food prices globally. @foodwater.csis.org director Caitlin Welsh explains how these market shocks affect food systems. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dXN4Hp
Iran, Fertilizer, and Food Security: Risks, Impacts, and Policy Responses
The war with Iran is threatening global agriculture markets and food prices, with some impacts emerging and more expected in the coming months. What can policymakers do to protect farmers and consumer...
csis.org
NEW: Fertilizer & energy disruptions from the Iran war are already affecting farming & food prices. What do these shocks mean for food systems—& what policy solutions exist for farmers & consumers in the U.S. & worldwide? Director Caitlin Welsh explains in our latest analysis: cs.is/4sMrRoJ
NEW: AI can catalyze major transformations in crop breeding. But the speed of these transformations will depend on stakeholders’ abilities to overcome barriers to access AI tech & policymakers’ abilities to effectively regulate them. Read more here: cs.is/4dNEMSv
#NEWS: In a post to Truth Social, President Trump threatened to target Iran's energy infrastructure—including its desalination plants. What could this mean for water security across the Persian Gulf? Senior Associate (Non-resident) David Michel explains: cs.is/4dkSpIO
Could Iran Disrupt the Gulf Countries’ Desalinated Water Supplies?
The countries of the Persian Gulf critically rely on desalination systems for their water supplies. The conflict with Iran puts these vital resources at risk. Tehran could attack desalination plants…
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NEW: Director Caitlin Welsh joins Dr. Jon B. Alterman in The High Top to examine how the war with Iran is affecting global food systems. Watch them unpack the effects on fertilizer markets, food production costs, and food access in the Middle East and around the world: cs.is/4sJHBc6
How the Iran War Affects the Global Food Chain | The High Top | CSIS Events
Caitlin Welsh and Jon Alterman unpack how conflict in the Gulf is driving fertilizer shocks, soaring food costs, and rising insecurity from the Middle East to the rest of the world.
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REGISTRATION OPEN: Join us for the AI for Food Security Forum to explore how AI can strengthen ag productivity, enhance data ecosystems, & build more resilient food systems. 📅 Thursday, April 30 ⏰ 8:30AM–6:30PM ET 📍 In-Person/Webcast Register here: cs.is/4szUJjF
The war with Iran has had significant consequences for food security, economic security, & humanitarian crises globally. Today at 4PM ET, Caitlin Welsh joins Emily Harding, Mona Yacoubian, and Will Todman on @geopolitics.csis.org’s State of Play to discuss. Watch live here: cs.is/41pQ340
🌎 NEW: In this video celebrating #WorldWaterDay 2026, @zaneswanson.bsky.social & @profserayoung.bsky.social present newly released data from 17 countries about how water insecurity is experienced across the Americas. Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFWq...
WISE Scales: Measuring Water Insecurity Across the Americas
Countries across the Americas—and around the world—face growing water crises that threaten the lives and livelihoods of billions. What tools do we have to better understand the diverse experiences of…
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How has the war with Iran impacted global energy, fertilizer, & agrifood systems? A new report by @fao.org analyzes these risks, as well as the strategies needed to safeguard global energy & food security. Read the report here: openknowledge.fao.org/items/050e61...
