Food awakening: Iran’s ripple effect

Global food security faces mounting threats from the convergence of geopolitical conflict and climate instability. Ongoing tensions in the Gulf, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, disrupt the supply of essential fertilizers and energy, creating a "long-range weapon" that disproportionately affects agricultural production in the Global South. This crisis is compounded by the anticipated arrival of an El Niño weather pattern, which threatens to trigger extreme droughts and further strain already vulnerable regions. Meanwhile, in India, the rise of Hindu nationalism under the BJP has led to the implementation of restrictive anti-conversion laws, fueling communal violence and state-sanctioned discrimination against religious minorities. Finally, the British veterinary sector, once buoyed by a pandemic-era surge in pet ownership, is experiencing a cooling period characterized by regulatory scrutiny, rising costs, and a plateau in demand for animal care services.