Climate scientists are warning that a super El Niño weather pattern may be developing, threatening to severely disrupt planting and harvests worldwide and push millions more people into acute food insecurity. Compounding the threat, ongoing conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine are breaking down shipping and supply chains, with the Strait of Hormuz — a critical transit route for roughly a third of globally exported fertilizers — facing significant disruption. Researcher Shawn Arita of North Dakota State University notes that while food supplies exist, the core problem is distribution: high fertilizer and energy costs are squeezing farmers' profit margins into negative territory, which over time will translate into reduced agricultural output globally.