Blog Category

Food Prices

New Cost of Healthy Diets Tool provides powerful look at nutrition gaps—and how to solve them

Jun 10th, 2025 • by Sara Gustafson and Sediqa Zaki

In recent years, it has become increasingly recognized that true food and nutrition security depend not just on consumption of an adequate caloric quantity of food but also on consumption of the right types of food. A healthy diet—which the WHO and FAO define as one characterized by adequate, balanced, moderate, and diverse consumption of safe foods and beverages—is essential in supporting long-term physical and cognitive health, development, and well-being and in preventing diseases and damaging nutrient imbalances.

Tracking Fertilizer Price Volatility: Expanding the Food Security Portal’s Excessive Food Price Variability Early Warning System

May 31st, 2025 • by Manuel A. Hernandez, Feng Yao, and Soonho Kim

Fertilizer is a critical input for agricultural productivity, and its increased use has been closely associated with rising agricultural yields in many countries. In developing economies that rely heavily on fertilizer imports and are home to vulnerable smallholder farmers, fertilizer price spikes can pose serious risks. When farmers lack access to effective risk-sharing mechanisms, sudden or excessive increases in fertilizer prices can discourage adoption, disrupt planting decisions, and reduce productivity.

Commodity Prices Stable in March, But Concerns over Trade Remain

Apr 9th, 2025 • by Sara Gustafson

The FAO Food Price Index remained stable in March, with falling cereal and sugar prices balancing rising meat and vegetable oil prices. The Index was almost 7 percent higher than its March 2024 level but still remains significantly below March 2022 levels.