Food Outlook – Biannual Report on Global Food Markets, November 2025 – ReliefWeb

Report on Global Agricultural Markets and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1.0 Market Overview and Production Trends

An assessment of global agricultural markets reveals a high degree of sensitivity to external shocks. This volatility directly impacts the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Production and Consumption: Recent assessments indicate a broad increase in global food commodity production. This growth is driven by strong consumption and a recovery in inventories, which is critical for maintaining food security as outlined in SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
• Market Sensitivity: Markets remain susceptible to disruptions from weather fluctuations and policy developments. These shocks pose a significant risk to stable food access and sustainable agricultural practices, challenging the progress of SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 2.

2.0 Global Trade Environment and Policy Implications

The outlook for international trade in agricultural commodities is marked by uncertainty, affecting global partnerships and economic stability.

1. Trade Outlook: The evolving global trade environment presents considerable challenges. Persistent policy uncertainties cloud the trade outlook, potentially hindering the international cooperation necessary for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
2. Economic Impact: Stable and predictable trade is essential for the livelihoods of millions dependent on agriculture, directly linking market performance to SDG 1 (No Poverty).

3.0 Special Feature Analysis: Fertilizers and Olive Oil

The November 2025 edition provides focused analysis on specific commodity markets, highlighting issues relevant to sustainable production.

• Fertilizer Market Update: Monitoring the fertilizer market is crucial for promoting sustainable agricultural intensification. Efficient fertilizer use is a key component of SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), aiming to manage natural resources sustainably.
• Olive Oil Market Developments: Analysis of specific markets like olive oil provides insights into regional production systems and their resilience to climate and economic pressures, relevant to both SDG 12 and SDG 13.

4.0 Key Market Indicators and Their SDG Relevance

A summary of key market indicators provides a quantitative overview of market trends and their implications for global development objectives.

1. Futures Markets and Freight Rates: Trends in futures markets and ocean freight rates are leading indicators of food availability and cost, directly impacting the affordability component of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
2. Global Food Import Bill: The total cost of food imports is a critical metric for food-importing nations, influencing national budgets and the ability to ensure food security for all citizens.
3. Food Price Indices: Monitoring food price indices is essential for tracking food affordability and market volatility, providing early warnings for potential food crises that threaten progress on SDG 1 and SDG 2.

1. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • The article directly addresses SDG 2 by focusing on global food security. It discusses key components such as “global food commodity production,” “strong consumption growth,” and the stability of “agricultural markets.” The monitoring of these elements is crucial for achieving food security, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture.

2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • This goal is connected through the article’s mention of “strong consumption growth” and “global food commodity production.” The reference to monitoring the “fertilizer market” also relates to sustainable production practices, as fertilizer use has significant environmental implications.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The article, being an FAO assessment, exemplifies a global partnership for sustainable development. It highlights the need for international cooperation in monitoring markets and addressing “policy uncertainties” that affect the “global trade environment,” which is central to achieving global economic stability and supporting trade.

2. Specific SDG Targets

1. Target 2.b: Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets.

   • The article directly relates to this target by stating that the “trade outlook continues to be clouded by an evolving global trade environment and persistent policy uncertainties.” This highlights the existence of market distortions and policy issues that need to be monitored and corrected.

2. Target 2.c: Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives… in order to help limit extreme food price volatility.

   • The article’s core theme of regular monitoring of “agricultural markets” aligns perfectly with this target. It explicitly mentions the need to track “futures markets” and “food price indices,” which are key components of ensuring market function and managing price volatility.

3. Target 17.13: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence.

   • The concern raised about “persistent policy uncertainties” affecting global trade speaks to a lack of policy coherence. The article implies that monitoring and understanding these uncertainties are necessary steps toward enhancing macroeconomic stability.

3. Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Indicator 2.c.1: Indicator of food price anomalies.

   • The article explicitly mentions the monitoring of “food price indices” as a key market indicator. This is a direct reference to the data used for Indicator 2.c.1, which tracks volatility and abnormal price movements in food markets.

2. Implied Indicators for Market Stability and Trade

   • The article mentions several other key market indicators that, while not official SDG indicators themselves, are used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These include:
     • Trends in futures markets: Used to gauge market expectations and stability (relevant to Target 2.c).
     • Ocean freight rates: A key component of trade costs that can act as a barrier or distortion (relevant to Target 2.b).
     • The global food import bill: Measures the cost of food trade, reflecting market prices and trade volumes (relevant to Target 2.b and 2.c).

4. Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: reliefweb.int