The head of the World Food Programme has warned that food could become harder to obtain next year, due in part to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to NHK in Tokyo on Tuesday, WFP Executive Director David Beasley said the world now has "a perfect storm" of conflict, climate shocks and two years of economic devastation from COVID.

He pointed out that Ukraine, which he calls "the breadbasket of the world," has stopped supplying food. He said that particular problem, along with surging fuel and fertilizer costs, has created "an absolute perfect storm within the perfect storm."

Beasley also said, "We're facing a major food pricing problem which creates devastation for the poorest of the poor." He added, "Next year, because of droughts and fertilizer crisis, we could have a food availability problem."

The WFP has warned that up to 345 million people are estimated to be acutely food insecure or at high risk across 82 countries.

Beasley said that the "failure to open up the ports of the Odesa region is a declaration of war against food security." He added that the United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia are conducting negotiations in an effort to enable food to be exported again.

The executive director said 26 countries have already banned food exports. He added, "If the supply chain gets disrupted because of panic in the market, then people will end up not getting food."

He warned that everybody will suffer, not just the poor people.

The executive director expressed hope that the international community will provide more support.