Gulf Shipping Standoff Hits World’s Most Vulnerable Farmers (1)

Landlocked and surrounded by richer, more powerful neighbors, Malawi has long been a victim of geography and economics. It now finds itself at the sharp end of a crisis being made more than 3,000 miles away.

As farmers struggle with rising fuel costs and an increasing scarcity of fertilizer, there are concerns worldwide about the impact on crops. But Africa, where more than half of the 1.3 billion population relies on agriculture, is the most vulnerable along with parts of Asia. Malawi is an extreme example of how severe the consequences could be for food security.

Small-scale farmers make up ...