Nepal, May 8 -- Nepal needs petroleum to fuel its economy, Nepalis need food to fuel their bodies. The two are inextricably linked.

The prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has led to steep fuel price hikes, increasing the cost of food and farming. And a severe shortage of fertiliser and its higher cost will mean lower crop yields this year.

To add to the impending crisis, weather models project a deficient monsoon this year, affecting Nepal's predominantly rain-fed farming. It is a vicious cycle: fossil fuel burning causes climate change, leading to extreme weather, which affects food supply.

While Prime Minister Balendra Shah is preoccupied with ordinances and demolishing squatter settlements, Nepal is slipping into a food cri...