Caitlin Welsh

Director, Global Food and Water Security Program
Caitlin Welsh

Caitlin Welsh is the director of the Global Food and Water Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where she analyzes the drivers and consequences of food and water insecurity around the world, including for U.S. national security. Her specific areas of focus include the impacts of Russia’s war in Ukraine on global food security and nutrition, food insecurity in the U.S. military, and the coherence between U.S. global water security policy and U.S. global food security policy. Prior to joining CSIS, Ms. Welsh served for over 12 years in the U.S. government, including at the National Security Council and National Economic Council as director for global economic engagement with responsibility for the G7 and G20, and at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Food Security, where she served as acting director. Ms. Welsh was a presidential management fellow at the U.S. African Development Foundation and a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. She has testified before Congress on global food security on multiple occasions, and her analysis has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, NPR, PBS, the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Financial Times, Foreign Policy, BBC, Newsweek, and other outlets. Ms. Welsh received her BA from the University of Virginia and MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and hails from Erie, Pennsylvania. 

Programs & Projects

Areas of Expertise

Media Queries

In the News 8 of 95 results

Show More

All Caitlin Welsh Content

Filter by

1 - 10 of 184 results

AI for Food Security Forum

The CSIS Global Food and Water Security Program will host a public event on the applications of AI for global food security.

Event — April 30, 2026

Iran, Fertilizer, and Food Security: Risks, Impacts, and Policy Responses

The war with Iran is threatening global agriculture markets and food prices, with some impacts emerging and more expected in the coming months. What can policymakers do to protect farmers and consumers—in the United States and around the world? 

Critical Questions by Caitlin Welsh — April 1, 2026

AI and Global Food Security: A Focus on Crop Breeding

AI promises to transform modern crop breeding, helping develop more resilient, nutritious, and higher-yielding crops with unprecedented pace—though barriers remain. CSIS experts unpack the benefits and risks of AI-enabled innovations for crop breeding around the world.

Critical Questions by Zane Swanson, Emma Curtis, and Caitlin Welsh — March 26, 2026

State of Play

What Are the Hidden Costs of the War with Iran?

Emily Harding, Caitlin Welsh, and Mona Yacoubian joined Will to discuss the short- and long-term implications of the war with Iran.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman, Emily Harding, Mona Yacoubian, and Caitlin Welsh — March 25, 2026

Photo: iLab/CSIS

Chokepoint: How the War with Iran Threatens Global Food Security

The war with Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint in global oil, natural gas, and fertilizer trade. CSIS experts examine the immediate impacts on farmers and markets—and the long-term risks to food security if shipping does not resume.

Critical Questions by Emma Curtis, Joely Virzi, and Caitlin Welsh — March 11, 2026

The Russia-Ukraine War and Global Food Security: Impacts Four Years Later

Russia’s war in Ukraine caused immediate and widespread disruptions to Ukraine’s agriculture sector and global food markets. Today, new patterns are emerging, affecting Ukraine’s agricultural recovery and Russia’s ability to use its food exports for political benefit.

Critical Questions by CSIS Scholars — February 24, 2026

Russia-Ukraine War in 10 Charts

Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has reshaped European security, global markets, and the balance of power. These 10 charts break down the battlefield, economic strain, military aid shifts, reconstruction costs, and what comes next.

Commentary by CSIS Scholars — February 24, 2026

A New Landscape for Development

Join the CSIS Global Development Department for the launch of A New Landscape for Development. This event will examine recent U.S. foreign assistance shifts and what they mean for the future of global development.

Event — February 10, 2026