As a result, the practice of safety stock and holding inventory against commodity price fluctuation and supply chain disruption will provide relief from the fragility of the supply chain.

FORBES: Supply Chain Lessons From Japan

The report draws on the experience and insights of an advisory committee that included the Citi Foundation, the Skoll Foundation, Root Capital, Technoserve, and ANDE, as well as interviews with over 65 commodity buyers, investors and value chain experts.

FORBES: Catalyzing Smallholder Agricultural Finance

Inflation, they said, was caused by high commodity prices pushing up energy and food costs, while supply-chain disruptions in Japan were in the process of being solved.

FORBES: Bernanke Fed Blames Commodities And Japan For 'Soft Patch'

Rather, the drop in commodity prices in 2008 will soon show up in lower manufacturing and supply-chain costs.

FORBES: Mini-Depression of 2008

As the reach of the supply chain becomes more global, the risks that affect it proliferate, from protectionism to piracy to commodity price spikes to volcanoes.

FORBES: Ash In The Supply Chain

For agricultural companies and food producers, however, rising commodity prices can be a blessing or a curse, depending on where the company is in the food-processing chain.

FORBES: Four Legendary Investor-Inspired Stocks To Play The Food Price Surge