The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation announced on Thursday that its latest estimates show world cereal production will reach an all-time record of more than 2.5 billion tonnes in 2014.

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Buoyed by bumper crops in Europe and a record maize output in the USA, this year's cereal output should reach 2.532 billion tonnes, pipping 2013 production by 0.3%.

The indications, published in FAO's latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation Report, suggest the projected record cereal harvest will outpace cereal usage for the year, meaning cereal stocks should rise to their highest level since 2000.

Though the picture for food production is a healthy one, the FAO report also warns that food insecurity is worsening in a number of countries around the world. This is mainly due to the effects of civil conflicts, adverse weather and the Ebola virus outbreak. In all, 38 countries are at risk of food insecurity, of which 29 are in Africa.

The updated report sees 3 more countries slip into food insecurity than the previous publication in October.

Ebola in particular has triggered one of the biggest shocks to West Africa's agriculture and food sectors, as its spread began when crops were being planted. In Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in particular, the disease’s spread worsened during an important time for farming. Staple food prices have risen in these areas.

Conflict having huge impact on food security

Adverse weather in the Sahel region is also expected to result in a sharply reduced harvest - by as much as 38 percent below average in Senegal, whilst in Syria, a weak harvest is exacerbating strains caused by worsening civil conflict.

Abandoned land, labour shortages, damaged power stations and canals and drought conditions are all contributing to the domestic food shortage in Syria, where an estimated 6.8 million people – some refugees in neighboring countries – are facing severe food insecurity.

One third of the population is in need of urgent food assistance in the Central African Republic (CAR), where violence flared up again in early October, and this year's food crop production is estimated to be 58 percent below average, despite showing improvements on 2013 levels.

Maize supplies stable in Southern and Eastern Africa

Elsewhere in Africa conditions have been better, especially in Southern Africa, where maize prices declined, due to ample supplies from a bumper harvest. Maize prices have also eased in Eastern Africa on more favourable crop prospects.

Meanwhile, 2014 cereal crop production was slightly below average in North Africa, where Morocco suffered sharp reductions due to erratic rains while the output in Tunisia recovered after a poor 2013 harvest.

Dry conditions result in reduced Central American harvest

Mexico is enjoying a bumper maize crop and its cereal output is expected to increase by 7 percent above last year's record harvest, FAO said.

That may ease the production short-fall expected in Central America, where a drought earlier in the year pushed the maize output down by around 9 percent, resulting in 400,000 families in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala needing food assistance.

Aggregate cereal output from Europe this year is estimated to be 5.6 percent higher than 2013, while the U.S.'s record maize output comes despite less acreage being sowed.