Coronavirus - Africa: Addressing the impacts of COVID-19 in food crises (May update)

Anticipatory action to safeguard livelihoods and increase access to food isurgently needed to prevent new or worsening food crises.Preventing food crises cannot wait until the health crisis is resolved.Impacts on food access are already being seen, even in the world’swealthiest countries. For those living in contexts already experiencing food crises as a result of conflict, climate or economic instability, thereis no time to waste. Up to 80 percent of people living in these contextsrely on some form of agricultural production for their livelihoods. Even incountries, such as Yemen, that rely heavily on imports, locally producedfood plays an important role in meeting people’s needs and especially inensuring dietary diversity.While the challenges facing vulnerable rural populations differ significantlyaccording to the context and the evolutions of the pandemic, there are anumber of common risks, including planting affected by reduced accessto inputs due to limited market access and reduced incomes; harvestingdisrupted by lack of seasonal labour; transport to markets reduceddue to movement restrictions; and markets themselves constrained bylockdowns, physical distancing and lower purchasing power.

Responding to these challenges requires urgent action. Critical agriculturalseasons, livestock movements for pasture and water, harvesting activitiescannot be put on hold as we tackle the virus. Without support, manyvulnerable people will be forced to rely on humanitarian assistance justto survive – a humanitarian system already stretched to its limits beforeCOVID‑19. Anticipatory action now to avert deteriorating or emerging foodcrises is not just more cost effective than waiting to rebuild livelihoods andcommunities later, it is more humane and respectful of the dignity of themillions of people relying on some form of agriculture for their livelihoods. The Global COVID-19 Humanitarian Response Plan has been revisedsignificantly upwards to reflect the increasingly urgent need to addressnon-health impacts of COVID-19. Of these needs, the food security sectorrepresents the largest component, for a total of USD 1.6 billion. As part ofthis, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)is seeking USD 350 million to ensure the provision of critical assistancewhere there are already high levels of need, while meeting new needsemerging from the effects of COVID-19 .

FAO will focus on four main activities, carried out at the global, regionaland country levels:

Download Report: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Addressing the impacts of COVID-19 in food crises (May update)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).