COVID-19 is estimated to have dramatically increased the number of people facing acute food insecurity in 2020-2021. As of April 2021, the World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 296 million people in the 35 countries where it works are without sufficient food—111 million more people than in April 2020.
Recently released data on food security conditions from the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) provide insight into the unprecedented scale and level of current food security crisis conditions. Estimates for 18 countries indicate that food security crisis conditions are at their highest level since 2010, with extensive drought and famine conditions affecting African countries.
In Responding to the Emerging Food Security Crisis, Governments and international partners must begin to closely monitor domestic food and agricultural supply chains, track how the loss of employment and income is impacting people’s ability to buy food, and ensure that food systems continue to function despite COVID-19 challenges.
This has been through a combination of short-term COVID-19 responses and investments to address the longer-term drivers of food insecurity.
Communities should also invest in building on existing projects and deploying short- and long-term financing systems that will assist farmers and encourage more production
Efforts must also be intensified in Working Together Against Corona as such will create a positive impact and speed up recovery even from the economic hardship being experienced.