The United Nations (UN) has recently warned of a global hunger crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has disrupted the global food supply chain, leading to an increase in food prices and a significant decrease in food availability, particularly in low-income countries. This has pushed millions of people into poverty and hunger, exacerbating an already dire situation.
According to the UN’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, over 690 million people were undernourished in 2019 – an increase of almost 60 million people in the past five years. With the pandemic, this number is expected to rise drastically, with an estimated additional 83 to 132 million people going hungry in 2020, bringing the total to over 800 million.
The pandemic has caused disruptions in the agricultural sector, particularly in low-income countries where food production heavily relies on smallholder farmers. The lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus have significantly affected the farmers’ ability to access markets, seeds, fertilizers, and other crucial agricultural inputs. This has led to reduced agricultural outputs, which, in turn, have caused a decline in food availability and a surge in food prices, particularly in countries already experiencing food insecurity and poverty.
Furthermore, the closure of schools due to the pandemic has also affected children’s nutrition, particularly those who rely on school feeding programs. In low-income countries, children get at least one of their daily meals from school feeding programs, which have been put on hold due to the pandemic. This has led to a decline in children’s nutrition and an increase in malnutrition rates.
The UN has urged countries to step up efforts to address the hunger crisis by supporting smallholder farmers, ensuring uninterrupted food supply chains, and investing in social protection programs to provide support to those most affected by the pandemic. Also, there is a need to address the underlying causes of food insecurity, such as poverty, income inequality, and access to education, healthcare, and clean drinking water.
In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already dire situation of global hunger, further pushing millions of people into poverty and malnutrition. The urgency of the situation requires a concerted global effort to address the underlying causes of food insecurity and to provide immediate support to those most affected by the pandemic. It is crucial to ensure that the most vulnerable, particularly smallholder farmers and children, are not left behind. Only then can we hope to move towards a world where food insecurity and malnutrition are no longer a reality for millions of people around the world.
