COVID-19: Using economic stimulus to reduce the long-term hunger impact
04.05.2020 17:25 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
Beyond the COVID-19 health emergency, a recession looms, and countries ought to take measures now to soften the longer-term impacts on hunger and food insecurity, a new FAO policy brief says. Forecasts for the global economy vary in details, but all point to a historic downturn. The International Monetary Fund now expects worldwide gross domestic product to shrink by 3.0 percent in 2020, compared to January projections of 3.3 percent growth. The large downturn is also expected to usher in the first outright recession in sub-Saharan Africa where about a quarter of the population is undernourished in 25 years. In the 2019 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, FAO analysts noted that economic slowdowns and downturns helped explain rising undernourishment levels in 65 of the 77 countries that recorded such rises between 2011 and 2017. That underscores the risk of adverse hunger trends ahead. The new FAO Policy Brief offers an analysis of food supply data since 1995, which is linked to FAOs statistical development of the prevalence of undernourishment (PoU) indicator, and correlates them to past local economic trends in countries that are net food importers. It notes that in the absence of timely and effective policies, millions of people are likely to join the ranks of the hungry as a result of the COVID-19-triggered recession. That number will vary according to the severity of economic contractions, ranging from 14.4 million to 38.2 million people, or even 80.3 million should there be a truly devastating contraction of 10 percentage points in all 101 net food-importing countries GDP growth. The Policy Brief warns that the actual outcome could be worse if current inequalities in access to food are worsened. It includes scenarios and methodology and a technical note was developed and published simultaneously to explain those aspects in further detail. «The Policy Brief offers evidence in favor of making hunger reduction a priority of the economic stimulus measures to address COVID-19,» says Marco V. Sánchez, Deputy-Director of FAOs Agricultural Development Economics Division. Safeguarding trade and food supply chains and promoting social protection to ensure food access As the world is not facing food shortages, FAO is urging that countries do their best to keep trade flowing and food supply chains alive and increase agricultural output during the international health crisis. The large-scale fiscal and monetary responses that governments are crafting to respond to the expected blow to economic growth, represent an opportunity to tackle the longstanding issues in many middle and low-income countries of inequality in accessing healthy food. Cash and in-kind transfers, new credit lines for key actors in food systems, safety nets, income support, distribution programmes such as food banks, and continuing school-feeding delivery, should be directed to the most vulnerable and poorest people. Such targeting, the brief enjoins, will also maximize the effect that public resource outlays have on keeping demand more dynamic and safeguarding people from falling into chronically weak dependencies that can last for years. There are encouraging examples of «stimulus for food» initiatives in low and middle-income countries at least 106 countries have introduced or adapted social protection measures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a real-time review of social protection policy measures from the World Bank and the International Labour Organization although the ability of African countries to deploy cash transfers has so far been weak. International cooperation and assistance is needed to help the poorest and most vulnerable countries, and this can be linked to recipient countries reallocating more of their own resources to achieve the desired objectives and avoiding the highly adverse outcome of increased inequality in access to food. Targeting public stimulus measures towards initiatives to bolster food access during the pandemic also offers an opportunity to build more lasting resilience into food systems to safeguard them against economic slowdowns and downturns in the future.
28.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
12:55 |
Council compromise on Ukraine ATMs – Only a half step forward in the right direction |
|
09:18 |
Commission approves amendment to Italian State aid scheme to support companies in Friuli Venezia Giulia in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine |
26.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
10:55 |
Projected famine in Gaza: FAO urges immediate access to deliver urgent and critical assistance at scale. About 1.1 million people are experiencing catastrophic food insecurity |
|
08:44 |
EU makes major step forward in the delivery of 2024 humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza* |
25.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
16:17 |
Commission approves ˆ86.9 million Bulgarian State aid scheme to support farmers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine |
21.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
11:15 |
Commission takes action to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU |
20.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
11:13 |
Deal to extend trade support for Ukraine with safeguards for EU farmers |
19.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
09:43 |
CAP - The Commission proposes simplifications that safeguard agricultural transitions! |
18.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
23:10 |
The European Union and Switzerland launch negotiations to deepen bilateral relations |
|
10:05 |
Commission proposes targeted review of Common Agricultural Policy to support EU farmers |
15.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
23:36 |
Cargill Power CanolaTM Program Helps Farmers Take Advantage of Growing Bioenergy Market Opportunities for Canadian Canola |
|
23:19 |
FAO will provide Ukrainian farmers with soybean and sunflower seeds for spring sowing campaign |
13.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
23:27 |
FAO urges more cooperation in banana sector, significant for some least developed and low-income food-deficit countries and smallholder farmers |
|
16:51 |
The European Commission sets out key steps for managing climate risks to protect people and prosperity |
12.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
20:25 |
Coreper and COMENVI approve the provisional agreement on EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework |
|
20:24 |
INTA MEPs fail EU producers by dismissing potential improvements to Ukraine ATMs |
|
08:10 |
Soybean meal is expected to be a more competitive feed ingredient on higher global supplies. |
11.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
09:11 |
U.S. Corn Exports Shift Destinations as Brazil Captures China Market |
08.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
15:20 |
Conflicts push acute food insecurity higher |
|
13:21 |
FAO Food Price Index declines further in February |
|
13:14 |
Packaging: Council and Parliament strike a deal to make packaging more sustainable and reduce packaging waste in the EU |
|
11:45 |
Commission approves ˆ61.3 million Bulgarian State aid scheme to support farmers, producers of grain and oil crops, in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine |
07.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
20:41 |
First go-ahead to renewing trade support for Ukraine and Moldova |
05.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
15:55 |
Commission proposes to prolong road transport agreements with Ukraine and Moldova and introduces updates to the agreement with Ukraine |
02.03.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
07:31 |
Heroes of deserts and highlands: Nourishing people and culture |
23.02.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
10:21 |
BASF’s financial strength supports proposed stable dividend of ˆ3.40 per share for the 2023 business year |
|
10:17 |
The Council has chosen to ignore farmers' concerns regarding Ukraine ATMs; it is now imperative for the European Parliament to take action |
20.02.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
20:27 |
South Asia is anticipated to import nearly 14 million tons wheat in 2023/24 |
19.02.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
13:00 |
Cargill and ENOUGH expand partnership to provide consumers with innovative, sustainable protein options |
17.02.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
17:47 |
Global Environment Facility approves new FAO-led projects and programs benefiting 46 countries |
16.02.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
09:10 |
The EU is at a crossroads with the Ukrainian agricultural issue - COPA-COGECA, AVES, CEFS, CEPM, CIBE, EUWEP |
13.02.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
17:31 |
European farmers exempted from rules on land lying fallow |
12.02.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
16:45 |
India Wheat Stocks Plummet to Lowest in 15 Years |
03.02.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
17:35 |
Mandarins. Global production for 2023/24 is forecast to rise to 38.0 million tons |
|
09:59 |
Record cereal output in 2023 |
|
07:15 |
FAO Food Price Index down again in January led by lower wheat and maize prices |
29.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
10:32 |
President von der Leyen launches Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture |
26.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
11:31 |
Record Exports Forecast for Egypt Oranges |
23.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
17:55 |
With the Federal Chancellor in the show bakery |
19.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
11:45 |
Organic production in Ukraine |
16.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
23:25 |
Domestic consumption of dairy products may double in 2024 – analysts |
12.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
23:53 |
Competition Tightens for Leading Pork Exporter |
|
22:55 |
Peru Fish Meal Exports at Lowest Level Since 2015/16 El Niño |
|
22:43 |
Grains Trade Disrupted by Challenges in Key Shipping Routes |
10.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
15:38 |
In China, the largest import market for dairy products, surplus raw milk production led to government subsidies to stabilize the domestic processing sector |
09.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
11:55 |
The FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 134.6 points in December, down 26.8 points from November |
06.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
12:43 |
Polish fish and seafood imports continued to grow in 2022 and reached over $3 billion, with a $129 million (4 percent market share) originating from the USA |
05.01.2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
17:21 |
EU imports are dominated by unroasted green coffee beans, which accounts for about 90 percent of trade |
|
17:00 |
FAO Food Price Index declines in December. Benchmark measure of world food commodity prices ends 2023 about 10 percent below its year-earlier level |
29.12.2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
09:53 |
Global and Bank of Georgia sign EUR50 million loan agreement to support small businesses |
Also available:
|