The world’s poorest – who have lost their incomes from illness or because of lockdowns – are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and, unless they receive enough support, hunger levels will soar and some countries may see rising violence, experts say.
Already 135 million people are on the brink of starvation because of conflict, climate change, extreme poverty and economic crises. The pandemic, and resulting loss of income, could nearly double that number to 265 million.
Without sufficient action, there will be a ‘brutal increase of mortality among the poorest of the poor’ due to social inequalities, says Professor Joachim von Braun, head of the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research (ZEF), in Germany.
The poor are the most affected not only in low-income countries but also in countries like the US, Brazil, and Peru, he says.
Increased violence is also a risk and has been reported in slums in parts of East Africa during food distributions, he says.
Many developing countries have already scaled up their social protection programmes, including through food and cash transfers, says Prof. von Braun.
Countries must also get trade moving across borders again, and maintain children’s nutrition programmes, he says.
About 370 million children are missing out on school meals and, for many, this is their only meal of the day, says the UN children’s agency UNICEF. Within six months, 1.2 million children could die and many more suffer severe malnutrition the agency warns.
A small-scale survey in 15 countries in Africa and South Asia being carried out by ZEF found quite a few pockets where lockdowns have held up food supplies. In general, though food is widely available people no longer have money to buy it, the survey has found.
In rural areas, migrant labourers and other landless people are also badly affected by the pandemic, says Prof. von Braun.
‘They’ve lost their jobs,’ he said. Under normal circumstances they don’t have access to credit, he says, and now cannot even repay small loans obtained through microfinance.
Countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia have learned from previous pandemics about how lockdowns can cut off access to essential supplies, according to Prof. von Braun. The countries imposed severe lockdowns during the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak leaving some families without food and clean water or access to routine health care.
‘This time they have been much more careful not to enforce lockdowns too strictly because otherwise, people die from hunger, and diseases other than corona,’ said Prof. von Braun.
Supply chains
Global food systems have increased the availability of basic food including for the poor, but the long supply chains are vulnerable to crises.
Africa imports billions of euros’ worth of meat and dairy products, wheat and processed foods from Europe each year. Global exports are currently interrupted, which has caused volatility in wheat and rice markets. Volatility signals risk to producers and reduces their investment in future production.
The crisis highlights the fragility of this globalised food system and the need for change, according to experts.
‘A crisis is always an opportunity for change for the better.’
Original source: Horizon
Published on 02 June 2020
