COVID-19 has arrived at a time of unprecedented global need, with a record 168 million people already requiring humanitarian assistance at the beginning of this year.
World hunger levels have been rising since 2015 with over 820 million people going hungry on a daily basis and 135 million experienced acute food insecurity in 2019.
The COVID-19 pandemic is already affecting global food systems, supply chains, and purchasing practices. Stockpiling and a growing demand for food items are creating a strain on global supply chains while restrictions on trade and movement have had a knock-on effect on availability of food stuffs. Price increases will further inhibit equitable access to quality nutritious food. Increasing rates of infection and widespread fear of infection, coupled with restrictive social distancing measures, are affecting agricultural input and yields, which will lead to more severe food insecurity and higher rates of malnutrition in the long term.
Alliance2015 member Concern has developed a paper on the likely impact of the COVID-19 on hunger and on the world’s poorest.
