Blog

What's New

Food security in the face of COVID-19: Evidence from Africa

• by Sydney Gourlay, Akuffo Amankwah, and Alberto Zezza

Food security has been a significant concern for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), even before the onslaught of challenges brought about by COVID-19. As the pandemic started spreading to the region, one concern has been that of its possible impacts on food security, as the crisis has the potential to exacerbate an already fragile food security environment.

Ethiopia’s social safety net effective in limiting COVID-19 impacts on rural food insecurity

• by KIBROM A. ABAY, GUUSH BERHANE, JOHN HODDINOTT and KIBROM TAFERE

The COVID-19 pandemic is undermining food and nutrition security on a global scale. IFPRI estimates show that globally, 80-140 million people were at risk of falling into extreme poverty in 2020, more than half in Africa south of the Sahara. The World Food Programme estimated that globally, the number of people facing acute food insecurity could double in the same period.