Combating Hunger and Attaining Food Security- A Challenge in COVID-19 Pandemic

June 3, 2020

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Saurabh Karunamay^1*, Smita Patil², Sudhanya Nath³, Kasturi Lali⁴, Nikita Singh⁵

^1*PhD. Scholar, Department of Livestock Products Technology, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal-700037

²PhD. Scholar, Department of Livestock Production Management, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal-700037

³PhD. Scholar, Department of Animal Nutrition, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal-700037

^4&5B.V.Sc and A.H Scholar, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand-834006

^1*Email id-aiimssa7@gmail.com

Abstract

Corona virus is a single stranded RNA virus that generally affects upper respiratory tract system.

Canine corona virus and feline infectious peritonitis are common corona virus disease in canines and felines. The vaccines are also available for both canines and felines since long ago. Some of the intrinsic or extrinsic factors lead to the mutation of these corona viruses that generally affects mammals and birds. Now the mutation gave birth to a noble or new strain of corona virus named COVID-19 that affects mostly humans. This noble corona virus or COVID -19 has no vaccine or guided treatment yet, that leads to a global pandemic. The COVID-19 has affected almost every dimension of production and services in almost all countries. Food and agriculture services is one the most affected services in this pandemic and leads to hunger crisis in most of the vulnerable community. This article elaborates about how this pandemic hit our agriculture and food security and roles of different organization like FAO, WFP, UNICEF and other governing bodies to manage the hunger crisis and achieving food security.

Introduction

In a joint statement by WHO, WTO and FAO, pandemic due to COVID-19 is affecting the food system and almost all the dimensions of food security all over the world. Restriction of the movement and measures like global lockdown hampers the transport chain, linked with food security leading to the hunger crisis in a group of community related to daily wages and services. Food Security according to the report of World Food Summit 1996 can be stated as when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, nutritious and safe food to meet their dietary food preferencefor an active and healthy life. Food availability, food access and food utilization are the three main pillars of community food security. The global impact of pandemic due of COVID-19 or other influenza virus hampers supply chain, transportation system and workforces. Breaking the backbone of the food security, symptoms like struggling import and export, less availability of local supplies and economic disruption indicates the very first sign of pandemic hit food security. Occupational community and some vulnerable group struggling with poverty are at great risk. It also includes farmers, who might be surviving by working on others land or by selling seeds or other essential products to the accessing markets. Millions of children who are missing mid-day meals are also worst affected group due to this pandemic. Countries while protecting the wide spread of disease should also ensure not to disrupt the food supply chain otherwise altering the balance between supply and demand will be creating shortage of goods and products globally resulting in price spikes and increased price volatility.

WFP (World Food Programme) in COVID-19 Pandemic

WFP stands for World Food Programme is a world’s largest humanitarian organization that works for addressing hunger and promotes food security; it is one of the food assistance branches under United Nations. In this pandemic situation WFP is doing a close monitoring over the potential change in adapting, preparing and scaling up to the needed. It is also helping about 87 million people by reducing reliance on negative coping mechanism. It is also working with hands on hands with government and some other non-governmental organizations to ensure the best support to the school children and their families to receive food and nutritional requirements during COVID-19 emergency. Its country office is currently analyzing the critical and most vulnerable population to provide the best support as possible. WFP also helps and guide employees about how to operate in the COVID-19 environment. It also provides other technical social implementation to protect socio-economic impact in this pandemic. Whereas itsmain goal is to ensure food security to the people affected in this pandemic.

FAO in COVID-19 Pandemic

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is also one of the specialized agencies under UN that works to defeat international hunger and to improve nutrition and food security. In this pandemic FAO is supporting the most vulnerable group (including school children and small scale farmers) and other low and middle incomes countries in preparedness and to mitigate the pandemic impact of food security, nutrition and livelihood in these population groups. The area like global food trade, markets, social protection, value chain and food waste is continuous compiling, curating and disseminating by FAO and the best practice options are used to mitigate the risk of food disruption system in this pandemic by COVID-19. It also provides the guidance on maintaining a healthy diet for both consumers and decision makers in pandemic.

UNICEF in COVID-19 Pandemic

UNICEF is also a United Nations agency that stands for United Nations Children’s Fund. It is one of the most widespread and recognizable social welfare organizations of the world. Currently it is working in 192 countries with the activities including immunization, enhancing childhood and maternal nutrition, promoting education and other health and welfare related to child right. In this pandemic due to COVID -19, UNICEF in education, currently focus on learning and supporting school children to ensure they receive something in this pandemic. It also works to provide access to essential health, education, protection to child, social protection and nutritional services on the humanitarian background to women and children. UNICEF also focuses to promote and protect diet, services and practice for the optimal nutrition, growth and development of the children. UNICEF’s with the help of governmental and NGO’s is also trying to simplify the approaches and protocols for the delivery of services to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in the vulnerable group.

Conclusion

This globe also fought with so many epidemic and pandemic like plague and cholera. In every case the mid and post pandemic scenario, the community fought with unstable food security and hunger crisis that leads to the death of so many people.In global aspect governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations should work together to promote the awareness and guidance in related to the pandemic or endemic kind of situation. Early preparedness for the potential events like restriction of movement of people, goods and services and its consequences like disruption of import, export and regional trade should be studied properly for overcoming the situation in future. Organizing a fair price shop, promoting home production, food preservation, stockpiling and distributing foods to most vulnerable people by maintaining social distance can help community to fight with the pandemic locally. Small or local shopkeepers should be facilitating with low cost credit arrangement with relief from negotiable short term debt for the flow of economy. Identification of the essential food commodities, maintaining its transport and supply to the community in fair cost with the help of local governing bodies can help society to combat hunger and achieving food security in pandemics.Proper monitoring and surveillance action should be taken on the phase basis of pandemic like pre pandemic, during pandemic and post pandemic to overcome the challenge in this type of situation. So, that the most affected group people can be least harmed. Government should also promote research and development in medical and veterinary field. People and children should be educated about different zoonotic and communicable disease through mass media or through education. In the concluding context, to overcome the hunger crisis and attaining the food security many organizations are working but prevention of the crisis is the best way to survive.

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