How to minimize the impact of Coronavirus on food security.

How to minimize the impact of Coronavirus on food security“The economic consequences of this disease could end up hurting more people than the disease itself.” Avoiding protectionism, monitoring prices and supporting the vulnerable through social safety nets can limit the impact of the outbreak.In the past few weeks, as the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection spread to reach pandemic proportions, we have developed an obsession with figures and statistics — how many new cases have been reported from how many countries? How is the infection curve growing? What is the mortality rate and how does that compare with that of ‘normal’ flu? But these are not the only numbers keeping people awake at night. While still uncertain in its magnitude, the economic impact of the outbreak is of great concern too. While the food and agricultural sector should in principle be less affected than others, illness-related labour shortages, transport interruptions, quarantine measures limiting access to markets and supply chain disruptions resulting in food loss and waste could affect supply. On the demand side, a loss of purchasing power caused by the disease could change people’s eating patterns, resulting in poorer nutrition. Panic purchases of food — as those recently witnessed in countries around the world — could break the supply chain and cause localized price hikes. Apart from the food security implications of a COVID-19-triggered economic slowdown, an extensive spread of the disease in a poorer and more food insecure country could take a heavier toll on the economy than in those currently affected.