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Food and nutrition crisis 2020
Act now & join forces for co-ordinated action
In support of the Regional Task Force led by ECOWAS together with UEMOA and CILSS, RPCA members are mobilising to act quickly and co-ordinate the implementation of various initiatives aimed at tackling the food and nutrition crisis 2020 in the context of COVID-19 and the persisting security crisis. This Information Hub facilitates the sharing of information on the evolution of the crisis, national response plans, regional and international initiatives, etc. It is the fruit of our collective work, which will evolve over time.
Summary
A severe food & nutrition crisis
Presentation | Country profiles (forthcoming)
- Some 11.4 million people are estimated to be in immediate need of assistance (phases 3-5) in March-May 2020 in the 13 countries analysed in the Sahel and West Africa region, including 5.1 million in Nigeria, 1.6 million in Niger and 1.6 million in Burkina Faso. The food and nutrition situation remains difficult in conflict-affected areas such as the Lake Chad basin, the Liptako-Gourma region as well as in northern and northwestern Nigeria.
- By June-August 2020, 17 million people (6.2%) are projected to be in a crisis situation or worse, including 1.2 million in an emergency situation (phase 4), if appropriate measures are not taken in the short term. This is more than double the number of people usually affected in an average year. This deterioration is mainly due to the security situation.
- The security crisis and the Covid-19 health crisis could tip over 51 million additional people (currently “stressed” – phase 2) into a food and nutrition crisis. Many measures aimed at tackling the health crisis have interconnected short-, medium- & long term impacts on food and nutrition security in the Sahel and West Africa.
- Acute malnutrition persists throughout the region and affects nearly 2.5 million children aged under 5 years of age in the Sahel. Poor nutritional practices, a lack of preventive action, closure of health centres and no standard treatment services for severe malnutrition are among the main causes.
Multiple crises
The region faces several crises simultaneously: security, food, health and a possible locust outbreak. The expected effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security are aggravating an already difficult situation. Some 50 million additional people could fall into a food and nutrition crisis.
In countries affected by the security crisis, state budgets continue to be under strain. Governments face difficult – if not impossible – budgetary trade-offs between security, health and food emergencies. There will be increased competition for resources between the health emergency and food assistance. Moreover, development partners face many challenges related to co-ordination and alignment.
Viewpoints:
- COVID-19 in West Africa: Multiple crises demand a new approach to co-operation, by Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, OECD Development Matters, 20 April 2020
- COVID-19 poses challenges to food security in Africa (French), by Laurent Bossard, Le Point Afrique, 16 April 2020
National response plans
Six countries (Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Chad, Mali, Niger and Senegal) have prepared response plans for 2020 with a total amount of over CFA francs 400 billion (EUR 61 million). Implementation will prove challenging given the serious budgetary difficulties of States and mobilisation of external resources. RPCA members urge States, with the support of their partners, to:
- Prioritise and accelerate response implementation for populations in crisis and emergency situations, including the prevention of acute malnutrition among children under 5 years of age;
- Update the 2020 food crisis response plans, taking into account the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Plan ahead and set up contingency plans for the desert locust threat;
- Take proactive monitoring and assistance measures for the 50 million people “under stress” who risk falling into a crisis due to the cumulative effects of COVID-19 and the security crisis.
Examples of national responses
Many countries are currently elaborating or updating national response plans to assist the most vulnerable populations, ensure a smooth functioning of local food systems and boost local agricultural production.
Burkina Faso: A network of shops with subsidised cereal prices
Mr Salifou Ouédraogo, Minister of Agriculture and Hydro-Agricultural Development, officially opened cereal outlets in Ouagadougou on 9 April 2020. These outlets, commonly known as “boutiques témoins”, facilitate access to cereals for vulnerable people at a subsidised price of 6 000 CFA per 50 kg-bag. Some 150 shops will gradually become operational throughout the country; 23 of the 33 outlets are already open in the Central region of Burkina Faso. About 10 tonnes of maize are expected to be sold per week in each shop. In total, the government intends to sell some 25 000 tonnes of cereals to vulnerable people. Find out more
Côte d’Ivoire: 300 billion CFA support plan for the agricultural sector
Mr Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, announced on 10 April 2020 a plan to support the agricultural sector with nearly 300 billion CFA (EUR 457.2 million) to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis. The plan foresees an investment of 50 billion CFA in order to help avoid a possible food crisis, including urgent measures (agricultural kits for producers) for April-June 2020. As for post-COVID-19 measures, the plan also aims to develop other production sites, build storage facilities, establish a national food reserve and promote ploughing and mechanical harvesting. The cash crop sector will benefit from an investment of 250 billion CFA to support key sectors such as cashew nut, cocoa, coffee, cotton, rubber and oil palm, which are heavily affected by the export freeze. Find out more
Mali: 8 billion CFA support plan for various segments of the agricultural sector
Ms Safia Boly, Mali’s Minister for Private Investment Promotion and Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises and Entrepreneurship, announced on 23 April 2020 a series of measures forvarious segments of the agricultural sector for a total amount of 8 billion CFA (EUR 12.2 million). The measures aim to strengthen the resilience of the sector’s key players in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Early Warning Unit of the Food Security Commission has published its first information bulletin to monitor the food and nutrition situation. Find out more
Niger: update of the national response plan
The National Food Crisis Prevention and Management System in Niger through its Early Warning System Co-ordination Unit conducted an analysis to take into account the impacts of COVID-19 on food and nutrition security. The analysis revealed that some 5.6 million people might be facing a crisis situation during the lean period in June-August 2020 (compared to 2 million people estimated earlier without taking into account the impacts of Covid-19). The government’s response plan targets 2.7 million people for the period June-August 2020, including 2.4 million in rural areas. Results of the analysis and response plan (French)
Nigeria: national response plan focused on nutrition issues and immediate conditional cash transfers
The Food and nutrition response plan focuses on nutrition issues to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 and prevent malnutrition among young children and other vulnerable groups. Moreover, President Muhammadu Buhari announced on 29 March 2020 that conditional cash transfers will be paid immediately for the next two months. Internally displaced persons shall receive two months of food rations in the coming weeks. All vehicles conveying food and other essential humanitarian items will be screened thoroughly before they are allowed to enter areas with restricted access. Find out more
Senegal: Food kits for 1 million vulnerable households
The Government of Senegal launched a large-scale operation at the end of April 2020 to support 1 million vulnerable households with foodkits, representing some 8 to 10 million people out of a population of 16 million. One kit consists of 100 kg of rice, 10 kg of soap, sugar, oil and pasta, worth 66 000 CFA (EUR 100). With a budget of 69 billion CFA (EUR 105 million), the operation aims to mitigate against some of the effects of COVID-19. Find out more
Togo: An agricultural response plan to support Togolese farmers
Mr Noël Koutera Bataka, Togolese Minister of Agriculture, Animal Production and Fisheries, announced on 27 April 2020, an agricultural response plan to the COVID-19 pandemic aimed at increasing production levels. The plan is composed of three pillars and takes into account support measures for the 2020-21 agricultural campaign: 1) support for agricultural equipment (ploughing, stump removal and irrigation kits); 2) promotion of better labour mobility through a dedicated agency; and 3) subsidised credits for inputs at 0% interest rate targeting nine crops (cotton, maize, rice, soybean, sesame, ginger, tomato, onion and chilli). Find out more
National response plans and COVID-19 specific measures
- Benin: COVID-19 measures and responses – Government information hub (French)
- Burkina Faso: Plan de préparation et de riposte à l’épidémie de COVID-19 au Burkina Faso, version révisée, March 2020 (French)
- Côte d’Ivoire: Government information hub with info flashes (French)
- Ghana: President Akufo-Addo on updates to Ghana’s enhanced response to COVID-19, 9 April 2020 | Economic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the economy of Ghana, 30 March 2020
- Guinea: Economic response plan to the COVID-19 health crisis, 7 April 2020 (French)
- Liberia: Address to the nation by President George Weah, 8 April 2020
- Mali: Action plan for the prevention and response to COVID-19, April 2020 (French)
- Niger: Results of the analysis of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security (French), April 2020
- Nigeria: Food and nutrition response plan for the COVID-19 pandemic, April 2020; Address by President Buhari on the extension of COVID-19 pandemic l0ckdown at the State House, Abuja, 13 April 2020
- Sierra Leone: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advisory for Residents of Sierra Leone, 13 March 2020
- Togo: Government information hub (French)
Regional responses
ECOWAS and UEMOA are supporting their Member States in managing the current health emergency while setting up support for member countries to address the food and nutrition crisis. The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) is leading the regional response to COVID-19 in terms of co-ordination, collaboration and communication across the 15 Member States of ECOWAS. Moreover, ECOWAS ministers in charge of agriculture decided to set up a Regional Task Force to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 on food and nutrition security and support decision-making, in close collaboration with UEMOA and CILSS.
AfDB
- USD 10 billion Response Facility, announced on 8 April 2020, aimed at helping African countries to fast-track their efforts to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19. The Facility entails USD 5.5 billion for sovereign operations in member countries, USD 3.1 billion for sovereign and regional operations for countries under the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional arm that caters to fragile countries and USD 1.4 billion for private sector operations
African Union
- COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, providing regular updates and briefings on the situation on the African continent
BCEAO
- COVID Facility, including measures for additional liquidity of CFA francs 340 billion (EUR 520 million), company rating of 1 700 companies and an interest-subsidy fund.
BOAD
ECOWAS
- Regional Strategic Plan with an indicative budget of USD 51 million;
- Purchase of critical medical supplies and equipment for Member States including test kits, personal protective equipment and medicine;
- Co-ordination across the African Taskforce for COVID-19; Reference Laboratory Technical Working Group and the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC);
- Dissemination of a weekly epidemiological bulletin to Member States ministries of health, directors of national public health institutes and partners.
UEMOA
- Creation of a Monitoring Committee on the evolution of COVID-19 to support decision-making.
International initiatives
The international development community has launched substantial international responses to the pandemic. The various initiatives will require sustained action by many actors to address the immediate public health and humanitarian crisis and simultaneous support for economic, environmental and social resilience. Co-ordination and alignment with the region’s priorities are of paramount importance, as underlined by the Joint Statement of the OECD Development Assistance Committee.
Multilateral initiatives
EU
- Team Europe package, launched on 28 March 2020, to support partner countries with more than EUR 15.6 billion from existing programmes. The total support is set to reach more than EUR 20 billion. The support package is designed for most vulnerable countries in Africa, but also for EU’s neighbourhood and other parts of the world. Updates on EU-COVID-19 Actions
- Burkina Faso: ~ 1 EUR million EU support for the implementation of short-term health priorities, aligned with the national health response plan. Op-ed of EU Ambassador Wolfram Vetter
- Nigeria: N21 billion Naira (EUR 50 million) EU support for co-ordinated implementation of the 10 key pillars of the National COVID-19 Response Plan
- EU-UN Spotlight Initiative in Nigeria works against gender-based violence during the COVID-19.
FAO
- FAO’s component of the Global COVID-19 Humanitarian Response Plan, including a Big Data Tool on food chains under the COVID-19 pandemic, currently under development; three support programmes worth USD 100 million, to stabilise incomes and access to food, ensure continuity of the critical food supply chain for the most vulnerable populations and prevent new infections; partnership with the WHO.
- COVID-19 Policy Brief series and sharing of experiences via blogs.
IMF
- Immediate debt relief for 11 countries in the Sahel and West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone and Togo) to help them address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, announced on 13 April 2020.
Sahel Alliance
- Press review on Sahelian countries focusing on the fight against COVID-19
UNICEF
- Launch of communication campaigns to promote safe behaviour and proposals on how to talk with children about the disease
- Adaption of cash transfer programmes to reach children in response to the crisis as well as rapidly expanding access to healthcare and other services.
UNOCHA
- COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan for the world’s poorest countries and most vulnerable people.
WFP
- Maintenance of life-saving food assistance to millions of people across the region despite the challenging environment;
- Launch of remote surveys to analyse the new food and nutrition situation
- Setting-up of a global logistics hub in response to the paralysed air transport, 1 May 2020
- Weekly situation reports highlighting WFP operations.
World Bank Group
- COVID-19 emergency health support, strengthening developing country responses (Cabo Verde, Ghana, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone).
- Broader economic programme worth USD 160 billion planned over the next 15 months.
- Regular briefs and updates on food security and COVID-19
Bilateral initiatives
- France: “COVID-19 – Common health” Initiative, launched by AFD, to support African countries tackling the health crisis. The initiative has a budget of EUR 1.2 billion to be spent by July 2021: EUR 1 billion in loans to support short-term challenges of partner countries and development banks; and EUR 150 million in grants. Interview with Rémy Rioux, AFD Director-General
COVID-19 impacts on food and nutrition security
Many measures aimed at tackling the health crisis have interconnected short-, medium- & long term impacts on food and nutrition security in the Sahel and West Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic affects food systems directly through impacts on food supply and demand, supply chain disruptions, possible collapse of local food systems but also indirectly through loss of incomes and employment, reduced social services, etc. Moreover, livelihoods of most vulnerable populations might be seriously deteriorated in the long term. While it is difficult to analyse the impacts of measures separately, we propose to look at some of the key impacts.
Mobility restrictions and border closures
Airports are nearly all closed for international passenger flights. Exemptions include flight related to humanitarian aid, medical and relief flights. Most of the land borders are closed or only open for essential trade. Country-internal transport is also slowed down or blocked by various mobility restrictions. Many food insecure areas are hard-to-reach, which makes it difficult to analyse the situation and to deliver assistance. Humanitarian access is now becoming even more difficult facing additional logistics hurdles which impede the timely delivery of urgent humanitarian and food assistance. Moreover, restriction on internal and cross-borders movement limit markets access and also hamper intra-regional trade in seeds, inputs and fertilizers, which is vital to prepare the next agricultural season. Current restrictions | Food Export Restriction Tracker
Curfews and lockdowns
Many countries have established night-time curfews (i.e. Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Senegal, Togo, etc.) or total movement bans in key cities (Nigeria). While both measures are difficult to enforce involving the intervention of armed forces, they already have a strong impact, notably on informal urban food trade. It will be important to monitor the food security and nutrition status of urban populations. Moreover, curfews and closing contribute to increasing the unemployment levels, particularly affecting most vulnerable groups who have fewer resources to cope with the loss of income, higher food prices and other impacts of the crisis. Viewpoints: COVID-19 lockdowns threaten Africa’s vital informal urban food trade and Curfews are a safer plan than total lockdowns to slow Covid-19’s spread in informal economies
Market closures
At least two-thirds of food needs in the region are met by markets. Many markets have been closed or operate with reduced activity. Smallholder farmers incomes are shrinking and their purchasing power is decreasing due to important harvests loss. Market closures also represents a significant income loss for many other actors of the food supply chain. Closure of non-essential trade, closure or restriction of markets, mobility restrictions, etc. might lead to supply chain disruptions, significant loss of income, and severe deterioration of livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations. The Covid-19 crisis could quickly put a strain on the food supply chains, a “complex web of interactions involving farmers, agricultural inputs, processing plants, shipping, retailers and more”.
- Markets update during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Risk to food supply chains
- Economic and market impact analysis
Global measures impacting local economies
Food commodities prices have been volatile throughout 2019 requiring close monitoring. While the imported rice price decreased by more than 10% compared to the five-year average in many West African countries, import bans and border closures (unrelated to Covid-19) caused imported rice prices to increase by more than 30% in Nigeria. Moreover, consumer price index for food is at its highest since 2008 in the UEMOA area. In addition to seasonal price increases during the lean season, Covid-19-related price increases and supply restrictions or disruptions could aggravate food insecurity, particularly for import dependent countries. Countries with a production deficit (i.e. Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone) already experience rising prices of dry cereals as stocks decline.
School closures
Nationwide school closures are now in force in all 17 countries of the Sahel and West Africa region. The closure of schools has a negative impact on the nutrition of school children who no longer benefit from regular school feeding and nutrition services during the pandemic. According to WFP data, more than 20 million children in the Sahel and West Africa are missing out on school meals.
Analyses
Impacts on food and nutrition security
- Impacts of COVID-19 on food and nutrition security in the Sahel and West Africa (French), CILSS/AGRHYMET, May 2020
- Update on the impact of COVID-19 on food and nutrition security in West and Central Africa, WFP, April 2020
- Markets update during the COVID-19 pandemic, WFP, April 2020
- COVID-19: Global threats on food systems, European Commission (DEVCO/JRC), April 2020
- COVID-19 and food security, The World Bank, update of 30 April 2020 | Annex
- COVID-19 and the Food and Agriculture Sector: Issues and Policy Responses, OECD, April 2020
- Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN), High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and nutrition (HLPE), 24 March 2020
- Economic and market impact analysis of COVID-19 on West and Central Africa, WFP, 30 March 2020
- Economic and food security implications of the COVID-19 outbreak, An update with insights from different regions, WFP, 14 April 2020
- Economic and food security implications of the COVID-19 outbreak, The cost of the attempt to contain a highly contagious disease, WFP, March 2020
Socio-economic impacts
- Impact of the coronavirus (Covid-10) on the African economy, April 2020
- Africa’s Pulse: Assessing the economic impact of Covid-19 and policy responses in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Potential socio-economic impacts of coronavirus on West Africa, UNECA, 18 March 2020
- Social protection and COVID-19 response in rural areas, FAO, April 2020
- COVID-19: A Gender Lens, UNFPA, March 2020
Key documents
ACF
- Monitoring of the impacts of Covid-19 on pastoral and agro-pastoral households, May 2020
- Advocacy note on the immediate impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security in the Sahelian and West African countries (French), ACF, FAO, WFP, UNICEF and partners, April 2020
African Union
- Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19 Outbreak, March 2020
- Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the African economy, April 2020
CILSS
- Impacts of COVID-19 on food and nutrition security in the Sahel and West Africa, no. 3, July 2020
- Impacts of COVID-19 on food and nutrition security in the Sahel and West Africa, no. 2, June 2020
- Impacts of COVID-19 on food and nutrition security in the Sahel and West Africa (French), No 1. May 2020
CSOs
- Echoes of the rural world, July 2020
- Risk of rising death toll in West Africa: Covid-19 meets hunger, Action Against Hunger, DRC, NRC, Oxfam, Solidarités internationales and Save the Children, April 2020
- Monitoring and Action Committee to engage networks of farmers, pastoralists and civil society, APESS, RBM, ROPPA, April 2020
ECOWAS
- ECOWAS regional consultation of agricultural ministers, 31 March 2020 (French)
- ECOWAS Communiqué on the fight against the coronavirus disease, no. 2, 6 April 2020
- ECOWAS Communiqué on WAHO providing financial and material support to ECOWAS Member States to fight COVID-19, 1 April 2020
- ECOWAS Communiqué on “ECOWAS provides support to member states in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, 21 March 2020
EU
- COVID-19: Global threats on food systems, European Commission (DEVCO/JRC), April 2020
FAO
- Addressing the impacts of COVID-19 in food crises, April 2020
- Anticipating the impacts of COVID-19 in humanitarian and food crisis contexts, April 2020
- Agri-food markets and trade policy in the time of COVID-19, April 2020
- Social protection and COVID-19 response in rural areas, April 2020
- COVID-19 and the risk to food supply chains: How to respond?, March 2020
- More FAO policy briefs
- Advocacy note on the immediate impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security in the Sahelian and West African countries (French), ACF, FAO, WFP, UNICEF and partners, April 2020
Global Network against Food Crises | Food Security Information Network
- 2020 Global Report on Food Crisis, April 2020
OECD and SWAC
- When a global virus meetslocal realities:Coronavirus (COVID-19) in West Africa, May 2020
- COVID-19 and Africa: Socio-economic implications and policy responses, May 2020
- COVID-19, crises and fragility, April 2020
- Developing countries and development co-operation: What is at stake?, April 2020
- COVID-19 and the Food and Agriculture Sector: Issues and Policy Responses, April 2020
- Joint Statement by the OECD Development Assistance Committee, April 2020
Oxfam
- Food security and COVID-19 in the Sahel, April 2020
- Risk of rising death toll in West Africa: Covid-19 meets hunger, Action Against Hunger, DRC, NRC, Oxfam, Solidarités internationales and Save the Children, April 2020
- Cross-cutting challenges of social food safety nets: how to better fight hunger in the Sahel?, August 2018
- Advocacy note for social food safety nets in West Africa, August 2018
RPCA
- RPCA Policy Brief 2020, 22 April 2020
- Summary of conclusions, RPCA virtual meeting, 2 April 2020
- Steering Committee communiqué, 6 April 2020
SUN-Movement-Nutrition
- COVID-19 and Nutrition, Information Note, 8 April 2020
- COVID-19 and Nutrition, Advocacy Messages, April 2020
UNECA
UNICEF
- UNICEF Social Protection Response to COVID-19, March 2020
- Advocacy note on the immediate impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security in the Sahelian and West African countries (French), ACF, FAO, WFP, UNICEF and partners, April 2020
WFP
- Persistent conflicts, loss of agricultural land and recurrent food insecurity in the Liptako-Gourma region, July 2020
- Update on the impact of COVID-19 on food and nutrition security in West and Central Africa, April 2020
- Markets update during the COVID-19 pandemic, April 2020
- Covid-19: Potential impact on the world’s poorest people: A WFP analysis of the economic and food security implications of the pandemic, April 2020
- Economic and Market Impact analysis of COVID-19 on West and Central Africa, 30 March 2020
- Mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition of schoolchildren, April 2020
- Advocacy note on the immediate impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security in the Sahelian and West African countries (French), ACF, FAO, WFP, UNICEF and partners, April 2020
World Bank
- COVID-19 and food security, The World Bank, update of 4 June 2020 | Annex
- COVID-19 and food security, The World Bank, update of 30 April 2020 | Annex
- Africa’s Pulse: Assessing the economic impact of COVID-19 and policy responses in Sub-Saharan Africa
Data visualisation
Food and nutrition security
- Food and nutrition situation, Cadre harmonisé analysis, RPCA
- COVID-19-Hunger Analytics Hub
- Hunger Map, WFP
- Food Export Restriction Tracker, IFPRI
- COVID-19 Food Price Monitor, IFPRI
- Global Monitoring of School Meals During COVID-19 School Closures, WFP
COVID-19 situation updates
- COVID-19 Monitoring and Analysis Capacity, SWAC/OECD
- COVID-19 Dashboard, AU-CDC
- COVID-19 ECOWAS-WAHO Regional Update
- COVID-19 Dashboard, John Hopkins University
COVID-19 policy responses
Viewpoints
English version | French version
Articles
- COVID-19 could not have come at a worse time for vulnerable communities across West Africa, by Coumba Sow, April 2020
- COVID-19 in the Sahel: are the remedies worse than the disease? (French), Leslie Varenne, April 2020
- Coronavirus risks worsening a food crisis in the Sahel and West Africa, Leena Hoffmann, May 2020
- IFPRI’s new COVID-19 Food Price Monitor tracks warning signs of stress in local markets, Manuel Hernandez, Soonho Kim, Brendan Rice and Rob Vos, May 2020
- COVID-19 in West Africa: Multiple crises demand a new approach to co-operation, by Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, OECD Development Matters, 20 April 2020
- COVID-19 poses challenges to food security in Africa (French), Le Point Afrique, by Laurent Bossard, 16 April 2020
- Will COVID-19 cause another food crisis? An early review, IFPRI blog, bu Johan Swinnen, 10 April 2020
- COVID-19 in developing countries, multilateral cooperation is vital, Ideas4Development, by Mario Pezzini, OECD Development Centre, 7 April 2020
- Global response to COVID-19 in Africa must protect lives, livelihoods, and freedoms, OECD Development Matters, by E. Gyimah-Boadi, Board Chairman and interim CEO of Afrobarometer, and Carolyn Logan, Director of Analysis for Afrobarometer, April 2020
- COVID-19 lockdowns threaten Africa’s vital informal urban food trade, IFPRI blog, by Danielle Resnick, 31 March 2020
- Should we fear the worst?, by Abel Gbètoénonmon, Afrique Performance, L’Économiste, 23 March 2020
- In West African coronavirus hot spot, war has left 700 000 homeless and exposed, The Intercept, by Nick Turse, 18 March 2020
- As COVID-19 spreads, no major concern for global food security yet, IFPRI blog, by Rob Vos, Will Martin and David Laborde, 10 March 2020
Interviews
- Ibrahima Coulibaly : « L’agriculture à petite échelle peut nourrir nos pays », interview with Ibrahim Coulibaly, May 2020
- In Africa, Coronavirus adds to stress of food shortages, VOA, by Nicolas Pinault, including comments from Issoufou Baoua, CILSS and Sékou Sangaré, ECOWAS Commissioner, 16 April 2020
- « Nous ne devons pas sous-estimer les capacités des systèmes africains », interview with Rémy Rioux, AFD Director-General, La Tribune Afrique 15 April 2020
- Coronavirus : « Un scénario catastrophe est de l’ordre du possible » (French), interview with Laurent Bossard, SWAC/OECD Secretariat, Jeune Afrique, 2 April 2020
About the Technical Unit
Faced with this unprecedented crisis, the members of the RPCA Steering Committee decided to create a technical unit to support the regional task force, set up by the regional organisations (ECOWAS, UEMOA and CILSS), in its efforts to monitor and support decision-making.
Its mission is to:
- Collect, summarise and disseminate information on the evolution of the crisis, national response plans, regional and international initiatives, etc.;
- Capitalise and communicate on the analyses conducted by stakeholders, and draw recommendations for decision-makers;
- Disseminate the work of the Cadre harmonisé technical committee providing updates on the areas and numbers of people at risk of food and nutrition insecurity.
In a nutshell, the technical unit aims to make sure that food and nutrition security issues are taken into account in COVID-19 response strategies, including measures to revive and boost agri-food systems. Building on the PREGEC Charter, the work will also contribute to promoting alignment and a co-ordinated implementation of different initiatives with a view to improving their effectiveness and impact.
RPCA Steering Committee Communiqué | Summary of conclusions
Members of the Technical Unit
Co-ordinated by the two co-facilitators of the RPCA, CILSS and the SWAC/OECD Secretariat, the technical unit relies on contributions from focal points designated by RPCA members.
As of 12 June 2020, the following RPCA members have appointed focal points:
Regional organisations
Countries
International development partners & networks
Information Systems
Civil society organisations