THE International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) warned of longer term threat on health food systems in Southeast Asia involving farmers, fishers, laborers, drivers, cold storage, food processors, retailers and consumers as the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to threaten the lives and livelihood of people in the region.
“The crisis is felt widely but unevenly. The impacts of the pandemic pose immense threats to the health of communities already struggling with hunger and on the livelihood of vulnerable groups including farmers,” said Matthew Morell, IRRI director general.
Jong-Jin Kim, officer-in-charge and deputy regional representative of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said collaborations for innovative research for development, investments in food systems and implementation of evidence-based policy measures are now crucial.
The experts said among the main challenges needed to be resolved immediately include multiple impacts felt by different groups in society primary food producers such as smallholder farmers and those who have been without an income for a significant period of time.
They added in the short term, the lack of economic access to food must be dealt with cash disbursements and free distribution of food but more would be required soon.
FAO and IRRI said while there are projections of sufficient rice stocks for the rest of 2020 in the wider Asia-Pacific region, the current measures needed to curb further COVID-19 outbreaks could cause disruptions to the supply chains critical to ensuring food security.
The organizations also said the impact of lockdowns and the interruption of free flow of goods and services combined with the lack of available labor has effectively raised the possibilities of longer term disruptions to daily life, livelihoods and cash on hand.
