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A new tool allows comparison of unfolding pandemic control and assistance measures in developing countries.  

Climate Home News published an article on how the COVID-19 health crisis has heightened inequities of food availability and nutrition and that the upcoming 2021 Food System Summit aims to boost resilience and sustainability. The article quotes evidence from IFPRI’s COVID-19 Food Trade Policy Tracker that showed 21 countries that have responded to the pandemic with export restrictions. 

ReliefWeb published an article on concerns about the longer-term health of the subregion’s food systems –involving farmers, fishers, laborers, drivers, cold storage, food processors, retailers, and consumers–in the midst of battling the COVID-19 pandemic.  Both FAO and IFPRI have projected sufficient rice stocks for the rest of 2020 in the wider Asia-Pacific region, the current measures needed to […]

Food Tank Live presented a podcast interview with Senior Research Fellow and former Director General of CIAT, Ruben Echeverria. He discusses the global south and developing countries where farmers faced a slew of challenges before COVID-19 and now even more. Echeverria says, “Every crisis is an opportunity to rethink things. The new generation thinks that food comes from somewhere; they’ve lost the connection […]

Economia published an article on ways in which the coronavirus is not a disease of equality. Be it race or income, some groups fare better than others during this pandemic. An IFPRI study shows that with the 1% drop in world activity – more optimistic than recent projections of a 3% decline in the global economy – the […]

Agriculture.com (China) reported that some Chinese trade advisers are arguing that Beijing should invalidate the Phase One trade agreement that de-escalated the Sino-U.S. trade war as retaliation for a U.S. coronavirus blame campaign. Senior Research Fellow Joseph Glauber said, “This is mostly saber-rattling in response to (President Trump’s) saber-rattling.”

Agro Meat (Argentina) published an article on comments made by Senior Research Fellow Joseph Glauber on the US-China trade agreements. Glauber said, “The two most important problems facing US exporters of agricultural products in the coming months are whether China is meeting its purchase commitments under the phase one trade agreement and what effect the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) will have on world trade. Glauber doubts whether China would […]

Daily Hunt (India) published an article on the social protections set up in India to deal with the economic hardships brought on my COVID-19. The government claimed its interventions protected those vulnerable, but several experts differ. Research Fellow, Anjani Kumar stated that “The government should not fear duplication or ineligible individuals getting relief. If the government was interested in including […]

3tres3.com announced the COVID-19 Food Trade Policy Tracker, a new tool developed by IFPRI tracks restrictions on food trade and assesses their effects on food availability. 

i21st (China) reported on the WFP’s warning about the COVID-19 health crisis leading to a global food crisis. Director General Johan Swinnen’s statement to the New York Times was cited. “There is no global food shortage or mass famine from the pandemic, yet. But logistics problems in planting, harvesting, and transporting food will leave poor countries unprotected in the coming months, […]

Panama America published an article on how COVID-19 will disrupt the food supply and potentially cause global food shortages. Director General Johan Swinnen stated “There is no global food shortage or mass famine from the pandemic, yet. But logistics problems in planting, harvesting, and transporting food will leave poor countries unprotected in the coming months, especially those dependent on imports.” Systems […]

Global Diaspora News published an article on food systems in India during and in the aftermath of COVID-19. The article quoted Director General Johan Swinnen’s remarks from the New York Times, “While the system of food distribution and retailing in rich nations is organized and automated, systems in developing countries are ‘labor intensive,’ making these supply chains much more vulnerable to COVID-19 […]

Kompasiana (Indonesia) published an article on the long-term impact of COVID-19. An IFPRI study that was conducted by 30 survey institutions focused on Africa and South Asia finding that a reduction in global GDP of around 1% will add poverty to 14-22 million people. 

The Nation (Malawi) published an article stating In the April Maize Market report, IFPRI stated that preliminary findings from the Institute’s countrywide maize price crowd sourcing activity showed that 69 percent of participating farmers sold their produce at 12 percent below the minimum farm gate price of K200 per kilogram. 

Dhaka Tribune published an article on the government procurement plan and boro rice. IFPRI carried out a study through its USAID-funded Policy Research and Strategy Support Program (PRSSP) in Bangladesh with the Ministry of Agriculture commissioning the task. The Study notes that each year the food department buys far more rice than paddy under its food procurement program. Senior Research Fellow, Country Representative, […]

Dhaka Tribune reported on the recent open letter addressed to the United Nations, G-20, and all national governments sent by food security advocates who called for urgent action to ensure that adequate credit and agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides) are available when and where needed to strengthen the ability of the farmers to deliver. Derek Bylerlee, Vice-Chair, Board […]

The Clarin (Argentina) published an article stating that Argentina entered quarantine with 35.5% of its population submerged in poverty. COVID-19 has increased poverty. For Head of Latin America and the Caribbean Program Eugenio Díaz-Bonilla questions what comes next. “The IMF foresees a rapid recovery; other economists believe that it will be slower and the most pessimistic think that we will be in a […]

La Nacion reported on a video conference among economists, businessmen, and academics organized by the Fauba Bioeconomy Directorate, led by Fernando Vilella, the UCA, the Latin American Center for Globalization and Prospective and The Millennium Project. Head of Latin America and the Caribbean Program Eugenio Díaz-Bonilla was among the leaders who debated proposals on the situation in Argentina and the world in the context […]

The Africa Report published an op-ed by Senior Research Fellow James Thurlow who writes, “It is too soon to assess the full economic impacts that COVID-19 lockdowns will have on developing countries. But early research indicates that many African economies are significantly impacted and that poorer households are struggling.” He states that though it is early into the research of […]

The Hill (USA) published an op-ed by Senior Research Fellow Ruben Eccheverria. He writes, “from panic-buying in Europe to bans on rice exports in Asia and rising food prices in Africa, the fragility of our global food system has been exposed by the coronavirus pandemic. …Yet, out of the urgency and necessity created by the shock of COVID-19, we have […]