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Press Release Point published an article on how the COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis: it is affecting societies and economies. IFPRI estimates (blog post, Poverty and food insecurity could grow dramatically as COVID-19 spreads), for example, that 140 million additional people could fall into poverty this year as a result of the virus. 

Indian Express reported on the release of the 2020 Global Food Policy Report’s findings: Food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty may escalate, particularly among marginalized people in the developing world due to the rapid spread of coronavirus. Director General Johan Swinnen stated “the spread of COVID-19 has highlighted how vulnerable we all can be to global shocks. Food systems provide opportunities to improve […]

Naver (South Korea) published an article on the stockpiling of food due to labor and trade restrictions. Food is an area where consumption cannot be reduced by rising prices. Therefore, if food production is reduced by only 10%, the price can rise by 30% and 50%. Senior Research Fellow Joe Glauber pointed out that the recent situation “can […]

Financial Express (India) published an op-ed by South Asia Region Director Shahidur Rashid and Research Analyst Nahian Bin Khaled how Bangladesh can offer price stabilization to the urban poor. Bangladesh is known for social protection schemes for the rural poor. The original rollout to help urban poor still needs to work out problems. The government can begin by identifying, listing, and registering to […]

Politico published blurb in their “Morning Agriculture” feature. Senior Research Fellow Joseph Glauber was quoted on trade barriers: So far, 16 countries have implemented export restrictions, representing about 7 percent of the global grain trade, but the barriers are less restrictive than those that were imposed during past economic crises. “What would be a concern is, as we […]

Daily Star (Bangladesh) published an article on the rice market and how the government plans to double Boro paddy procurement amid outbreak but farmers doubt if it will benefit all of them. The government has engaged IFPRI  to come up with the most effective ways of procuring paddy that will benefit farmers, said Akhter Ahmed, country representative of IFPRI-Bangladesh. 

Manila Times published an article on rice supplies in the Philippines. Rice is important for food security in the Asia-Pacific region and it behooves governments to remember the lessons from the 2007-2008 crisis and not indulge in panic reactions such as restricting exports or hoarding. IFPRI has projected sufficient rice stocks for the rest of 2020 even though the new […]

Radio Free Press (China) published an article about food security in China. Senior Research FellowJoseph Glauber was interviewed. He stated, “It is particularly important that countries should avoid formulating hostile trade policies, because the problems it creates may grow like snowballs. Everyone needs to sit down and deal with the current situation calmly, and this can be done by […]

Economic Times (India) published an article on how the coronavirus has done more than disrupt supply chains. At least 10 countries have introduced restrictions on overseas sales of grains or rice since mid-March, according to IFPRI’s COVID-19 Food Trade Policy Tracker, and while many of those actions might not stick, that such threats were made at all serves as […]

San Jose Mercury News published an article on the COVID-19 pandemic and vulnerabilities to farmworkers and the food supply. Former Director General Shenggen Fan stated that “COVID-19 is a health crisis. But it could also lead to a food security crisis if proper measures are not taken.” Republished in East Bay Times, Center for Health Journalism 

Caijing (China) reported on the recent Group of Twenty (G20) emergency video conference to discuss food security issues under the epidemic. IFPRI described the current situation as potential for an artificial crisis to be created. According to the researcher’s statistics, as of now, in terms of calories, food export restrictions have affected about 1% of the world’s food […]

La Gazette du Labortoire (France) published an article on resources on COVID-19 and its impact. Among those involved in compiling resources and representing various resources needed is Senior Research Fellow Xiaobo Zhang.

News Release from various senators including Senator Moran (Virginia) discuss the importance of funding global food programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The news release quotes IFPRI researchers, “estimating that this economic slowdown could force another 20 to 30 million people into extreme poverty. In the case of major disruptions to global trade, food export from sub-Saharan Africa may […]

Business Mirror (The Philippines) published an article on how the Philippines must invest to improve its data system as a tool to prevent food crises as it is currently blind on the extent and degree of food insecurity in the country, according to the 2020 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC). The GRFC is a joint assessment of acute […]

Masress.com (Egypt) published an article based on Senior Research Fellow Clemens Breisinger et al.’s blog post, Economic impact of COVID-19 on tourism and remittances: Insights from Egypt. Lower tourist spending will affect not only hotels, restaurants, taxi enterprises, and tourist guides, but also food processing and agriculture. The expected reduction in tourism will have the strongest effect on households, making up more […]

Down To Earth (India) wrote an article about grain shortages in Chitrakoot, India. The blog post, How India’s food-based safety net is responding to the COVID-19 lockdown was quoted, “COVID-19 exposes a harsh reality: An inadequate and uneven safety net may leave many from these economically vulnerable groups without access to food and other services.” Republished in Daily Hunt (India) 

News24.com (South Africa) reported on fears people have about the food supply. Evidence from IFPRI suggests that the impact of COVID-19 on food supply chains in developing countries will be felt widely, but evenly. In the IFPRI blog post, How COVID-19 may disrupt food supply chains in developing countries, “Farm operations may be spared the worst, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) […]

EAPN Portugal published an article on how COVID-19 will cause a rise in poverty and a possible global food crisis. Stocks are adequate for now, but bottlenecks in distribution are beginning to occur, while the shadow of protectionism looms over limits imposed on exports. Senior Research Fellow Joseph Glauber, an associate researcher at IFPRI, said in this regard to Bloomberg: […]

Ghana Times reported on the COVID-19 pandemic. A community spread of the pandemic in Ghana could create a situation comparable to the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak which disrupted food systems and increased food insecurity in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea between 2013 and 2016. The 2018 IFPRI Report,  Competitiveness of the Ghanaian vegetable sector, reported increasing annual imports […]

Medical News reported on IFPRI’s 2020 Global Food Policy Report and its findings and recommendations. Johan Swinnen, the report’s lead author and IFPRI’s director general, says that “control measures such as limited interactions that countries have been implementing since the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic last month (11 March) are interfering with economic activities worldwide.” He adds, “vulnerable groups can contribute […]