Impact of Covid 19 on Food Security in Jamaica

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an active and healthy life. The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant threat to the food and nutrition security of millions globally. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020, prior to COVID-19, two billion people did not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food, and 690 million people were already undernourished; the pandemic can add as much as 132 million people to the category of undernourished in 2020.

Jamaica's Food and Nutrition Security Policy 2013 outlines that the weekly cost for a basket of the required 2,400 kilo calories for a family of five was raised to J$7,439 to meet the recommended dietary allowances. However, the standard minimum wage for Jamaicans is currently J$7,000.00 per 40-hour workweek, which has ramifications for the minimum standards being set. The Jamaica Health and Lifestyle III survey reported in 2018 that more than 70 per cent of the population had insufficient resources or access to safe, adequate, or nutritious foods. One in four women of reproductive age were anaemic, suggesting that micronutrient malnutrition is still a serious threat, alongside increasing incidence of overweight/obesity and related NCDs, brought about by demographic shifts in the population.

The pandemic has also resulted in an economic slowdown, increased unemployment, loss of income and remittances, resulting in loss of purchasing power which, when coupled with increasing food prices, present an urgent food security challenge. A recent joint analysis by global health authorities, including the FAO and WHO, highlighted that diet quality worsens as the severity of food insecurity increases. Studies have also implicated that people who suffer from moderate food insecurity, including loss of purchasing power, modify their diets by consuming more convenient, often cheaper, processed foods or by reducing food consumption to a level which may be inadequate to meet dietary needs.

A major challenge to food security is the current cost and affordability of healthy diets, which has been exacerbated by COVID-19, especially as the health impacts associated with poor diet quality are significant. Critical policy and investment changes will be needed to transform our current food systems to ensure Jamaicans can afford healthy diets and mitigate against the unprecedented health, social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for the vulnerable in the society, who face the greatest challenges.

Reorientation of agricultural priorities towards more nutrition-sensitive food and agricultural production will include public expenditure and investment in diversification of food production to reduce dependency on imported food; research, development and technology to increase the production and availability of healthy, nutritious food; and a focus on incentivising agricultural production for young farmers, including financial aid and subsidies.

Written by Dr Vanessa White-Barrow is head, School of Allied Health and Wellness and nutritionist, College of Health Sciences, University of Technology, Jamaica.Sunday Gleaner, October 11, 2020

1.How does food security impact economic development?(3 marks)

2.Besides unemployment, what are some of the socio-economic effects of the pandemic, not specifically named but implied in the article?(3 marks)

3.Briefly discuss the impact of these problems on our economic development. (6 marks)

4.What are the three objectives of sustainable development? Are these objectives being met given the impact of the pandemic?(8 marks)

5.How has the pandemic highlighted the challenges facing the agricultural sector and what measures would you recommend to address these challenges?(10 marks)