Pages: (39-60 )
Abstract
Current estimate of global food insecurity is that nearly 690 million people are hungry, or 8.9 percent of the world population. COVID-19 is expected to worsen the overall prospects for food security and nutrition adding between 83 and 132 million people to the total number of undernourished in the world. The study examined the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the state of global food security, the factors that drive food insecurity; and how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates the already poor state of food security. The study found that as COVID-19 pandemic is engulfing the world, it is also wreaking havoc on the world economy with multiple effects on people's reduced capacity to access healthy diets. Record levels of employment, lost livelihoods and rising poverty levels have caused healthy diets to become even more unaffordable for the more than 3 billion people. Therefore, the study recommends a combination of complementary policy interventions towards reducing the cost of nutritious foods and improving technology while enhancing the affordability of healthy diets.
Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic, food security, nutrition, hunger, social stability,