To counter the COVID-19 recession, we need to invest in food systems

The document assesses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global food supply chains and advocates for regional agricultural market integration to prevent future disruptions. It highlights the risks of food export restrictions and protectionism, which can lead to price spikes and social unrest. The authors propose three primary interventions: boosting regional integration in areas like Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia, establishing unified food safety standards, and investing in low-carbon, sustainable production models to reduce food waste and carbon footprints.

• Initial COVID-19 responses included movement restrictions and food export bans intended to prevent domestic price inflation and social unrest, though most of these protectionist measures were eventually removed.
• Regional integration of agricultural markets is an underexploited opportunity to increase resilience, specifically in Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the southern and eastern Mediterranean, by diversifying markets and enabling higher value-added activities.
• The African Continental Free Trade Agreement is critical for Africa to offset declining export demand from Europe, but its success depends on removing non-tariff barriers, such as those preventing Nigeria from exporting fertilisers within the continent.
• Improving food safety standards across Africa is essential for the viability of intra-regional trade, as foodborne diseases can spread across borders through the movement of people, animals, and food.
• Transitioning to regional food systems that incorporate low-carbon solutions, circular economy principles, and digital agricultural tools can reduce the carbon footprint of the sector and minimize the waste of fresh food caused by border closures.

APA

Torero, B. J. M. (2020). To counter the COVID-19 recession, we need to invest in food systems. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/food-water-air/how-we-can-build-more-resilient-and-sustainable-food-systems/

Chicago

Torero, Beata Javorcik, Máximo. To counter the COVID-19 recession, we need to invest in food systems. World Economic Forum, 2020. https://www.weforum.org/stories/food-water-air/how-we-can-build-more-resilient-and-sustainable-food-systems/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Torero |first1=Beata Javorcik, Máximo |title=To counter the COVID-19 recession, we need to invest in food systems |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=31 July 2020 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/food-water-air/how-we-can-build-more-resilient-and-sustainable-food-systems/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{torero2020counter, author = {Torero, Beata Javorcik, Máximo}, title = {{To counter the COVID-19 recession, we need to invest in food systems}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/food-water-air/how-we-can-build-more-resilient-and-sustainable-food-systems/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }