Dear Colleagues,
This article by Dr Late Lawson-Lartego offers some ideas on government
responses to ensure Food Security for the poor in the wake of COVID-19.
Briefly these include the following 10 points:
* Protect food supply chain and consider them essential services:
* Consider fiscal and monetary incentives: Governments should also
consider setting up incentives such as lifting VAT, duties and other
taxes imposed on food business to enable the supply chain to continue to
function properly without any huge interruption.
* Beyond calories - prioritize healthy diets: If food prices go up,
consumers may resort to changing their consumption habits or purchasing
less nutritious foods, which are often cheaper. Governments can help
with the accessibility of fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure they
remain part of a healthy diet. Encourage producers of fresh food and
provide them the needed incentive to stay in business and access to
markets while ensuring their protection and food safety.
* Use food reserves wisely and target appropriately: Governments
should monitor prices and release food from these reserves if prices
spike. Appropriate targeting should avoid political exclusion of certain
groups and elites. Women head of households, orphans, widows, refugees,
internally displaced people, senior citizens, the poor and other
vulnerable people should be the principal target of food distribution.
If possible, school feeding programs should be maintained.
* Keep food markets open while ensuring safety and social distancing:
The vast majority of Africans continue to buy their food in open
markets. Shutting down those marketplaces should be the last resort.
Instead, governments should deploy advice for food safety and ensure
social distancing in open markets.
* Use mobile cash transfer & protect the poor and the vulnerable:
Governments have the duty to protect the most vulnerable and poor people
in society [1]. Given the income lost due to the stay at home order and
the social distancing measures, governments should consider a minimum
monthly cash allocation to its population most at risk to enable them to
put food on the table and cover other basic needs.
* Protect farmers & food workers: Farmers and people who provide labor
to plant, harvest, should be supported and protected during the
pandemic. Delivery of subsidized input and other support should not be
interrupted, but be done in the safest manner. Other support functions
and business along the food chain should also be considered as essential
functions and be supported accordingly.
* Prioritize the needs of women and gender equality: Governments
should also ensure that all measures and policies are gender-sensitive
and do not further widen the gender gap.
* Instill a sense of solidarity in citizens: If appropriate,
governments should also consider fiscal incentives such as tax deduction
for individuals and businesses and other forms of public recognition and
celebration of generosity and solidarity.
* No export bans: Such export bans will drive up prices and encourage
panic buying or hoarding.
For the detailed narrative and justification for the proposed measures
please follow the full article on the link below;
https://www.agrilinks.org/post/10-recommendations-african-governments-e…
[2]
_Thanks,_
--
Baitsi K. Podisi(PhD)
_Research & Advisory Services Thematic Coordinator,_
_Center for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for
Southern Africa (CCARDESA) Secretariat_
_Plot 4701 Station Exit Road_
_Private Bag 00357, Gaborone_
_Botswana. _
Tel: +267 3914991/7
_Email: bpodisi__@ccardesa.org_
[3]| [4]| [5] | [6]
_For sharing and accessing regional agricultural information, visit the
CCARDESA Southern African Agricultural Information and Knowledge System
(SAAIKS) http://www.ccardesa.org/saaiks-knowledge-hub_ +267 3914997 Ext
211
Fax +267 316 7211
Links:
------
[1]
https://www.agrilinks.org/post/policy-systems-approach-agriculturally-l…
[2]
https://www.agrilinks.org/post/10-recommendations-african-governments-e…
[3] http://www.ccardesa.org/
[4] https://dgroups.org/groups/fara-rails/sadc-rails/ccardesa/join
[5] http://www.facebook.com/ccardesa
[6] http://www.twitter.com/ccardesaa
This article by Dr Late Lawson-Lartego offers some ideas on government
responses to ensure Food Security for the poor in the wake of COVID-19.
Briefly these include the following 10 points:
* Protect food supply chain and consider them essential services:
* Consider fiscal and monetary incentives: Governments should also
consider setting up incentives such as lifting VAT, duties and other
taxes imposed on food business to enable the supply chain to continue to
function properly without any huge interruption.
* Beyond calories - prioritize healthy diets: If food prices go up,
consumers may resort to changing their consumption habits or purchasing
less nutritious foods, which are often cheaper. Governments can help
with the accessibility of fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure they
remain part of a healthy diet. Encourage producers of fresh food and
provide them the needed incentive to stay in business and access to
markets while ensuring their protection and food safety.
* Use food reserves wisely and target appropriately: Governments
should monitor prices and release food from these reserves if prices
spike. Appropriate targeting should avoid political exclusion of certain
groups and elites. Women head of households, orphans, widows, refugees,
internally displaced people, senior citizens, the poor and other
vulnerable people should be the principal target of food distribution.
If possible, school feeding programs should be maintained.
* Keep food markets open while ensuring safety and social distancing:
The vast majority of Africans continue to buy their food in open
markets. Shutting down those marketplaces should be the last resort.
Instead, governments should deploy advice for food safety and ensure
social distancing in open markets.
* Use mobile cash transfer & protect the poor and the vulnerable:
Governments have the duty to protect the most vulnerable and poor people
in society [1]. Given the income lost due to the stay at home order and
the social distancing measures, governments should consider a minimum
monthly cash allocation to its population most at risk to enable them to
put food on the table and cover other basic needs.
* Protect farmers & food workers: Farmers and people who provide labor
to plant, harvest, should be supported and protected during the
pandemic. Delivery of subsidized input and other support should not be
interrupted, but be done in the safest manner. Other support functions
and business along the food chain should also be considered as essential
functions and be supported accordingly.
* Prioritize the needs of women and gender equality: Governments
should also ensure that all measures and policies are gender-sensitive
and do not further widen the gender gap.
* Instill a sense of solidarity in citizens: If appropriate,
governments should also consider fiscal incentives such as tax deduction
for individuals and businesses and other forms of public recognition and
celebration of generosity and solidarity.
* No export bans: Such export bans will drive up prices and encourage
panic buying or hoarding.
For the detailed narrative and justification for the proposed measures
please follow the full article on the link below;
https://www.agrilinks.org/post/10-recommendations-african-governments-e…
[2]
_Thanks,_
--
Baitsi K. Podisi(PhD)
_Research & Advisory Services Thematic Coordinator,_
_Center for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for
Southern Africa (CCARDESA) Secretariat_
_Plot 4701 Station Exit Road_
_Private Bag 00357, Gaborone_
_Botswana. _
Tel: +267 3914991/7
_Email: bpodisi__@ccardesa.org_
[3]| [4]| [5] | [6]
_For sharing and accessing regional agricultural information, visit the
CCARDESA Southern African Agricultural Information and Knowledge System
(SAAIKS) http://www.ccardesa.org/saaiks-knowledge-hub_ +267 3914997 Ext
211
Fax +267 316 7211
Links:
------
[1]
https://www.agrilinks.org/post/policy-systems-approach-agriculturally-l…
[2]
https://www.agrilinks.org/post/10-recommendations-african-governments-e…
[3] http://www.ccardesa.org/
[4] https://dgroups.org/groups/fara-rails/sadc-rails/ccardesa/join
[5] http://www.facebook.com/ccardesa
[6] http://www.twitter.com/ccardesaa
