Responding to COVID-19 food disruptions in Africa: Update for the period of 1 July 2020 - 14 July 2020

INTRODUCTION

This situation report is a collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the University of Minnesota – Strategic Partnerships and Research Collaborative. The aim is to identify food system disruptions in Africa due to the COVID-19 by scanning and analyzing public, open-source information.

SUB-REGIONAL UPDATES

West Africa (SFW)

Burkina Faso

• A rise in jihadist violence in Burkina Faso is creating greater insecurity in northern Burkina Faso. Insurgents have focused their targeted attacks on farming groups such as the Moussi, Foulse, and Gourmantche.
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53333366 (07/08/20)

Côte d'Ivoire

• COVID-19 has impacted informal households increasing the amount of “extremely poor” households four-fold. The UNDP and national authorities’ assessment have reported 71.7 percent of the population surveyed has reported lower income and the poorest Ivorians have seen incomes plunge on average 30 percent. As this decrease in income will increase food insecurity in the country, monitoring and mitigating food shortages in partnership with trade unions, transport workers, and consumers was recommended.
  • https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/newscentre/news/2020/Cote_dIvoire_pandemic_prompts_surge_in_extreme_pover ty.html, (07/09/20)

The Gambia

• Less than 10 000 metric tons of certified sorghum and millet seeds will be available in the 2020 cropping season, falling far short of a projected demand of 100 000 metric tons.
  • https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2020/06/24/covid-19-disrupts-africas-seedsupply-threatening-food-security/ (06/24/20)