THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is posing an exceptional and unprecedented challenge for the competent authorities responsible for operating national food safety control systems, which has created barriers to the further implementation of standard functions and activities in accordance with national regulations and international recommendations. In many countries, authorities have often had to work from home, and all face-to-face meetings have been canceled or structured as teleconferences. While it is difficult to predict the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food safety in the short and long term, some risk factors can already be identified, especially at this early stage. As learned from previous pandemics and global crises, food insecurity has worsened rapidly and drastically, especially in fragile countries where losses to the most vulnerable populations can be severe. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on lives, health systems, livelihoods and economies worldwide, but populations living in food crises have been particularly vulnerable to its effects. In the article, the food crisis and the conditions created by the COVID19 pandemic were analyzed.