The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting people’s food environments: a resource list on Food Systems and Nutrition responses

Contributing to the coronavirus pandemic response, the UNSCN has compiled a list of available resources and key readings with a focus on nutrition and food systems. This list will be continually updated and expanded as more resources become available.

UN AGENCIES GENERAL RESPONSE

• UN: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (Continually updated)
• WHO: COVID-19 pandemic (Continually updated) Latest updates on COVID-19 including daily press releases, technical guidance, advice for the public and research updates.
• FAO: COVID-19 Outbreak (Continually updated) An overview of FAO’s action in regard to the outbreak, key messages, questions and answers.
• UNICEF: COVID-19 – what you need to know about the virus to protect you and your family (Continually updated) Latest news and fact based information on COVID-19, including advice for parents, teens, teachers and employees.
• WFP: Emergency Response and Situation Reports (Continually updated) Latest updates on WFP’s response to COVID-19, key links and situation reports.
• UN Women, WHO, IFRC and OCHA: COVID-19: How to include marginalized and vulnerable people in risk communication and community engagement (19 March) A guide for risk communication and community engagement with marginalized people who are more vulnerable in emergencies.
• OCHA: Global humanitarian response plan COVID-19 (25 March) Prepared by members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), including UN, other international organizations and NGOs with a humanitarian mandate, to analyse and respond to the direct public health and indirect immediate humanitarian consequences of the pandemic, particularly on people in countries already facing other crises.

FOOD SYSTEMS 

• FAO - Coronavirus Food Supply Chain Under Strain What to do? (24 March)
• CFS/HLPE - CFS Chair's Statement on COVID-19 pandemic + HLPE Interim Issues Paper on the Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition (24 March)
• CGIAR - CGIAR’s Response to COVID-19 (Continually updated)
• Global Food Security Cluster - - Coronavirus, impact on well-being, health, food access and food security (25 March)
• WFP - Economic and food security implications of the COVID-19 outbreak (24 March)
• WHO - WHO recommendations to reduce risk of transmission of emerging pathogens from animals to humans in live animal markets
• PREGNANCY, BREASTFEEDING, INFANT/YOUNG CHILD FEEDING
• WFP - COVID-19 and Pregnancy (18 March) - COVID-19 and Breastfeeding (18 March)
• WHO - Q&A on COVID-19, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding (18 March)
• UNICEF & GTAM - Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) in the context of COVID-19 (27 March with updates every 10 days)
• UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP & WHO - Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) in the context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (26 March)

SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

• UNICEF, WHO & IFRC - Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools

ADULTS

• WHO - Information note on COVID-19 and NCDs

EMERGENCY NUTRITION RESPONSE

• GTAM - COVID-19 and Nutrition Technical Brief (13 March, Updated Fortnightly)
• WFP - Recommendations For Adjusting Food Distribution Standard Operating Procedures In The Context Of The Covid-19 Outbreak (13 March) - Guidance for cash-based transfers in the context of the Covid-19 (13 March)
• ENN - The en-net provides a place to submit questions surrounding the emergency response to COVID-19. Current threads include infant and young child feeding, breastfeeding, prevention and treatment of MAM, and nutrition programming.
• UNICEF & GTAM- Nutrition Programming in the context of COVID-19 brief (27 March with updates every 10 days)

Articles and blog posts providing insights into nutrition and food systems in the response to COVID-19

• IFPRI: Preventing global food security crisis under COVID-19 emergency (6 March)
• IFAD: The potential impact of COVID-19 on SDG 2 (food security) – in China and globally (13 March)
• WFP: How to minimize the impact of Coronavirus on food security (16 March); Food for thought: 7 tips on keeping a healthy diet in the face of Coronavirus (March 23rd)
• FAO: COVID-19 and Food Supply: A Four-Pronged Battle Plan for Countries by FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero Cullen (23 March)
• GAIN: The COVID-19 Crisis and Food Systems: probable impacts and potential mitigation and adaptation responses + Table (23 March)

Relevant discussion groups and CoPs

• Food for the Cities - Join the community to get in touch with a large group of practitioners, researchers, professors, urban and rural community leaders, technicians and professionals in diverse agency settings sharing ways in which communities, cities and national governments are organizing to address enormous economic and social transformations (in the food system) as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.