The global food crisis | GO Project
Six out of twelve. That’s how many of the countries we serve in are on the list of countries with anticipated global food shortages due to COVID-19*.
Pre-pandemic, there were already 820 million chronically food-insecure people around the world. By year-end, 265 million people could face acute food insecurity which is up from 135 million before the crisis. This represents a 96% increase in those facing acute food insecurity due to the impact of COVID-19*** and equates roughly two-thirds of the total population of the United States. Recent studies also suggest up to 6,000 children could die a day from preventable causes over the next six months as a result of pandemic-related disruptions to essential health and nutrition services****.
While the biggest dangers to food security vary from country to country, the most common threats include disruption to food production and supply chains that could lead to food shortages, and loss of household incomes. International trade regulations like export restrictions and factors like labor shortage can also have significant impacts on food production and food prices**.
Since the declaration of the pandemic, GO Project has allocated $50,000 for emergency food relief and have already dispersed a good portion of that. We recognize this is just the beginning of the ongoing effects of the virus on our local church partners. We have also begun investing in farms and Father’s Family programs to help move our response from relief to development over time. We must continue to do our part to ensure the children and families we serve receive access to nutritious food.
Meanwhile, the local church is the most widespread distribution network on earth and well poised to invest emergency relief to areas of most critical need. A portion of our emergency relief fund is being invested in agriculture and Father’s Family while the remainder will go straight to food purchases for those most affected.
*http://www.fao.org/3/cb0258en/CB0258EN.pdf
**https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-security-and-covid-19
****https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30229-1/fulltext
Provide the basics every child deserves
Support our local church partners around the world who are continuing to care for children and families during this crisis. You can provide the basics every child deserves and help keep families together by giving our Greatest Needs Fund.