Environmental and social safeguards

COVID-19

FAO is concerned about the potential impacts of COVID-19 on food security and nutrition, especially in countries already experiencing high levels of food insecurity and/or existing humanitarian crises and where significant portions of the population are vulnerable to external shocks. FAO has established an online platform with data and resources, tools and guidance notes to support countries in policy analyses and in the assessment of the impacts of COVID-19 on food and agriculture, value chains, food prices and food security across the globe.

Action points

  • ESS 1: Presently, only 3% of countries’ finance is being invested in Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). There is an urgent need to scale-up and integrate NBS into wider food system risk-management and climate action as part of COVID-19 green recovery.

  • ESS 4: The COVID-19 pandemic is raising new issues such as loss of jobs and lack of safety at work. FAO is increasing its efforts to protect vulnerable workers, including migrants.

  • ESS 6: FAO ensures that both women and men are leaders and decision-makers in COVID-19 responses, among other measures to address gender-based violence (GBV).