Cities and Covid-19: Food access for vulnerable communities in practice
THE WEBINAR RECORDING IS AVAILABLE: The Covid-19 pandemic is putting pressure on food supply chains, both globally and locally, disrupting urban food systems worldwide. This is posing a number of challenges for cities that must quickly react to ensure that all their citizens continue to access safe and nutritious food. How are cities maintaining access to safe and nutritious food for vulnerable populations in times of Covid-19? The webinar, co-organised by FAO, UNEP, ICLEI, RUAF and Rikolto, share insights from a worldwide survey by FAO and dive into the experience of 3 cities: New York City (USA), Kampala (Uganda) and Quito (Ecuador). In New York City, where 1.2 million New Yorkers faced food insecurity before the pandemic, a new plan "Feeding New York" has been issued to protect the security of the city's supply chain, in collaboration with the private sector and civil society. In Kampala, city authorities have put in place a contactless home delivery system to deliver essential commodities targeting 1.5 million citizens to reduce congestion in markets during the lockdown. In addition, measures were taken to prevent price hikes in the city's wholesale and retail markets. In Quito, the city's response to the food challenges arising from Covid-19 is rooted in the systemic perspective of the "City Region Food System" approach that aims to build resilience at different scales of the food system. In addition to diving into these 3 cities' experience, FAO set the scene of how Covid-19 is affecting urban food systems worldwide. Speakers: Jamie Morrison, Strategic Programme Leader, Food Systems Programme, FAO Kate MacKenzie, Director of the Mayor's Office of Food Policy, New York City Esau Galukande, Deputy Director Production and Marketing, Kampala Capital City Authority David Jácome Polit, Metropolitan Director of Resilience, Municipality of Quito Moderator: Charlotte Flechet, International Food Smart Cities Coordinator, Rikolto