Policy responses

Promoting a rebalancing between global and local (shorter) supply chains (more toward the latter), combined with improved storage capacity and alternative processing options near areas of production (if fresh sales become impossible) to reduce the risk of input shortages due to trade interruptions. Invest more in vertical farming near urban areas (in low labor, high capital systems). Political resistance from countries that are major food exporters is likely. Always adapt to the context, best practices in one place may not be appropriate in another.

Links and references

'- FAO work in local VC promotion e.g., through institutional procurement, GI products, promotion of traditional varieties, local value addition, incentivizing youth in agriculture, supporting women in agriculture and agro-industry. http://www.fao.org/agroecology/database/detail/en/c/443590/; http://www.fao.org/family-farming/detail/en/c/877809/; http://www.fao.org/3/a-ax736e.pdf;
- Examples of success in the cassava sector in many African countries where much of the cassava is processed into shelf stable products such as gari, flour, etc., by small-scale industries in the rural areas where cassava is grown. The maize and rice sectors in Africa are also good examples, where much of the processing is done on a small scale at the rural level. See: The 100 Resilient Cities Network - https://www.100resilientcities.org/
- The Case for Urban Food Security: A Singapore Perspective; Paul Teng and Margarita Escaler; Dec 2010. https://www.clc.gov.sg/research-publications/publications/urban-systems-studies/view/food-and-the-city
- The case of Cuba: isolation which led to the attempt to become food self-sufficient and also promote urban food production/agriculture. Like IIED names it ‘from dance floor to vegetable patch”. https://www.ecowatch.com/urban-farming-cuba-2641320251.html?rebelltitem=4#rebelltitem4 https://www.iied.org/farming-future-cubas-food-transformation
- Critical Priorities for Pharma and Medtech in Response to COVID-19: http://www.verticalfarminstitute.org/vertical-farming/; https://www.bcg.com/publications/2020/coronavirus-critical-priorities-pharma-medtech-response.aspx
- MARCH 11, 2020 By Adam Farber , Ben Aylor , Barry Rosenberg , Torben Danger , and Ulrik Schulze:
Coronavirus is disrupting global value chains. Here's how companies can respond 27 Feb 2020 Francisco Betti and Per Kristian Hong: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/02/how-coronavirus-disrupts-global-value-chains/

Pros -Interruptions in food supply are mitigated by sourcing locally to prevent food insecurity - Local food producers become more integrated into the local value chain -Possible GHG reduction -Local job creation in the primary industry -Urban regreening

Cons - Local producers might be overwhelmed by the new demand and unable to meet this demand due to lack of access to finance and inputs

Minimum conditions '-Financial institutions are accessible and still lending to businesses - The supply route (roads) are in good condition and transportation services are available and allowed to transport from input suppliers to producers and from producers to consumers/retailers -Willingness of people to switch to agricultural jobs - Food hygiene standards are updated and applied to prevent compromising the supply chain Local producers have received Covid 19 awareness training to prevent any contamination of food in their supply chain

Governance - Government works with private sector, including small producer groups and local authorities to update public and firm hygiene practices - Government works with private sector, especially financial institutions, to make available special financial packa