The UN report said that around 931 million tonnes of food waste was generated in 2019, 61% of which came from households, 26% from foodservice and 13% from retail.

“If we want to get serious about tackling climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste, businesses, governments and citizens around the world have to do their part to reduce food waste,” Executive Director of the UNEP Inger Andersen stated.

Tackling inequality, greening the economy, upholding human rights, bridging the digital divide, and good governance would be critical for Southeast Asia to recover from the COVID-19 outbreak, the UN Secretary-General said.

Thanks to swift & decisive action, Southeast Asia has been spared some of the suffering & upheaval seen elsewhere due to #COVID19.

The @UN remains committed to supporting the region's efforts to achieve the #GlobalGoals & build a peaceful future for all. https://t.co/xvZCKWtlkY pic.twitter.com/gfD6ueFrjT

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) July 30, 2020

“The pandemic has highlighted deep inequalities, shortfalls in governance and the imperative for a sustainable development pathway. And it has revealed new challenges, including to peace and security”, the Secretary-General said.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession are set to trigger the first increase in global poverty, pushing nearly 265 million people to the point of starvation by the end of the year, the UN’s top humanitarian official warned.

Sir Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN, said the pandemic and associated global recession are about to wreak havoc in fragile and low-income countries.

Lowcock added that rich countries have thrown out the rulebook when it comes to protecting their own economies. They must apply the same exceptional measures to countries that need help.

As I release an updated US$10.3 billion appeal to fight #COVID19 in low-income and fragile countries, I appeal to G20 nations to act now or face a series of human tragedies more brutal & destructive than the direct health impacts of the virus. https://t.co/2EyFZpmpzf pic.twitter.com/DE1rFOMbXL

— Mark Lowcock (@UNReliefChief) July 16, 2020

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research Syed Fakhar Imam presented the country’s perspective on building resilience to crises at a virtual dialogue convened by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.

To mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 on Pakistan’s economy, the Government of Pakistan has announced economic relief and stimulus package of Rs1.24 trillion as part of its immediate response to the COVID-19 outbreak, which will also contribute to the agriculture sector and agriculture value chains through its linkages with other sectors, the minister said.

It is to be noted that the UN food agency is working closely with the Government of Pakistan in coping with the ongoing pandemic and locust upsurge.

Emphasising the importance of seed diversity, India at a high-level UN session said sustainable agriculture is fundamental to food security. Underlining the role of women, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN said women across the world have been and continue to be caregivers, nutrition providers and the primary seed-keepers.

Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu also highlighted the necessity of the right to safe and nutritious food and the role of fruit and vegetable consumption in ensuring food security and lowering malnutrition.

Notably, India joined Chile and FAO in order to co-host this high-level political forum side-event.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN launched its new comprehensive COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme to prevent a global food emergency during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.

The recovery programme was launched during a virtual dialogue titled “Joint action on COVID-19: Boosting our food and agricultural response“.

The event was organised by FAO in order to provide an agile and coordinated response that ensures access to nutritious food for all.

In line with the UN approach to “build back better” post-COVID-19, and in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the new response and recovery programme aims to mitigate the immediate impacts of the Coronavirus outbreak while strengthening the long-term resilience of food systems as well as livelihoods.

“We cannot employ a ‘business as usual’ approach anymore,” highlighted FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in his opening remarks, adding that “We must work very hard to limit COVID-19’s damaging effects on food security and nutrition. We need to be more country-driven, innovative and work closely hand in hand. This is how FAO has built its COVID-19 comprehensive response and recovery programme, and today we are asking you to join us.”

Besides being a public concern, the COVID-19 outbreak can also threaten global food security.

According to the World Bank’s predictions, the pandemic’s economic fallout may push nearly 49 million people into extreme poverty.

Soaring joblessness rates, income losses and rising food prices are jeopardizing food access and would have long-term effects on food security.

7 Key Priority Response Areas

To minimise COVID-19’s damaging effects on food security and nutrition, the UN food agency has called for immediate action in 7 key priority areas:

1. Reinforce a Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19

2. Improve Data for Decision-making

3. Ensure Economic Inclusion and Social Protection to Reduce Poverty

4. Bolster Trade and Food Safety Standards

5. Boost Smallholder Resilience for Recovery

6. Prevent the Next Zoonotic Pandemic through a strengthened One Health Approach

7. Trigger Food Systems Transformation

In response to the current emergency, FAO is also working on convening multiple stakeholders in a call to action, gathering and analyzing data and providing prompt technical advice and capacity development across several disciplines.