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How Coronavirus Lockdown is Strangling Africa’s Food Supply and Livelihoods

In Africa, the coronavirus pandemic have been compounded by food insecurity and lost livelihoods. There are a lot of uncertainties about Covid-19 but what is clear is that millions of poor people’s lives are at risk on young continent.

In this March 26, 2020, file photo, people walk past closed street stalls and shops due to a government ban on the operation of non-essential businesses and markets to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, in Lagos, Nigeria. Lockdowns in Africa limiting the movement of people are threatening to choke off supplies of what the continent needs the most: Food. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File)

As the epicentre of the pandemic has moved away from East to West, these same issues have become acute for those sourcing highly specialist goods and services in key markets such as Germany, Northern Italy and now the US. Supply chain effects in these regions have severely impacted Africa’s ability to access essential products and components.

Thus, the continental food supply chains have become disrupted and livelihoods untenable, vulnerable populations left behind their livelihoods and move in search of assistance – as would any of us – with the unintended consequence of potentially further spreading the virus and possibly encountering heightened social tensions.

Big cities, big Issues

The latest event on the continent of Africa have brought economic activity to a halt in many countries. Experts say, up to 50% of all projected job growth in Africa will be lost as aviation, services, exports, mining, agriculture and the informal sector all take a hit by coronavirus outbreak.

With the fact that, Africa’s cities are home to 600 million people and account for more than 50% of the region’s GDP. This is even higher at more than 70% in countries such as Botswana, Uganda, Tunisia and Kenya. A third of national GPD (31%) comes, on average, from the largest city in African countries. As such, the economic contribution of cities in the region is far higher than their share of the population.

Africa’s cities drive consumption with their growing middle class with per capita consumption spending in large cities being on average 80 per cent higher at the city level than at the national level. COVID-19 related decline in urban consumption will thus impact domestic value chains, including rural areas.

Millions of Africans such as food vendors, hairdressers, cleaners, and others who earn their wages daily and make up the informal job market, say they are faced with stark choices.

Looming food crisis

A quarter of the population in sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished. About one in every five people in Africa, nearly 250 million, already didn’t have enough food before the virus outbreak, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Many informal markets where millions buy their food are shut. Lockdowns without provisions to help the poor “may affect us very, very much,” said Lola Castro, regional director in southern Africa for the U.N. World Food Program.

The majority of the African populace lives in the rural areas, and depend on agricultural production, seasonal jobs in agriculture, fishing, or pastoralism. If they become ill or constrained by restrictions on movement or activity, they will be prevented from working their land, caring for their animals, going fishing, or accessing markets to sell produce, buy food, or get seeds and supplies.

Sustainable drive

However, efforts are being made by individuals and corporate organizations to help ease the burden of the lockdown on vulnerable members of society by distributing food packs, hand Sanitizers and masks. The UN system on 25 March launched a consolidated humanitarian appeal under which FAO asked donors for $110 million to protect the food security of vulnerable rural populations globally.

African governments, local organizations and others should be effective in their social protection schemes during this health crisis by scaling up existing systems, especially in hard-to-reach rural areas. Meanwhile, families’ purchasing power can be stabilized through injections of cash, so they can meet critical household needs without selling off their assets. It is more humane and strategically smarter to protect and sustain livelihoods now by stakeholders on the continent, rather than rebuild them after.

On the other hand, African businesses need to be agile, nimble and ready to tackle operational, labour and demand/supply constraints, re-address strategic and tax planning and re-consider business models post-COVID-19. Companies can help shape it through robust planning and more holistic risk, such as; structuring their supply chains, ramping up on digital transformations, which could lead to an even stronger commitment to sustainability goals alongside building resilient businesses.

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