Can the Covid19 pandemic affect the achievement of the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal? Some preliminary reflections

Abstract

The ongoing Covid19 pandemic is producing dramatic effects on the economic and social life of many countries, which in turn may further undermine people’s health and well-being. This note focuses on some potential effects on the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 ‘Zero Hunger’ (Target 2.1) and, specifically, on the prevalence of undernourishment. After discussing the main changes induced by the Covid19 outbreak in various dimensions of food security, as identified by the preliminary literature on the topic, the note presents the dynamic estimates (GMM) of the recent determinants of food security, measured through the prevalence of undernourishment (SDG indicator 2.1.1), using a sample of 84 developing countries observed over the period 2000–2017. Since the rate of economic growth turns out to be a relevant determinant, the analysis quantifies the potential consequences that the economic downturn caused by the pandemic may have on the short- and long-run achievements of SDG 2 if proper counterbalancing measures will not be implemented. Such consequences in the short run would consist of millions of new undernourished people, while in the long run the progress made towards the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal are at risk of being completely reversed in the majority of countries. The note concludes by suggesting some directions for future research.

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the economic situation and food security of rural households in India

“…The pandemic has substantially influenced food systems, and all key international agencies concur that this has implications for global food security (Saccone, 2021). Experts from the UN World Food Forum have warned about the hunger pandemic that would spread Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on rural India across the globe due to the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (United Nations Food Programme, 2020).…”

Food Insecurity Reduces the Chance of Following a Nutrient-Dense Dietary Pattern by Brazilian Adults: Insights from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey

“…Since 2014, food insecurity has been increasing worldwide, and the prevalence of severe or moderate food insecurity was estimated to be 25.9% in 2019, reaching 2 billion people globally [ 3 ]. These numbers are even worse considering the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that the current efforts are not enough to end hunger, achieve food security, and improve nutrition (Sustainable Development Goals 2 Targets 2.1 and 2.2) [ 3 , 4 ]. Importantly, food insecurity is negatively linked to health outcomes, with a potential impact in the double burden of malnutrition, i.e., the coexistence of undernutrition and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, which affect most low- and middle-income countries [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Do Village Allocation Funds Contribute towards Alleviating Hunger among the Local Community (SDG#2)? An Insight from Indonesia

“…Eighty-four other developing countries also have suffered from the economic downturn, and in the long run, the progress made towards the "zero hunger" goal is at risk of being completely reversed in those countries. The pandemic has triggered living costs to rise significantly while the living standard falls, plunging hundreds of millions of people back into poverty (Ahern 2021;Klingelhofer et al 2022;The World Bank 2021;Lakner et al 2020;Saccone 2021). Saengtabtim et al (2022) also investigated the impact of COVID-19, and came to the conclusion that there is a connection between the health, economic, and tourism aspects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.…”