Food Security

Food systems hold the key not only to food security, but also to plant, animal, and human health, as well as environmental sustainability. The United Nations (UN) will hold its first ever UN Food Systems Summit in Sept. 2021, since the transformation of food systems is now seen as one of the most impactful approaches to meeting all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Over the last year, COVID-19 has undone the economic, health and food security of millions, pushing as many as 150 million people into extreme poverty. While the health and economic impacts of the pandemic have been devastating, the rise in hunger has been one of its most tangible symptoms. 

High-frequency monitoring of access to food has become especially important during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Food access in Nigeria, and across the globe, has significantly worsened since the start of the pandemic due to significant disruptions to food supply chains and widespread loss of income.  Poor access to food can have both short- and long-term impacts on health and wellbeing and is thus an important targeting criteria.

The FAO Food Price Index continued its upward climb in January. The Index rose 4.3 percent from December 2020 to reach the highest monthly level seen since July 2014. As in previous months, cereal, vegetable oil, and sugar prices were behind the rapidly mounting prices.

Food prices, as reflected in the FAO Food Price Index, rose to a three-year high in 2020. While the Index closed the year 3.1 percent higher than 2019, however, it remained well below the peak seen in 2011.

In addition to this year-on-year increase, the December Food Price Index also showed a rise of 2.2 percent from November.  This marked the seventh straight monthly increase in food prices.