Blog

What's New

COVID crisis is fueling food price rises for world's poorest

Mar 22nd, 2021 • by David Malpass

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. 

How should we measure food security during crises? The case of Nigeria

Feb 21st, 2021 • by Jonathan Lainsharad and Tandontara Vishwanath

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.

Global Food Prices Surge, Say Latest FAO and AMIS Reports

Feb 10th, 2021 • by S. Gustafson

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.

 

December gains drive FAO Food Price Index to three-year high

Jan 9th, 2021 • by S. Gustafson

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.

Crop Losses in Southern Africa due to Drought and Flooding

Jun 11th, 2019 • by Sara Gustafson

Southern Africa faced widespread drought from the October 2018 to March 2019 rainy season, with less than 55 percent of normal rainfall totals, alerts FEWS. The 2018-2019 rainfall began a month late, triggering extended dry spells between January and March. The historically low rainfall totals affected areas of Botswana, northern Zimbabwe, eastern Namibia, southern Angola, and the surplus producing areas of northern South Africa and southern Zambia, and registered a D3 (Extreme) or a D4 (Exceptional) drought as per the United States Drought Monitor classification scale.