Some regions in Africa face significant risk, CRS said, pointing to Nigeria and DRC, which have among the world’s highest levels of food insecurity.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) predicted that given the DRC’s conflicts, floods, locusts attacks, and COVID-19 restrictions, nearly a third of the country will face acute food insecurity through June this year.
To counter these challenges, Catholic Relief Services has suggested that aid organizations scale up voucher systems for food, support food storage, reach out to isolated groups, consider the impact of the virus on women in particular, and promote cooperative data collection.
The organization has also called for policymakers to increase foreign aid and support locally-led responses, such as the actions of faith-based organizations. Particularly addressing the United States, CRS asked Congress to allocate at least $20 billion to foreign aid.
“As the pandemic drags on, and vaccines are still out of reach for many developing nations, they will likely experience additional waves of the virus that will further exacerbate food insecurity,” Callahan said.
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“We must act now to avoid a catastrophe, and before decades of development gains are lost.”
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