Strengthening Local Agricultural Supply Chains - Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

This project contributes to protecting the food security and livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations impacted by COVID-19 in nine countries focusing on women youth and indigenous peoples. This project works with local governments and civil society groups to ensure communities most impacted by COVID-19 have sustained access to nutritious food and income sources. This project also addresses trade barriers in the food and agricultural sector improves food safety standards during COVID-19 and beyond and strengthens local capacity for data collection and analysis to make informed policy decisions that enhance local food systems. This project focuses on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts women and men differently and activities are adapted to help ensure women and men’s equal participation. Project activities include: (1) conducting rapid assessments of community and household-level needs including local market capacities and gaps related to COVID-19; (2) supporting women and men who farm with facilitated access to seeds and other farm inputs markets training in climate-smart agricultural practices and income diversification activities; (3) strengthening rural and agricultural community-based organizations including women’s organizations through training focused on addressing barriers related to COVID-19 in coordination with local government services and departments; and (4) providing support for gender-responsive public social protection programs that reach rural and marginalized communities.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) reduced COVID-19 related impacts on women men and rural communities in food-crisis contexts; (2) strengthened economic recovery improved community resilience and decreased risk along the agricultural supply chain by promoting sustainable agricultural practices and equal participation of women men and youth; (3) improved policies and procedures that include the specific needs and priorities of women youth and indigenous people in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and build resilience to future crises adopted by relevant institutions; and (4) improved knowledge gained by food chain actors on the reduction of transmission risk of COVID-19 including through training demonstrations social messaging campaigns disinfecting markets and similar activities.