Understanding the Dimensions of Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security Among Informal Traders During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Zimbabwe

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in some unprecedented economic and labour market shocks that have caused food and nutrition insecurity, particularly for the informal traders. Yet there is a dearth of scientific evidence on the dimensions of food and nutrition security resilience among the informal traders during the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. This study applied ethnographic research among informal traders in purposively selected provinces of Harare and Masvingo in Zimbabwe in a period of 20 months since the beginning of COVID-19 in March 2020. In addition, documentary analysis and key informant interviews with policymakers, civil society organisations, academia, development partners, and the private sector were also conducted to supplement ethnographic research. The study found that COVID-19 disproportionately impacted on the income and livelihood strategies of most informal traders in Zimbabwe than the rest of the people, because of the hash implementation of the measures to reduce the spread of the pandemic. This paper recommends that it is crucial for the government to strengthen its social protection systems and build resilience capacities of the informal traders. These resilience capacities may be in the form of business rescue packages, infrastructure and other assets, social safety nets, and the enhancement of traders' networks with suppliers, service providers, and customers. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.

Impact of COVID-19, Lockdowns and Economic Slowdown on Food and Nutrition Security in India

The two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in India have resulted in widespread food insecurity and hunger in the country as a result of the burden of health expenditure and illness, economic slowdown and loss of livelihoods. Given the context of high levels of malnutrition and some reversal in the gains made in the last decade, this could have serious long-term implications. The response of the government in the form of additional benefits for PDS beneficiaries and some continuation of school meals and supplementary nutrition under ICDS scheme has been inadequate. This paper argues that there is a need to use the pandemic as an opportunity to expand and strengthen these schemes with a view of making the food system more equitable. As immediate measures, universalisation of the PDS including pulses and oil and strengthening of direct nutrition programmes for children and women are imperative. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Insecurity in Puerto Rico

This survey (n = 1,356) reports food insecurity (FI) in Puerto Rico (PR) at 38% before, and 40% since, the COVID-19 pandemic. Odds for FI increased for households with annual income <=$15k vs. >=$60k (OR: 3.52;95% CI: 1.20, 10.36);experiencing an income reduction (OR: 2.22 (1.55, 3.18));participating in the United States Department of Agriculture Nutrition Assistance Program (OR: 1.75 (1.14, 2.70));higher food acquisition anxiety (OR: 1.45 (1.29, 1.64));increased home availability of fruit-flavored drinks (OR: 1.52 (1.04, 2.22)), whereas increased fruit availability was protective (OR: 0.63 (0.43, 0.93)). Results heighten the need to examine FI strategies in PR.Copyright © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Reimagining Prosperity: Social and Economic Development in Post-COVID India

This book explores the second-order effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on social and economic development in India. The chapters in this volume provide theoretical perspectives and empirical insights from a range of disciplines including history, economics, water management, food and nutrition security, agriculture, rural management, public health, urbanization, gender studies and development of the marginalized. It discusses the pressing questions that have been raised by the disruption caused by the pandemic and proposes insights and interventions to build a more just, sustainable and united post-COVID India. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

Mapas, fome e planejamento territorial

Este artigo objetiva analisar os mapeamentos na interface da segurança alimentar e nutricional e do planejamento territorial. Para isso, consideramos a fome como manifestação da questão social, o retorno do Brasil ao mapa da fome durante a Pandemia de Covid-19, a importância do Estado no planejamento de políticas públicas e a literatura. O exame da literatura demonstrou uma frágil relação entre os campos da cartografia temática, do planejamento e da alimentação. Como procedimento metodológico, realizamos a análise crítica de estudos selecionados, mobilizando definições de desertos alimentares, pântanos e ilhas de abundância. Concluímos que, para a efetivação do direito humano à alimentação adequada, é fundamental um planejamento que contemple a pluralidade da alimentação e relacione aos territórios e suas populações por meio de mapeamentos temáticos intersetoriais.Alternate :The purpose of this paper is to analyze the interface in mapping territorial planning and food and nutrition security. To achieve this, we consider hunger as a manifestation of the social issue, the return of Brazil to the hunger map during the COVID-19 pandemic period, the importance of the State in planning public policies, and also the literature. The literature examination demonstrates a fragile relationship between the fields of thematic cartography, territorial planning, and food. The method used was the critical analysis of selected studies, mobilizing the following definitions: food deserts, swamps, and islands of abundance. We conclude that, for the realization of the human right to adequate food, it is essential that planning relates the plurality of food to territories and their populations through intersectoral thematic mapping.

Inequalities in food perceptions during the Covid-19 pandemic. A comparative study in urban and rural contexts of Tucumán (Argentina)

This work describes food experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the urban or rural ecological configuration and the socioeconomic level (SES) in households in the province of Tucumán (Argentina). A digital field work was carried out in 1342 households classified as urban (942) or rural (400) according to the criteria of the Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos. Food experiences were assessed through primary data analysis applying the Latin American and Caribbean Scale for the measurement of Food Security and SES through the Family Affluence Scale. Likewise, secondary information sources were used to characterize the structural living conditions of the urban and rural population. The results showed a higher affectation in the experiences of the home in general, compared to the experiences of adults and children and adolescents, in particular. Rural households were the most affected, as were those with low SES. However, the experiences and practices in both environments had in common the care of feeding children and adolescents. © Editado por D. Demarchi

The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security and Dietary Habits Among Syrian Refugees in Camps: A General Review

With over one billion people experiencing nutritional shortages, food insecurity is expanding as a worldwide problem. There are presently 657,628 Syrian refugees registered in Jordan nine years after the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic began. The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on pregnant women, nursing mothers, and most families with small children regarding food and nutrition security. It affected refugees worldwide. This review focuses on Syrian refugees' nutritional intake and the factors influencing their dietary habits, eating habits, and food insecurity. Due to system interdependencies, these impacts have cascaded across different components of the humanitarian aid provision system and led to risks of deterred personal growth and longer-term risks on the future leadership of the refugee community. The methodology followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A structured search of two databases-PubMed and Google Scholar—was carried out, and articles were identified that focused upon the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security and dietary habits among refugees in camps. From this study, we recommend devising an interdisciplinary framework for assessing the education, protection, food security and household needs of the refugee communities together rather than intervening discreetly, and using the food security and household component of the system as the ladder to achieve effective management of pandemic-borne risks for the community. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Enviro Research Publishers.

Food Insecurity and Nutritional Challenges in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors in the U.S.A.: A Narrative Review and Call to Action.

Advancements in cancer treatments over the past several decades have led to improved cancer survival in adolescents and young adults (AYAs, ages 15-39 years). However, AYA cancer survivors are at an increased risk for "late effects", including cardiovascular, pulmonary and bone diseases as well as fatigue, infertility and secondary cancers. The treatments for cancer may also alter taste, lead to nutritional deficiencies and increase financial burdens that, when taken together, may increase the risk of food and nutrition security in AYA cancer survivors. Furthermore, although AYAs are often merged together in cancer survivorship studies, adolescents and young adults have distinct developmental, psychosocial and pathophysiological differences that may modify their risk of nutritional challenges. In this narrative review and "Call to Action", rationale is provided for why there is a need to better understand nutritional challenges and food insecurity in AYA cancer survivors as a special population. Then, recommendations for next steps to advance knowledge and policy in this field are provided. In particular, integrating screening for food and nutrition insecurity and enhancing awareness of existing resources (e.g., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP) might help AYA cancer survivors combat nutritional deficiencies and reduce late effects while improving their overall survival and quality of life.

Evaluation of the effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on food security among urban households in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Food security is one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goals where it focuses explicitly on food by seeking to end hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. However, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown distorted the food system and affected households' capacity to meet its nutritional needs. This study evaluated the effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on households in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 265 households. Data was collected using well-structured questionnaire. The analytical techniques were;Descriptive statistics, FDT Food security index and Z-Statistics Test. The findings indicated that 53% of the household heads were female while 47% were male. The mean age of the respondents was 34 years;the mean Household size was 4 persons. Most of the household heads (68%) were not members of cooperative societies. The result indicated that cereals, legumes/grains, oils/fat, roots and tubers, sugar and honey and meats were the most common food consumed by the households daily before and after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Result of food security status indicated that households consumed an average daily calorie intake of 5860.52 which is higher than the estimate of 1707.88 calorie consumed by the food insecure households. Covid-19 pandemic had effect (p<0.001) on the food security status of households. Food secure households showed higher sensitivity to Covid-19 pandemic compared to 0.807 in food insecure households. The minimum and maximum daily calorie intake of 679.67kcal and 2246.79kcal for food insecure in this study is above the minimum and maximum recommended threshold of 587.58 and 2200 kilocalories for households. The study concludes that the understanding of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on food security status of households is important in developing policy measures such as social safety nets, home feeding program, the school feeding program, conditional cash transfers schemes and improved marketing channels that will help mitigate against households falling into food insecurity during similar pandemic in the future.

From syringes to dishes: improving food security through vaccination

This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on food insecurity in the United States, using data from the Household Pulse Survey. Our primary research design exploits variation in vaccine eligibility across states over time as an instrumental variable to address the endogeneity of vaccination decision. We find that vaccination had a substantial impact on food hardship by reducing the likelihood of food insecurity by 24%, with even stronger effects among minority and financially disadvantaged populations. Our results are robust to alternative specifications and the use of regression discontinuity as an alternative identification strategy. We also show that vaccine eligibility had a positive spillover impact on food assistance programs, specifically by reducing participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which suggests that vaccination policy can be effective in alleviating the fiscal burden of the pandemic on the government. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that vaccinated individuals exhibit increased financial optimism, as measured by expectations about future loss of employment and income as well as ability to make mortgage and debt payments. Based on the point estimates, the implied elasticity of food insecurity with respect to financial optimism is between -0.57 and -0.86. Our findings suggest that the COVID-19 vaccination program has implications that extend beyond the direct health benefits. Taken together, our results underscore the critical role of medical innovations and health interventions in improving economic optimism and food security, especially among vulnerable populations, during public health crises.

Public perception of citrus fruit consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Adequate nutrition has become a priority for the psychologically and emotionally affected population, especially those under stress due to quarantine and people affected by Coronavirus Disease in 2019 (COVID-19). However, records on eating behavior variations due to Brazil's pandemic are still incipient, and it is crucial to know and identify frequent incentives that arouse interest in a class of products. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the final consumer behaviors and the consumption influence of citrus fruits and their products, as a vitamin C source, in the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. By applying an online questionnaire prepared on the Google.. Forms platform, a survey was conducted with the voluntary participation of 546 unidentified respondents. The answers obtained made it possible to trace the participants' sociodemographic characteristics and consumption habits. According to the interviewees, there was a predominance of adults between 25 and 34 years old, female, single, living in the Southeast macro-region, and people with a master's and doctorate. level education. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the population interviewed did not change their consumption of citrus fruits and their products, but the place of purchase changed, possibly due to social isolation. Marketing is of fundamental importance in the Brazilian citrus industry, which is facing the challenge of encouraging a healthier diet and searching for expansion of the fresh fruit market.

Special Issue: Improving household nutrition security and public health in the CARICOM. (Special Issue: Improving household nutrition security and public health in the CARICOM.)

This special issue includes 9 articles that discuss comparative cost of diets for low-income families in the Caribbean;improving dietary diversity in the Caribbean Community;malnutrition in all its forms in Caribbean countries using a food systems approach;sociodemographic and dietary influences on perceptions of eating habits in Jamaica;determinants of unhealthy dietary habits among a sample of survey participants in Jamaica;integrated food systems approaches for healthy diets in the Caribbean;ecological relationships in social resilience;COVID-19 and the social distribution of hunger in three Caribbean Small Island Developing States.

Disrupted food supply chain's effect on school nutrition programs' ability to meet USDA nutritional guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in school closures and required school nutrition directors to shift their methods of executing the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The procurement of items, the composition of meals, and meal delivery were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Responding to these changes, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released several waivers allowing for flexibility in meal patterns and meal delivery, while maintaining federal reimbursements to schools. Although school meals have yet to reach pre-pandemic participation numbers, school districts nationwide have experienced the effects of supply chain disruptions, therein impacting their ability to meet the nutritional standards of the NSLP and SBP. To mitigate supply chain issues and provide consistent, quality meals, School Food Authorities needed to leverage USDA's additional funding and waivers by continuing to innovate, establish, and communicate best practices for effective meal delivery.

Changes in Food Security, Healthfulness, and Access During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: Results From a National United States Survey.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disrupted access to food and adequate nutrition and the types of foods consumed. However, little empiric data exists on the changes in American's food and nutrition habits 2 y into the pandemic. Objectives: To assess current and altered food choices ∼2 y into the COVID-19 pandemic in the months after historic public pandemic relief. Methods: A national sample of 1878 United States adults balanced by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and income completed a one-time, online, semi-quantitative, 44-item questionnaire in Fall 2021 asking about the demographics, COVID-19 food choice changes (including free-text), and consumer priorities. This analysis investigates COVID-19 impacts on food security, healthfulness, and access. Results: More than 35% of respondents reported improved food security and >45% reported improved food healthfulness compared with prepandemic status. Improvement was reported in more than 30% of Black/African-American and Hispanic/Latinx adults, adults with lower annual income, and female sex, despite over 75% reporting reduced choice of where to eat or buy food. The pandemic offered occasion for many to improve diet, but a similar number expressed that the pandemic destabilized healthy habits. Conclusions: Our novel findings suggest that by late 2021, most Americans had improved food security and food choice healthfulness, despite reduced access to food service and retail, although with worsening among a meaningful proportion of Americans as well as heterogeneity in these changes. Vigorous federal, state, city, and community responses to the pandemic may have played a role in improving the food security and food choice healthfulness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health crises differently impact health behaviors, but when accompanied by vigorous civic and community response, food security, and food healthfulness can be fortified.

The Implementation of a Nutrition Intervention in Food Pantries: The Spirit of SWAP.

Background. Food insecurity, affecting approximately 10% of the U.S. population, with up to 40% or higher in some communities, is associated with higher rates of chronic conditions and inversely associated with diet quality. Nutrition interventions implemented at food pantries are an effective strategy to increase healthy food choices and improve health outcomes for people experiencing food and nutrition insecurity. Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP), a stoplight nutrition ranking system, can facilitate healthy food procurement and distribution at pantries. Purpose. Guided by the RE-AIM Framework, this study assesses the implementation and outcomes of SWAP as nutritional guidance and institutional policy intervention, to increase procurement and distribution of healthy foods in pantries. Method. Mixed-methods evaluation included observations, process forms, and in-depth interviews. Food inventory assessments were conducted at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Results. Two large pantries in New Haven, Connecticut, collectively reaching more than 12,200 individuals yearly, implemented SWAP in 2019. Implementation was consistent prepandemic at both pantries. Due to COVID-mandated distribution changes, pantries adapted SWAP implementation during the pandemic while still maintaining the "spirit of SWAP." One pantry increased the percentage of Green foods offered. Challenges to healthy food distribution are considered. Discussion. This study has implications for policy, systems, and environmental changes. It shows the potential for SWAP adoption at pantries, which can serve as a guide for continued healthy food procurement and advocacy. Maintaining the "spirit of SWAP" shows promising results for food pantries looking to implement nutrition interventions when standard practice may not be possible.

Collaborative Strategies to Improve Nutrition Security and Education: Lessons Learned During a Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic intensified disparities for underserved populations as accessing resources became more difficult. Dairy Council of California launched the Let's Eat Healthy initiative to address nutrition security through collaborative solutions in the school environment. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: To ensure nutrition security for children and families, nutritious food and nutrition education must go hand-in-hand. Improving access to high quality food can help address the health disparities that exist for people who are at increased risk for food insecurity. Nutrition education supports students' holistic learning and social and emotional learning skills. Nutrition education models must be increasingly flexible in the face of ongoing challenges. Collaborative efforts to connect food access hubs, such as schools, with support and resources to provide evidence-based nutrition education and agricultural literacy can equip individuals and communities with the knowledge, skills, and ability to make nutrient-rich food choices. CONCLUSIONS: Investments and strategies in nutrition security that utilize the Individual plus Policy, System, and Environmental (I + PSE) model, such as the Let's Eat Healthy initiative, will effectively influence positive behavior change and improve community health. Navigating challenges in a rapidly changing environment requires people and organizations to work together, across disciplines, to leverage knowledge, experience, resources, expertise, and creative thinking. Improving access to healthy food and nutrition education will be most effective when done through collaboration.

Improving household nutrition security and public health in the CARICOM, 2018-2022.

The Caribbean is experiencing a worsening epidemic of obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and it has the worst rates of premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases in the region of the Americas. Creating enabling environments to improve dietary diversity would help reduce obesity and diet-related NCDs. The Improving Household Nutrition Security and Public Health in the CARICOM project aimed to increase dietary diversity in the Caribbean, and to determine and implement effective, gender-sensitive interventions to improve food sovereignty, household food security, and nutrition in CARICOM states. Primary quantitative and qualitative research, scoping reviews, stakeholder engagement, implementation of interventions and dissemination activities were undertaken. This paper describes the overall project design and implementation, discusses challenges and limitations, and presents core achievements to inform further work in Small Island Developing States throughout CARICOM to advance the nutrition agenda in the Caribbean. The results of the project's research activities are presented in other papers published in this special issue on nutrition security in CARICOM states.

El Caribe está registrando un empeoramiento de la epidemia de obesidad y enfermedades no transmisibles (ENT) y presenta las peores tasas de mortalidad prematura por enfermedades cardiovasculares de la Región de las Américas. La creación de entornos propicios para mejorar la diversidad alimentaria contribuiría a reducir la obesidad y las ENT relacionadas con la alimentación. El proyecto "Mejorar la seguridad nutricional de los hogares y la salud pública en CARICOM" tiene por objetivo ampliar la diversidad alimentaria en el Caribe y acordar y ejecutar intervenciones efectivas con perspectiva de género para mejorar la soberanía alimentaria, la seguridad alimentaria de los hogares y la nutrición en los Estados de CARICOM. Se llevaron a cabo investigaciones primarias cuantitativas y cualitativas, revisiones exploratorias, ejecución de intervenciones y actividades de difusión, y se impulsó la participación de las partes interesadas. En este artículo se describen el diseño y la ejecución del proyecto en general, se analizan sus desafíos y limitaciones, y se presentan sus logros básicos para que se tengan en cuenta en la labor adicional que realizan los pequeños Estados insulares en desarrollo de CARICOM con el fin de impulsar la agenda de nutrición en el Caribe. Los resultados de las actividades de investigación del proyecto se presentan en otros documentos publicados en este número especial sobre seguridad nutricional en los Estados de CARICOM.

O Caribe está passando por um agravamento da epidemia de obesidade e doenças não transmissíveis (DNTs) e tem as piores taxas de mortalidade prematura por doenças cardiovasculares na Região das Américas. A criação de ambientes favoráveis para melhorar a diversidade alimentar ajudaria a reduzir a obesidade e as DNTs relacionadas à alimentação. O projeto Improving Household Nutrition Security and Public Health in the CARICOM [Melhoria da segurança nutricional doméstica e da saúde pública na CARICOM] teve como objetivo aumentar a diversidade alimentar no Caribe e determinar e implementar intervenções eficazes e sensíveis ao gênero para melhorar a soberania alimentar, a segurança alimentar doméstica e a nutrição nos estados da CARICOM. Foram realizadas pesquisas quantitativas e qualitativas primárias, revisões de escopo, ações de envolvimento das partes interessadas, implementação de intervenções e atividades de divulgação. Este documento descreve a elaboração e a implementação geral do projeto, analisa seus desafios e limitações e apresenta as principais realizações para informar o trabalho futuro nos pequenos Estados insulares em desenvolvimento em toda a CARICOM, visando a avançar a agenda nutricional no Caribe. Os resultados das atividades de pesquisa do projeto são apresentados em outros artigos publicados neste número especial sobre segurança nutricional nos Estados da CARICOM.

Implications of food and nutrition security on household food expenditure: the case of Malaysia.

Introduction: Food security is attracting more attention in Malaysia not only at the national level that concern toward the enhancement of food self-sufficiency but also at the individual level which concerns more on nutrition and health. The economic recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the food and nutrition security challenge to the higher priority. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of encouraging a healthy eating plan by taking into account two important elements, food cost and nutrient intake, to help tackle the food and nutrition insecurity challenges at the individual level. Method and materials: This study used a goal programming model with dietary intake data from Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey reports to develop food plans that can improve nutrition quality without increasing food cost. Missing data, such as nutrient compositions and food prices, were collected separately from existing governmental and non-governmental sources. Benchmark nutrient intakes were derived from Malaysian Dietary Guidelines and Malaysian Recommended Nutrient Intakes reports, whereas benchmark costs were estimated by mapping food prices to dietary intake. The cost of healthier diets was also assessed to examine the acceptability of dietary changes for the low-income population. Results: The results showed that healthier diets following national dietary guidelines are achievable with reasonable food choices shift without changing the cost of meal plan. Greater intake of milk and vegetables (for more calcium) and smaller intake of seafood and egg products (for less protein) will contribute to raise diet quality and achieve more adequate nutrition. However, the cost attached to healthier food plan is still likely to be burdensome for the food-insecure and low-income population. Conclusions: Our results suggest that policymakers should implement income-relevant laws to cut poverty and improve the population's dietary intake. Income growth as a result of better skills and education is needed to ensure that the real incomes of Malaysian are well sustained, and increased to help low-income population make better and healthier food choices.

COVID-19 impacts on food systems in fisheries-dependent island communities

Policies designed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted food systems worldwide. How impacts played out in local food systems, and how these affected the lived experiences of different people is only just coming to light. We conducted a structured analysis of the impacts of COVID-19 containment policies on the food systems of small-scale fishing communities in Kenya, Papua New Guinea, and Saint Lucia, based on interviews with men and women fishers, fish traders, and community leaders. Participants reported that containment policies lead indirectly to reduced volumes of food, lower dietary diversity, increased consumption of traditional foods, and reduced access to fish for food and income. Although the initiating policy and food and nutrition security outcomes often appeared similar, we found that the underlying pathways and feedbacks causing these impacts were different based on local context. Incorporating knowledge of how context-specific factors shape food system outcomes may be key to tailoring strategies to mitigate the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and designing timely, strategic interventions for future systemic shocks. © 2023, Resilience Alliance. All rights reserved.

Verification on the situation of the Food Bank of Pocos de Caldas-MG and its repercussion on the fight against food and nutritional insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic period

Food Banks are characterized as important Public Equipment for Food and Nutrition Security, contributing to the fight against hunger in the population, exercising, especially in this time of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as a strategic action to combat Food and Nutrition insecurity. This work aims to make a situational analysis of the Food Bank of Pocos de Caldas, in the south of Minas Gerais, and also toanalyze the actions to combat hunger in the current period. This is an observational study with a qualitative and quantitative approach, characterized as a Case Study and using operational manuals, internal documents and records as collection instruments. From the analysis carried out, it appears that the Food Bank of Pocos de Caldas-MG is in line with the guidelines of the Operational and Management Guide for Food Banks of the Ministry of Citizenship, and during the pandemic period, has been contributing in a effective way to guarantee the Food and Nutritional Security of the city's residents, through strategic actions to promote the Human Right to Adequate Food, such as campaigns, food collection actions and proper distributions to the community and local entities.