Safeguarding food systems in Southeast Asia amid COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Safeguarding food systems is critical to avoid greater catastrophes. However, situations differ from country to country. Some countries have more COVID-19 cases than the others. Measures imposed by governments, e.g., lockdown and social distancing coupled with unemployment and return of people to rural areas, make it extremely difficult to maintain well-functioning food systems in the region that is home to over 655 million people. This brief focuses on three broad questions related to food systems in Southeast Asia (i) What are the main challenges for the food systems from the COVID-19 pandemic? (ii) How can we safeguard food systems in the short- and long-term?, and (iii) What policy measures should be taken to protect food systems?