WTO, WHO, FAO Seek Protection for Food Supply Chain

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The World Trade Organisation (WTO), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have called on governments across the world to find ways to ensure that the border restrictions, occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, do not adversely affect the food supply chain.
In a joint statement issued by the Directors General of FAO, WHO, and WTO, QU Dongyu, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Roberto Azevêdo, respectively, they said: “Now is the time to show solidarity, act responsibly and adhere to our common goal of enhancing food security, food safety and nutrition and improving the general welfare of people around the world.”

Millions of people around the world depend on international trade for their food security and livelihoods, the statement added.
According to it, as countries move to enact measures aiming to halt the accelerating COVID-19 pandemic, care must be taken to minimise potential impacts on the food supply or unintended consequences on global trade and food security.
When acting to protect the health and well-being of their citizens, countries, they said, must ensure that trade-related measures do not disrupt the food supply chain.
They noted that such disruptions, including hampering the movements of agricultural and food industry workers and extending border delays for food containers, result in the spoilage of perishables and increasing food waste.
Food trade restrictions could also be linked to unjustified concerns on food safety.

“If such a scenario were to materialise, it would disrupt the food supply chain, with particularly pronounced consequences for the most vulnerable and food-insecure populations,” the statement noted.
It added that uncertainty about food availability could spark export restrictions, creating a shortage on the global market. Such reactions can alter the balance between food supply and demand, resulting in price spikes and increased price volatility.

“We learned from previous crises that such measures are particularly damaging for low-income, food-deficit countries and to the efforts of humanitarian organisations to procure food for those in desperate need.
“We must prevent the repeat of such damaging measures. It is at times like this that more, not less, international cooperation becomes vital. In the midst of the COVID-19 lockdowns, every effort must be made to ensure that trade flows as freely as possible, especially to avoid food shortage.
“Similarly, it is also critical that food producers and food workers at processing and retail level are protected to minimise the spread of the disease within this sector and maintain food supply chains. “Consumers, in particular, the most vulnerable, must continue to be able to access food within their communities under strict safety requirements.

“We must also ensure that information on food-related trade measures, levels of food production, consumption and stocks, as well as on food prices, is available to all in real-time. This reduces uncertainty and allows producers, consumers, and traders to make informed decisions. Above all, it helps contain ‘panic buying’ and the hoarding of food and other essential items,” they said.
According to the three global organisations, “Now is the time to show solidarity, act responsibly and adhere to our common goal of enhancing food security, food safety, and nutrition and improving the general welfare of people around the world. We must ensure that our response to COVID-19 does not unintentionally create unwarranted shortages of essential items and exacerbate hunger and malnutrition.”

Source: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/04/02/wto-who-fao-seek-protection-for-food-supply-chain/