SDG2 advocacy for COVID-19
COVID-19 is a unprecedented global health crisis with serious implications for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 by 2030. With lockdowns preventing the harvesting of crops and reducing incomes as to make food less available and affordable, there are new challenges arising to ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and enduring sustainable agriculture. The SDG2 advocacy landscape has also been turned on its head with key 2020 moments such as Tokyo Nutrition for Growth 2020 Summit or SDG2 Momentum postponed or cancelled completely.
A few SDG2 actors have stepped up to compile key messages and talking points to help guide advocacy at this time.
Responding to COVID-19 impacts on agri-food systems
Compiled policy guidance from IFPRI, FAO & World Bank (20 April)
This document of policy recommendations focuses on policies and public investments that aim to address the impacts of COVID-19 on agri-food systems that involved smallholder farmers, formal and informal small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs, including processors, traders and retailers) and low-income consumers. It summarises several recent COVID-19 policy papers in to five high-level policy recommendations, each containing several more detailed and actionable sub-recommendations. This document is available for download at the bottom of the page.
COVID-19 & nutrition advocacy talking points
Developed by the International Coalition on Advocacy for Nutrition (ICAN) (16 April)
"Not only do we want to prevent a protracted nutrition crisis, but nutrition itself will play a role in recovery to help increase immunity/resiliency."
With nutrition as a risk factor for COVID-19 as well as a tool for recovery, this document calls for multi-sector commitment, collaboration and coordination with the highest level of leadership to protect children and families who are vulnerable to malnutrition. It outlines who is at risk, why good nutrition matters for COVID-19 and how the global community can effectively address nutrition in this context.
COVID-19, food & nutrition security, and gender equality
By CARE (29 April)
We must consider women’s rights and empowerment as an essential element of COVID-19 response and long-term resilience – not a trade off between immediate crisis response and a longer-term goal of women’s rights. Women and their rights are at risk in the COVID-19 crisis. Gender-blind policies now will risk not only women’s rights, but also our global food and economic systems where women are critical actors. Women have the skills and abilities to lead in crisis, and our programmes must empower them to do so. It is only by leveraging every resource available in the world — including the incredible, often ignored and oppressed skills women bring — that we can overcome the crisis we all face.
This brief outlines how women, gender equality and social norms are critical to recovering from COVID-19 — and building back better.
A food system response to COVID-19
A united CGIAR is working to build back better, through a transformation of the world’s food systems. As the world’s largest agricultural research network, CGIAR is working to anticipate and address the causes and consequences of the COVID-19 crisis and adapting its approach to meet global challenges related to food systems, climate change, and sustainable development. This new page highlights research, news, tools and events from across the network.
COVID-19 & nutrition messaging for governments
Developed by the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement
With overarching message "nutrition cannot wait", this brief warns of the lasting effects of even short-term disruptions to nutrition security for a child's survival, health and development. To ensure the prioritisation of nutrition and food security in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, SUN's advocacy messages point to four areas for action:
- Integrate nutrition in COVID-19 response & recovery
- Support the capacity of health systems to deliver
- Prioritise the needs for the most vulnerable
- Sustain the functioning of local food systems
Key messages on breastfeeding and COVID-19
Developed by Global Breastfeeding Collective
With social distancing guidelines causing confusion around the safety of breastfeeding, this brief outlines key messaging on breastfeeding for a range of stakeholders: all groups, mothers with suspected COVID-19, health workers, governments and implementing partners. The main points include:
- Breastfeeding saves lives and exclusive breastfeeding helps babies to thrive.
- Breastmilk provides antibodies that protect babies from infections.
- Coronavirus has no been found in breastmilk and there are no known transmissions via breastfeeding.
- The unparalleled benefits of breastfeeding outweighs any potential risk of transmission.
The five briefs are available below for download. Know of any other SDG2 & COVID-19 focused talking points or briefs? Let us know!
