Poverty and food insecurity could grow dramatically as COVID-19 spreads

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, social and economic relief measures"”including fiscal stimulus and expansion of social safety nets"”are crucial to prevent poverty and hunger from rising dramatically in developing countries. Rob Vos, David Laborde and Will Martin estimate this impact globally, finding that over 140 million additional people could fall into extreme poverty in 2020, including 80 million in Africa and 42 million in South Asia. Food insecurity would rise along with poverty. Without support, this global health crisis could thus cause a major poverty and food crisis."” Johan Swinnen , series co-editor and IFPRI Director General.