Women farmers are more at risk from Covid-19 food crisis with some 83 per cent of them from 14 countries including Bangladesh reported a loss of livelihoods during the pandemic, with 65 per cent saying they are experiencing food shortages.
More than half of women said their unpaid care and domestic work has increased during the pandemic.
A research conducted by Action Aid unveiled this information.
The research was conducted in 14 countries including Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe by ActionAid.
The research titled “The Covid-19 Food Crisis Research Monitoring Report” was released on the occasion of World Food Day 2020.
Based on the findings, ActionAid, Bangladesh on Friday urged the government to prioritise investment in sustainable, climate-resilient local food systems as part of Covid-19 recovery plans.
In a statement, Catherine Gutundu, ActionAid’s head of resilient livelihoods and climate justice, said around the world, Covid-19 has left women farmers indebted and hungry. Many of them now can't afford to plant for the next season.
“A dangerous spiral of increasing hunger and poverty could set in unless governments urgently increase their support to family farmers now,” Gutundu added.
Catherine Gutundu also said women already on the frontlines of the climate crisis are bearing the brunt of rising hunger due to Covid-19 as they skip meals so that their children can eat and face rising levels of gender-based violence.
ActionAid also called on governments to bailout women farmers ahead of the next planting season to avert a Covid-induced food crisis.
