Publication

INDONESIA COVID-19: Economic and Food Security Implications (4th Edition)

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Nine months since the first case of COVID-19 was identified in Indonesia, the effects of the pandemic are continuing to unfold. The scope of its impact on the economy, livelihoods, food security and nutrition is still evolving. Inequities related to employment, income earning, and gender are increasing.

Although positive signs of recovery have begun, full economic recovery is likely to take a long time. The lockdowns, that restricted non-essential socio-economic activities and movement in order to contain the virus, have limited the opportunities to work and earn an income, and restricted access to services. This has put pressure on the most vulnerable populations to afford basic needs. The decline in household purchasing power, due to job loss and income reduction has definitely affected access to food.

This fourth joint WFP, FAO and UN Women COVID-19 Bulletin provides a comprehensive overview of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the economy, food security and livelihoods in Indonesia. The Bulletin includes: update on government social protection support for vulnerable groups to reduce the impact of the crisis; update on macroeconomic indicators in the third and early fourth quarter of 2020; overview of recent trends in food security, including constraints in food supply chains; review of gender inequalities, highlighting the extent of socio-economic impacts on Indonesian women, etc.

The analysis suggested that a robust and inclusive social protection remains critical to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to food and levels of consumption. Rising unemployment due to the pandemic is likely to continue resulting in reduced purchasing power, especially in urban settings. Social protection programmes have great potential to enhance purchasing capacities and reduce the risk of food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable groups. This is especially the case for workers in the informal sector currently not reached by existing social protection programmes.

 

For more detail kindly refer to the https://www.wfp.org/publications/covid-19-economic-and-food-security-implications-indonesia-4th-edition-december-2020  

Other publications by WFP Indonesia, including previous editions of the COVID-19 Economic and Food Security bulletins could be found here and https://www.wfp.org/countries/indonesia