COVID-19, food security, and opportunities for reconfiguring unequal gender relations in Burkina Faso and Senegal (COVID-19-AFS)

IDRC’s response to the COVID-19 crisis includes a rapid response to the food and nutritional security crisis associated with COVID-19. This response mechanism supports the development of new, short-term activities that supplement existing projects. The goals are to document the impact of the pandemic (and control measures) on local food systems and food security; to document planned and spontaneous responses to the emerging crisis; and to strengthen responses to the current crisis. The rapid response mechanism also supports the development of new projects that document and analyze the efficacy of those responses. This will help low- and middle-income countries respond more efficiently to subsequent waves of the epidemic and to potential future shocks.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact in the Sahel region of West Africa, which is already facing several protracted crises, including endemic food insecurity. This project intends to assess the impact of the pandemic on food security for poor and vulnerable rural households in Burkina Faso and Senegal and the measures to control it (in terms of food production, access, availability, and stability). The research will provide in-depth knowledge of the challenges of food security and resilience to shocks such as the COVID-19 epidemic, which will help define more effective policies, strategies, and intervention models at national and regional levels.