‘Country-driven’ approach needed to limit COVID-19 damage to food security 

14 July 2020

Health UN

A ‘business as usual' approach is no longer an option, the head of the UN agriculture agency said on Tuesday, launching a new plan to move past the coronavirus pandemic.

"We must work very hard to limit COVID-19's damaging effects on food security and nutrition”, QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) said in his opening remarks launching the new strategy: “We need to be more country-driven, innovative and work closely hand in hand”. 

FAO’s comprehensive COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme aims to avert a global food emergency during and after the pandemic while simultaneously working on medium to long-term development responses for food security and nutrition. 

avert v. /əˈvɜːt/  

1.to prevent sth bad or dangerous from happening 防止，避免（危险、坏事）

•A disaster was narrowly averted. 及时防止了一场灾难。

2.~ your eyes, gaze, face (from sth) to turn your eyes, etc. away from sth that you do not want to see 转移目光；背过脸

•She averted her eyes from the terrible scene in front of her. 她背过脸，不去看面前可怕的场面。 

Simultaneously /ˌsɪmlˈteɪniəsli/同时地  

To provide a coordinate response that ensures access to nutritious food globally, resources and partnerships must be mobilize at country, regional and global level, requiring a $1.2 billion initial investment.

The new programme aims to mitigate the immediate impacts of the pandemic while strengthening the longer-term resilience of food systems and livelihoods.

“This is how FAO has built its COVID-19 comprehensive response and recovery programme, and today we are asking you to join us", said the FAO chief.

Food security hangs in balance

In addition to being a major public concern, the pandemic also imperils global food security. 

imperil v. /ɪmˈperəl/  [ VN ] ( formal ) to put sth/sb in danger 使陷于危险；危及

According to World Bank's estimates, the economic impact of the crisis could push some 49 million more people into extreme poverty. 

Furthermore, soaring unemployment rates, income losses and rising food costs not only jeopardize food access in both developed and developing countries but also have long-term effects on food security. 

Key response areas

The report lays out seven priorities to enhance food system and minimize COVID-19 effects on food security. 

• Reinforce a global humanitarian response plan for COVID-19.

• Improve data for decision-making,

• Ensure economic inclusion and social protection to reduce poverty.

• Bolster trade and food safety standards.

• Boost smallholders’ ability to recover.

• Strengthen a “One Health” approach to prevent the next zoonotic pandemic 

• Transform how food systems work

Lay out：摆放，清晰的表达

reinforce v. /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs/  

1.to make a feeling, an idea, etc. stronger 加强；充实；使更强烈

•The climate of political confusion has only reinforced the country's economic decline. 政局混乱只加速了国家经济的衰退。

2.to make a structure or material stronger, especially by adding another material to it 加固；使更结实•reinforced steel 增强钢材

3.to send more people or equipment in order to make an army, etc. stronger 给…加强力量（或装备）；使更强大

bolster /ˈbəʊlstə(r)/ 改善，增强； 垫枕（长而厚）

~ sth (up) to improve sth or make it stronger 改善；加强

•to bolster sb's confidence/courage/morale 增加某人的信心╱勇气╱士气

zoonotic zoon-otic adj. 动物传染病的

And as COVID-19 plunges national economies into recession, with more to come, countries must urgently act to mitigate the longer-term impacts on food systems and food security.

Meanwhile existing crises – such as conflict, natural disasters, climate change and plagues – that are already stressing food systems and triggering food insecurity around the globe, are compounding a precarious situation.

Plague /pleɪɡ/ 1，The Plague 特指鼠疫,2，死亡率高的传染病；3，~ of sth large numbers of an animal or insect that come into an area and cause great damage （老鼠或昆虫等肆虐造成的）灾害，祸患 •a plague of locusts/rats, etc. 蝗灾、鼠害等

Reading the future

FAO is asking governments to better understand emerging trends, pinpoint any lapses and provide technical advice and capacity development across a wide range of disciplines. In addition, it is offering more investment support.

pinpoint /ˈpɪnpɔɪnt/vt. 查明；精确地找到；准确描述 adj. 精确的；详尽的 n. 针尖；精确位置；极小之物

lapse /læps/  

1.a small mistake, especially one that is caused by forgetting sth or by being careless 小错；（尤指）记错，过失，疏忽 •a lapse of concentration/memory 心不在焉；记错

2.a period of time between two things that happen （两件事发生的）间隔时间

•After a lapse of six months we met up again. 相隔六个月之后我们又相遇了。

3.行为失检；（平时表现不错的人一时的）失足

“The Food Coalition is an exemplary approach to leveraging high-level capital and political will to avoid an escalation of the pandemic from a health crisis to a food crisis", FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol told the meeting, amidst a warning that "immense” efforts will be needed ahead.

coalition n. /ˌkəʊəˈlɪʃn/  

1.（两党或多党）联合政府•to form a coalition 组成联合政府 •a two-party coalition 两党联合的政府 •a coalition government 联合政府

2.（尤指多个政治团体的）联合体，联盟 •a coalition of environmental and consumer groups 环境保护和消费者团体的联盟

3.[ U ] the act of two or more groups joining together 联合；结合；联盟

exemplary adj. /ɪɡˈzempləri/  example 

1.providing a good example for people to copy 典范的；可作榜样的；可作楷模的

•Her behaviour was exemplary. 她的行为堪作楷模。

2. [ usually before noun ] ( law 律 ) ( formal ) ( of punishment 惩罚 ) severe; used especially as a warning to others 严厉的；儆戒性的；惩戒性的

leverage n.   /ˈliːvərɪdʒ/  

1.( formal ) the ability to influence what people do 影响力 •diplomatic leverage 外交影响力

2.( technical 术语 ) the act of using a lever to open or lift sth; the force used to do this 杠杆作用；杠杆效力

 原文链接：https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/07/1068361