Global health crisis COVID-19 already has devastating effects on the global economy – through direct and indirect effects as well as measures to contain the disease’s spread. Agricultural and food sectors are also feeling the impacts of these changes. To date, the supply of food has been held up well; however, in many countries, the measures implemented to contain the spread of the virus are starting to disrupt the supply of agro-food products to markets and consumers. There are also significant changes in the composition and – for some commodities – the level of demand in this sector.

A great deal will depend on policy responses over the short, medium, and long term on how damaging these impacts will be for food security, nutrition, and the livelihoods of farmers, fishers, and others along the food supply chain. Governments must manage multiple demands in the short term – responding to the health crisis, managing the effects of the economic shock, and ensuring the food system functions smoothly. While the pandemic poses some serious challenges for the food system in the short term, it also presents a chance to accelerate transformations in the sector to improve its resilience to a variety of challenges, including climate change. At the Newton County College and Career Academy, we strive to keep up with how Covid-19 and other problems affect agriculture and the economy.