A vicious cycle (Millennium Post)

Millennium Post published an article stating that in face of high food insecurity with COVID-19 resurging, many across India are cutting back on critical food items. According to the 2021 Global Food Policy Report, “The impacts of rising poverty and reduced livelihoods are reflected clearly in rising levels of food insecurity and decreasing diet quality.’  In Bangladesh, a significant percentage of the poor population stopped eating for an entire day to save the dipping food reserve. In Nepal, 30 percent of rural households had reduced spending on food.  Before the pandemic, there were three billion people who could not afford a ‘healthy diet.’ Currently, due to the impacts of the pandemic, some 267.6 million more people will join this list in 2020-2022.  Marie Ruel, Poverty Health and Nutrition division’s director said, “Widespread food insecurity and a shift toward the consumption of low-quality diets could, in turn, have devastating consequences for health and nutrition in low- and middle-income countries, especially among women of reproductive age and young children.”