Saudi Arabia has made more than $ 500 million available to finance agricultural production and ensure food security during the coronavirus pandemic, as announced by the Agricultural Development Fund. The initiative will include direct and indirect lending and will initially focus on products such as soybeans, corn, rice and sugar. 

Numerous outbreaks of Covid-19 are occurring in slaughterhouses around the world. Hardest hit is the US, with over 180 production centers, followed by Ireland, Spain, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Canada and the UK. The problem may have serious implications for supplies and the health of workers. These are often migrant workers living in large families without adequate health care. 

Research by Columbia University warns that children forced not to attend school for over five months risk being more exposed to childhood obesity. Ethnic minorities are said to be at greatest risk. Weight gain is said to be over 4 percent after a six-month prolonged shutdown due to fewer interactions and a reduction in sporting and recreational activities. 

The pandemic will increase the number of Europeans at risk of going hungry and will lead to less healthy nutrition for the most vulnerable groups. Experts warn that millions of people have already lost their jobs due to the lockdown and this will trigger an economic crisis that will leave many citizens without a source of livelihood. This will also have repercussions on their ability to buy food for themselves and their families. 

Japan has announced an additional $ 14.8 million to ensure food security for vulnerable people in Zimbabwe. The funding will allow the World Food Program (WFP) and the Zimbabwean government to procure 25,600 tons of food to meet the demand of 512,000 families living in rural areas over a six-month period. 

Global deforestation is continuing, albeit at a slower pace, with 10 million hectares per year converted to other uses since 2015, down from 12 million hectares per year in the previous five years, according to the main results of the report produced every five years by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).. According to the report, there are 4.06 billion hectares of forest on our planet today, equivalent to 0.52 hectares per person. Since 2010, the world's forest area has decreased by 4.7 million hectares per year.