The pandemic can affect sustainability of land and soil management, by, for instance, weakening forest governance and contributing to illegal activities such as deforestation. FAO projects will have to address the tenure and administration dimensions of changes brought by COVID-19, including issues of tenure security and access to natural resources, compensation, administration or land governance. This should be done in accordance with the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT). FAO projects and programmes that were designed to address climate vulnerability and enhance resilience to natural disasters as a major objective should be re-assessed and targeting and assistance should be reconsidered. Disaster preparedness and response will need to account for the compounding effects of the pandemic and consider pandemic-related restrictions. COVID-19 messaging should be integrated into existing communication channels during and in the aftermath of disasters to promote social and behavioural change for COVID-19 risk mitigation and protection measures.

COVID-19 has brought to light the importance of safeguarding ecosystem health for preventing systemic risks affecting our food systems. Closely interlinked, biodiversity and ecosystem services support agriculture in multiple ways, benefitting farmers’ livelihoods and well-being. To tackle the complex and interrelated issues associated with wildlife habitat disruption, biodiversity loss and the spread of zoonotic diseases, FAO will continue to:

• Support and scale up efforts to prevent, halt and reverse the loss and degradation of ecosystems and restore degraded ecosystems worldwide.
• Support national governments to prevent and mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, by addressing the social, political and cultural root causes and considering the different values attached to these conflicts.
• Help indigenous peoples to secure and exercise their territorial rights to sustainably manage the natural resources they depend on for food, income and cultural identity. (See A.9 for further information).

Where necessary, FAO will adapt programming and operational delivery to potential COVID-19 impacts to protect the agricultural livelihoods and food security of vulnerable groups, by:

• Continuing and scaling-up distributions of agricultural inputs (seeds, tools, livestock feed) and provision of animal health support in the most vulnerable areas, including within the rural-urban interface and ensuring equal benefits for women and men.

• Supporting livelihood diversification and home-based food production to ensure fresh food availability and income (e.g. distribution of small stock, tools and quality seeds and saplings for home gardening including bio-fortified seeds); reducing post-harvest losses, which are likely to substantially increase due to limitations in transport and access to markets, through improved storage capacities and small-scale processing and conservation of fruits, vegetables, milk and meat products, etc., as well as ensuring food quality and safety along the value chain.

• Supporting food production in camp-like settings and host communities to protect food availability (e.g. distribution of small stock, distribution of tools and seeds for small-scale agricultural production of nutrient-dense crops) and improving access to food and healthy diets, as well as scaling-up cash-based programmes. 

To reduce risks of transmission of zoonotic pathogens in live animal markets, FAO recommends that:

• Anyone visiting live animal markets, wet markets, or animal product markets should practice general hygiene measures, including regular hand washing with soap and water after touching animals and animal products, avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with hands, and avoiding contact with sick animals, spoiled animal products, animals living in the market and potentially contaminated animal waste or fluids.

• The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided and handled with care according to food safety practices.

 For people working in these markets, the following general recommendations apply2:

• Slaughterhouse workers, veterinarians, market workers, and those handling live animals and animal products should practice good personal hygiene, including frequent hand washing. They should consider wearing protective gowns and gloves while handling animals and animal products and these should be washed/changed daily. Workstations should be disinfected frequently.

• Sick animals should never be slaughtered for consumption; dead animals should be safely buried or destroyed and contact with their body fluids should be avoided. Veterinarians should maintain a high level of vigilance and report any unusual event detected in any animal species present in the markets to veterinary authorities. (See A.7 for further recommendations).

2 WHO recommendations to reduce risk of transmission of emerging pathogens from animals to humans in live animal markets or animal product markets (26 March 2020): https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus/who-recommendations-to-reduce-risk-of-transmission-of-emerging-pathogens-from-animals-to-humans-in-live-animal-markets

FAO activities should continue to seek to avoid use of pesticides in supported activities. Where unavoidable, projects should utilize Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches and adopt safe, effective and environmentally sound pesticide management in accordance with the WHO/FAO Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management. The least toxic pesticides that are known to be effective should be given priority to minimize risks associated with development of resistance in pests and vectors and for minimal effects on non-target species and the environment.

FAO seeks to avoid involuntary resettlement in supported activities wherever possible, especially during times of crises and emergency. However, if called upon to support partner activities that could lead to involuntary resettlement of individuals or communities, activities shall be undertaken only in exceptional circumstances for the purpose of promoting the general welfare with full justification, and with appropriate forms of compensation, assistance and legal protection.  FAO policy prohibits forced evictions, which include acts involving the coerced or involuntary displacement of individuals, groups, or communities from homes and/or lands and common property resources that were occupied or depended upon.

FAO projects and programmes shall actively seek to protect the right to decent work, and support those most severely affected by unemployment and underemployment, such as women and youth. FAO’s response should focus on protecting workers at the workplace, expanding temporary work permits and ensuring safe mobility within and across countries, matching labor demand and supply, while protecting lives, livelihoods and supporting employment and incomes for the most vulnerable, including migrants.

The following recommendations and measures apply:

• Support the design of, or facilitate access to, stimulus packages that aim to sustain jobs and the economy.
• Ensure that social protection measures form part of a package including health and hygiene support, and relief from loan repayments, rent and utility payments.
• Expand income smoothing and employment retention measures to cover all vulnerable populations.
• Promote market linkages and shorter supply chains (e.g. introduce vegetable deliveries sourced from local producers) and consider the provision of passes to ease logistics issues under the restrictions of movement.
• Where possible, provide online and via phone job search counselling and intermediation and distance learning programmes through locally available digital channels and community media.
• Ensure tailored support for women workers with care responsibilities at home and families that may resort to child labour as a coping strategy, as well as other vulnerable subgroups.
• Support protection measures according to project-related circumstances to extend expiring work visas of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers.
• Provide temporary compensation in the form of in-kind food/vouchers or targeted cash transfers to informal workers who are not able to work.
• Liaise with community organizations to disseminate up-to-date health information related to COVID-19 and conduct awareness-raising campaigns in appropriate languages on how to protect oneself and others from the risk of COVID-19.
• Ensure employees have health and safety training, including on the proper use and maintenance of personal protective equipment.
• Identify children at risk of child labour and link children and caregivers to food assistance and emergency livelihood programmes.
• Consider risks to workers and contractors arising from potential social unrest associated with COVID-19.

Times of crises create unique and complicated challenges in addressing gender-based violence (GBV). While prevalence is difficult to determine due to large number of cases that go unreported and limited population-based studies in emergency situations, women and girls face an increased risk of exposure to GBV. FAO projects will consider the following measures to address gender-related issues during and in the aftermath of the pandemic, by enhancing the evidence base.

FAO projects working with and related to indigenous peoples’ livelihoods and promoting indigenous food systems should:

• Encourage Governments to include indigenous peoples’ representatives, leaders and traditional authorities in emergency and health response committees or any entity dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Ensure availability of disaggregated data on indigenous peoples, including on rates of infection, mortality, economic impacts, care burden, and incidence of violence.
• Support dissemination of information and audiovisual materials related to public health safety and involve indigenous youth.
• Support health authorities to include in their response intercultural considerations, such as traditional indigenous health care providers, and to provide training in all the relevant health and safety measures to stop the spread of the virus.
• Respect the right of indigenous peoples to be or remain in voluntary isolation during and in the aftermath of COVID-19 and discourage any planned or ongoing forced evictions of indigenous peoples, especially during the COVID-19 emergency and its aftermath.
• Enhance and support protection measures to avoid degradation of indigenous protected areas and protect indigenous peoples’ territorial rights to sustainably manage the resources they depend on for food, income and cultural identity, promoting safe sourcing practices and awareness of meat handling risks posed by COVID-19.
• Improve the access and management of clean water and sanitation, particularly for indigenous peoples living in remote communities, to avoid further spread of the virus.
• Revisit and reconsider ongoing projects, in close coordination with the indigenous peoples involved, taking into consideration the effects of COVID-19 (and related mitigation efforts) on these communities.
• Consider establishing post COVID-19 recovery activities and programs that are specifically aimed at indigenous peoples and that support indigenous peoples’ traditional livelihoods, their economies and their communities.