The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis which is already affecting the food and agriculture sector. Countries with existing humanitarian crises are particularly exposed to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Support to ensure sustainable agriculture production and maintaining the critical supply chain linkages are extremely important during this crisis and in the context of associated lockdown measures implemented by countries. 

FAO is playing a key role in assessing and responding to the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on people’s lives and livelihoods, global food trade, markets, food supply chains and livestock. To mitigate the pandemic’s impacts on food and agriculture, FAO urges countries to meet the immediate food needs of their vulnerable populations, boost their social protection programmes, keep global food trade going, keep the domestic supply chain gears moving, and support smallholder farmers’ ability to increase food production. There are multiple challenges that need immediate attention to safeguard the livelihoods of the smallholders. Some of these challenges include maintaining the linkages with input suppliers, access to markets, provision of knowledge on innovative technologies and practices, and above all maintaining the employment opportunities for rural agricultural workers and youth. 

Addressing these challenges requires tools, methods and training resources that young agricultural development professionals and rural youth as the critical agents can apply to facilitate the use of innovative solutions and practices by farmers to be able to face these challenges posed. This brief offers a package of tools, training materials and best practices that are immediately available to support youth in responding to the challenges of the pandemic from a food and agriculture point of view.