COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity in South American countries

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unparalleled political, economic, and social ramifcations, exacerbating global food insecurity (FI). To understand the overall impact of the pandemic and how diferent socio-economic groups were afected,
we assessed prevalence and severity of FI in a sample of 18,997 households across seven countries in South America. We employed the Food Insecurity Experience Scale developed by the FAO. Our results showed that pre-pandemic, 4.5% of the
sampled population across the entire continent faced Moderate FI, while 0.6% experienced severe FI. During the pandemic, Moderate FI increased to 16.9% (+12.4%), and Severe FI to 2.7% (+2.1%). By country, pre-pandemic households in Venezuela had the highest prevalence of Moderate FI (9.7%), with Peru experiencing the highest Severe FI frequency (1.1%). Peru had the greatest rise in Moderate (+23.9%) and Severe FI (+4.6%) during the pandemic. Low-income households, defned as those earning<2 minimum wages per month, were most susceptible to FI. Uruguayan low-income families exhibited the most signifcant rise (+40.4%) in Moderate FI, while those in Peru experienced an increase of+9.1% in Severe FI. This study measures the profound and far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on FI in South America. Our fndings also emphasise the critical importance of implementing efective public policy interventions to improve resilience against future shocks. This would enable policymakers to develop targeted strategies that address the immediate challenges posed by pandemics as well as laying the groundwork for a more resilient and sustainable food security landscape in the region.