With your help we can help farmers and workers survive the additional economic and social hardship caused by Covid-19. We have identified several types of support, which could be provided. These range from the provision of hand sanitiser and other protective items, to the supply of seeds, farming tools, and equipment. Many producers are not only facing risks to their health and livelihood because of the virus, but are also dealing with the effects of travel restrictions on their supply of food and other essential items.

In Uganda, over 20% of the population lives in poverty, and the nationwide transport ban has not only affected trade, but also impacted food supplies and healthcare. The government has set up a national task force to provide household essentials to those in need, and a Ugandan coffee co-operative is supplementing supplies using their Fairtrade Premium. They have donated sugar, maize flour, cooking oil, beans and soap but further support is urgently needed.

Peru has experienced one of the strictest lockdown periods in the world. Small communities are also enforcing their own travel restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19. Farmers have subsequently encountered challenges in delivering their produce locally. One coffee and cocoa co-operative in the Peruvian Andes is helping support its community by supplying large baskets of essential items to farmers. They have been able to gain permission to use their trucks for deliveries of food and cleaning supplies.