This joint study by the World Food Programme and the International Organization for Migration explores the impacts of COVID-19 and related containment measures on migrant workers, remittance-dependent households and the forcibly displaced. It assesses the implications of the pandemic for people’s mobility, food security and other livelihood outcomes in major migration and hunger hotspots around the world.
There are important linkages between food security and mobility. Food insecurity, especially when combined with conflict, can be one of the main drivers for people to move. Migration, including through the generation of remittances, contributes to communities’ resilience and development, and is also an important strategy used by households to cope with income uncertainty and food insecurity risks.
In 2019, the number of international migrants and refugees worldwide reached 272 million, up from 174 million in 2000. This is equivalent to 3.5 percent of the world’s population. All regions have seen growth, albeit at different levels. The highest increases since 2000 have been seen in the Middle East and North Africa (58 percent), sub-Saharan Africa (44 percent) and Latin America (44 percent).