Over the last few years, countries in the Southern African region have battled numerous shocks spanning multiple dimensions¨C health, economic, social, and climatic. While extreme weather conditions and their impact on agri-based livelihoods have been compounding structural vulnerabilities and chronically worsening food security and nutrition, COVID-19 and the related mitigation measures (lockdowns, border closures etc.) have further pushed millions into food insecurity of ¡°crisis-level or higher.¡± This has demonstrated the urgency of reinforcing investments in national social protection systems where food security and nutrition serve as the foundation. Using the COVID-19 experience of several countries in the Southern Africa region, this paper analyses the role of food security and nutrition in social protection programming and in bridging the humanitarian- development divide. In the process, it answers the following key questions:
- How has COVID-19 compounded pre-existing vulnerabilities and affected the status of food security and nutrition in the Southern African region?
- To what extent have social protection responses to COVID-19 in the southern African region been responsive to food security and nutrition needs?
- Why should food security and nutrition be at the centre stage for effectiveness of social protection responses to crises?
- How can social protection be an effective platform to respond to the set of compounding covariant shocks affecting the region in a way that ensures that food security and nutrition are safeguarded and strengthened?
