I want to know how it is affecting agriculture around the globe. Because its a platform in which people from different parts of the world unites.
Some farmers faced the problems of labour shortage in field operation and some other faced problem in marketing of their harvested produce. The problems are region as well as country specific. In my region, Some producer use long distance transport for marketing their produce such as ginger and turmeric and during lock down it was badly affected. Some producers used to sell to processing industries, the supply-chain has badly affected due to close-down of industries during lock down.
The people have begun to recognise the importance of farming and are looking to know where their food comes from.
Aniruddha Roy Thanks for your concern sir. Really the agri-marketing channel has collapsed badly.
Yes, i agreed with the above scientist that this pandemic has caused tremendous loss to all sectors, but agriculture sector has continue to grow and showed positive trends in India. Farmers facing to sell their produce in the market while the demand is remain high, but supply is major concern. However, now a days every think is going to be normal and hope that we will be in normal condition very soon.
Effects:
1. As a result of lockdown, lower emissions of green housing gases which mitigates climate change phenomena
2. Increase in Online procurement and evolution of online sales platforms
3. Reduction in farm labour supply which lowers agricultural outputs
4. Because of fear and the psyche of the labour force has been affected, there is the consequence of reduction in agricultural productivity
5. Reduction in conflicts
6. Increase in prices of commodities including agricultural inputs used for production
7. Increase in inflation
8. Exchange rate problems
9. Scarcity of fresh farm produce
Debashis Dutta
Some external effects of COVID-19 such as an increase in crime rate during lock down has threatened other farms in South Africa, scaring away investors also resulting in a reduction in the labour supply in those highly affected provinces.
I am sharing with you a nice document specifically assessed the probable effect of COVID-19 on Ethiopian Agriculture. The same impacts might be expected elsewhere in developing countries. https://www.ju.edu.et/sites/default/files/Covid19%20impact%20on%20Eth%20Agri%20and%20mitigation%2023.04.20_final.pdf
As per my opinion, when lockdown first stated at that time supply-chain of commodities disrupted badly due to restriction on movement of people and vehicular traffic. The start of coronavirus pandemic has coincided with the peak harvesting season. The supply chain and value chain of Agricultural commodities has been affected. But after few months of lockdown people started moving (ease of travel restrictions) and border opens up, experts are expecting that there would be no impact on seeds availability of rabi season. But if the situation continues, then surely seed availability and crop production could be an issue.
Yes, I agree with you, sir. Looking forward to the speedy recovery of the agriculture sector.@Aniruddha Roy.
Sibonginkosi Chisakaitwa I am not getting it properly. What kind of crime threatening the farm labors. Will you mind to elaborate it a bit?
Speaking on behalf of the pacific region , as industries and work place are in the lock down , workers ,labors go back to their village and engaged in farming since it is the only source of livelihoods. For instance in Fiji, many flight attendant been shift to agriculture and make money as source of their income. I understand in developed countries ,it will impposible for farmers to keep their bussiness on track, as labors will affected due to the distance or place they stay , there will be a drop of commodoties supply since they producer itself is affected from labors , decreased demand from market vendors as lock down is prolonged.
Debashis Dutta COVID has led to many retrenchments and due to some lock down regulations, most informal jobs could not operate, leading to increased poverty amid higher unemployment rates. Economically some external effects of unemployment include poverty and higher crime rates since many people are searching for survival tactics hence they threaten nearby farms and still their produce.
Mainly, due to luck down and mobility problem, supply of agri inputs for the production of agri. products are being made difficult. The marketing of farmer,s farm produce has become a serious challenge.
Agriculture has overall benefited as can be seen from better price realization on most commodities. Logistical challenges have been largely addressed, through income compression of consumers has had some impact.
On the balance, farmers have benefited from the lockdown situation. The simple fact is people have to eat, and hence the stable/or even increase demand for agricultural products. While most sectors were locked down, agriculture remained operational in almost all countries.
time for farming, the lockdown and related COVID-19 restrictions have had the following impacts: available at https://www.wocat.net/documents/1012/Overview_Impact_of_Covid_in_Northern_Uganda_final.pdf
In Nepal,
The agricultural market has been suffering since the government of Nepal imposed a lockdown from March 23, 2020 to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the country. A month after the lockdown, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) conducted a rapid assessment survey to gauge the extent of disruptions of the lockdown on households from farming communities and agribusinesses.
As part of the Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) project, CIMMYT researchers surveyed over 200 key stakeholders by phone from 26 project districts. These included 103 agrovet owners and 105 cooperative managers who regularly interact with farming communities and provide agricultural inputs to farmers. The respondents served more than 300,000 households.
The researchers targeted maize growing communities for the survey since the survey period coincided with the primary maize season.
https://www.cimmyt.org/news/gauging-the-impact-of-covid-19-lockdown-on-farming-communities-and-agribusinesses-in-nepal/
In Uganda
About 75% of Uganda’s population is in agriculture and close to 70% are smallholder farmers who derive their livelihood from agriculture. These cultivate less than five hectares of land.
The measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 have worsened the situation of this group. They have failed to get easy access to both their land and markets to sell their products or buy seeds and other essential inputs. They have also been left at the mercy of the middlemen giving them low food prices.
Although the magnitude of the impact cannot be ascertained as at the moment, special consideration needs to be given on how to cushion effects of Covid-19 on the most vulnerable and bottom-down of the pyramid in the society-the poor.
It is noteworthy that the government has shown commitment to sustain her aricultural activities like farms, cargo imports and exports despite the crisis. However, this has not solved the problem of lack of market and fair prices in relation to the production costs for the smallholder farmers in the country.
In order for the government to protect and sustain food systems and markets for smallholder farmers, it needs to collaborate with Uganda National Farmers Federation to establish collection centres’ set up by small holder farming cooperatives as a way of keeping the supply chain functioning through market closures.
https://www.independent.co.ug/impact-of-covid-19-on-small-farmers/
In India
COVID-19 is disrupting some activities in agriculture and supply chains. Preliminary reports show that the non-availability of migrant labor is interrupting some harvesting activities, particularly in northwest India where wheat and pulses are being harvested. There are disruptions in supply chains because of transportation problems and other issues. Prices have declined for wheat, vegetables, and other crops, yet consumers are often paying more. Media reports show that the closure of hotels, restaurants, sweet shops, and tea shops during the lockdown is already depressing milk sales. Meanwhile, poultry farmers have been badly hit due to misinformation, particularly on social media, that chicken are the carriers of COVID-19.
Here are some measures are required to keep the agricultural sector and supply chains working smoothly:
The government has correctly issued lockdown guidelines that exempt farm operations and supply chains. But implementation problems leading to labor shortages and falling prices should be rectified.
Keeping supply chains functioning well is crucial to food security. It should be noted that 2 to 3 million deaths in the Bengal famine of 1943 were due to food supply disruptions—not a lack of food availability.
Farm populations must be protected from the coronavirus to the extent possible by testing and practicing social distancing.
Farmers must have continued access to markets. This can be a mix of private markets and government procurement.
Small poultry and dairy farmers need more targeted help, as their pandemic-related input supply and market-accessproblems are urgent.
Farmers and agricultural workers should be included in the government’s assistance package and any social protection programs addressing the crisis.
As lockdown measures have increased, demand has risen for home delivery of groceries and E-commerce. This trend should be encouraged and promoted.
The government should promote trade by avoiding export bans and import restrictions.
https://www.ifpri.org/blog/addressing-covid-19-impacts-agriculture-food-security-and-livelihoods-india
Kindly check https://www.ifpri.org/blog/addressing-covid-19-impacts-agriculture-food-security-and-livelihoods-india
We captured the immediate effects of COVID-19 induced lockdown on agriculture in India as well as in developing nations along with suggesting some policy implications. Hope the below papers would be useful to your research question.
Preprint Deciphering the impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on food security...
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Preprint Impact of COVID-19 on the Indian Agricultural System: A 10-P...
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