Addressing the effects of COVID-19 on agriculture and food security situation in Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51599/is.2022.06.01.05Keywords:
impact, food security, agriculture, COVID-19, sustainable development, Africa.Abstract
Purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic has had many adverse impacts socially, economically and physically on various sectors across the world. Agriculture is the backbone for many economies in Africa. Additionally, it contributes significantly to the gross domestic product and employment of many African citizens. In Africa, COVID-19 had an impact on agriculture and food security. This paper through a theoretical review of various articles and books, sought to highlight the positive and negative effects of COVID-19 on the food security situation in Africa. The key objective of the paper was to highlight the link between the global pandemic, agriculture and food systems in Africa and provide solutions towards addressing the effects of the pandemic.
Results. The paper highlights the positive and negative effects of the pandemic in Africa. Through a theoritical review of journals reviews some pandemics including during biblical and recent times, their impacts on agriculture and how they were addressed. It presents solutions towards addressing the food security situation affected by COVID-19 in Africa. This paper highlights the role of various stakeholders in addressing the effects of COVID-19.
Scientific novelty. The paper highlights the role of leaders, farmers and consumers in addressing the effects of COVID-19 in Africa. It provides innovative and sustainable ways of addressing the effects of COVID-19 in Africa.
Practical value. This paper entails ideas that governments, farmers, development organizations and stakeholders in Africa agriculture will find useful in designing interventions that will address the effects of COVID-19 leading to a food secure and thriving Africa. A food secure Africa will boost employment in the agricultural sector and the sustainable development of other economic sectors and a thriving continent.
References
Ali, Z., Green, R., Zougmoré, R. B., Mkuhlani, S., Palazzo, A., Prentice, A. M., ... & Scheelbeek, P. F. (2020). Long-term impact of West African food system responses to COVID-19. Nature Food, 1(12), 768–770. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00191-8.
Cariappa, A. A., Acharya, K. K., Adhav, C. A., Sendhil, R., & Ramasundaram, P. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on the Indian agricultural system: a 10-point strategy for post-pandemic recovery. Outlook on Agriculture, 50(1), 26–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/0030727021989060.
Clapp, J., & Moseley, W. G. (2020). This food crisis is different: COVID-19 and the fragility of the neoliberal food security order. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 47(7), 1393–1417. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2020.1823838.
Ezirigwe, J., Ojike, C., Amechi, E., & Adewopo, A. (2021). ‘COVID-19/Food Insecurity Syndemic’: Navigating the Realities of Food Security Imperatives of Sustainable Development Goals in Africa. Law and Development Review, 14(1), 129–162. https://doi.org/10.1515/ldr-2020-0071.
Ilesanmi, F. F., Ilesanmi, O. S., & Afolabi, A. A. (2021). The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food losses in the agricultural value chains in Africa: the Nigerian case study. Public Health in Practice, 2, 100087. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100087.
Lal, R. (2020). Home gardening and urban agriculture for advancing food and nutritional security in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Food security, 12(4), 871–876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01058-3.
Mishra, A., Bruno, E., & Zilberman, D. (2021). Compound natural and human disasters: managing drought and COVID-19 to sustain global agriculture and food sectors. Science of the Total Environment, 754, 142210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142210.
Mohamed, E. M. A., Abdallah, S. M. A., Ahmadi, A., & Lucero-Prisno III, D. E. (2021). Food security and COVID-19 in Africa: implications and recommendations. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 104(5), 1613. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.20-1590.
Morsy, H., Salami, A., & Mukasa, A. N. (2021). Opportunities amid COVID-19: advancing intra-African food integration. World Development, 139, 105308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105308.
Moseley, W. G., & Battersby, J. (2020). The vulnerability and resilience of African food systems, food security, and nutrition in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. African Studies Review, 63(3), 449–461. https://doi.org/10.1017/asr.2020.72.
Nchanji, E. B., & Lutomia, C. K. (2021). Regional impact of COVID-19 on the production and food security of common bean smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa: implication for SDG's. Global Food Security, 29, 100524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100524.
Odularu, G., Aluko, O. A., Odularu, A., Akokuwebe, M., & Adedugbe, A. (2020). Conclusion: fostering nutrition security, climate adaptation and sustainable agriculture strategies amid Covid-19 pandemic. In Nutrition, Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change in Africa (pp. 175–182). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47875-9_12.
Ojokoh, B. A., Makinde, O. S., Fayeun, L. S., Babalola, O. T., Salako, K. V., & Adzitey, F. (2022). Impact of COVID-19 and lockdown policies on farming, food security, and agribusiness in West Africa. In Data Science for COVID-19 (pp. 209–223). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90769-9.00014-1.
Otekunrin, O. A., Otekunrin, O. A., Fasina, F. O., Omotayo, A. O., & Akram, M. (2020). Assessing the zero hunger target readiness in Africa in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. Caraka Tani: Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 35, 213–227. https://doi.org/10.20961/carakatani.v35i2.41503.
Pu, M., & Zhong, Y. (2020). Rising concerns over agricultural production as COVID-19 spreads: lessons from China. Global food security, 26, 100409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2020.100409.
Rasul, G. (2021). Twin challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and climate change for agriculture and food security in South Asia. Environmental Challenges, 2, 100027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2021.100027.
Rogerson, C. M., & Baum, T. (2020). COVID-19 and African tourism research agendas. Development Southern Africa, 37(5), 727–741. https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835X.2020.1818551.
Siche, R. (2020). What is the impact of COVID-19 disease on agriculture? Scientia Agropecuaria, 11(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.17268/sci.agropecu.2020.01.00.
Shilomboleni, H. (2020). COVID-19 and food security in Africa: building more resilient food systems. AAS open research, 3. https://doi.org/10.12688/aasopenres.13078.1.
Timilsina, B., Adhikari, N., Kafle, S., Paudel, S., Poudel, S., & Gautam, D. (2020). Addressing impact of COVID-19 post pandemic on farming and agricultural deeds. Asian Journal of Advanced Research and Reports, 11(4), 28–35. https://doi.org/10.9734/AJARR/2020/v11i430272.
Yaya, S., Otu, A., & Labonté, R. (2020). Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges. Globalization and Health, 16(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00581-4.
