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Magocha B, Molope M, Palamuleni M. The effects of COVID-19 on rural communities in Mahikeng Local municipality. JAMBA (POTCHEFSTROOM, SOUTH AFRICA) 2024; 16:1629. [PMID: 39113932 PMCID: PMC11304220 DOI: 10.4102/jamba.v16i1.1629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Global pandemics are known to disturb livelihoods. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an example of such pandemic in the recent past. Its outbreak prompted a global response characterised by unprecedented measures to mitigate its spread. Several preventative measures were recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) such as lockdowns to curtail the transmission of the virus and manage the crisis it caused. These measures hampered the movement and distribution of basic commodities inadvertently triggering a series of socio-economic consequences particularly in rural areas. This study delves into the intricate interplay between the COVID-19 lockdown and its impact on the accessibility, affordability and availability of basic commodities within the context of the Mahikeng Local Municipality, in a rural setting. Quantitative survey data were collected from 260 households, which were randomly selected. The data analysis was performed using chi-square, with a significance level of p < 0.05. The results showed that basic commodities were largely available (99%) in the market during lockdown. There was no significant association between background variables and availability of basic commodities. Accessibility of basic commodities was affected by many factors such as concerns of COVID-19 outbreak. The study demonstrated that prices of basic commodities increased during lockdown, thereby having a ripple effect on accessibility and affordability of basic commodities. However, the availability of basic commodities was less affected. Contribution The case study approach, focusing on Mahikeng Local Municipality, is essential for capturing localised nuances and providing actionable insights to policymakers, researchers and community leaders seeking to mitigate the negative effects of lockdowns on rural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blessing Magocha
- Department of Population and Health Research Entity, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, Mahikeng, South Africa
| | - Mokgadi Molope
- Department of Population and Health Research Entity, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, Mahikeng, South Africa
- Department of Development Studies, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, Mahikeng, South Africa
| | - Martin Palamuleni
- Department of Population and Health Research Entity, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, Mahikeng, South Africa
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2
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Akhter S, Cameron AJ. A Scoping Review of Studies Evaluating the Healthiness of Street Food Vendors. Curr Nutr Rep 2023; 12:893-908. [PMID: 38064169 DOI: 10.1007/s13668-023-00510-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This scoping review investigates the available tools for monitoring the healthiness of the food sold at street food outlets globally. RECENT FINDINGS Several tools were identified that have been used to evaluate the healthiness of street food outlets; however, these tools are not applicable globally, do not provide simple measures for evaluating the healthiness of foods sold, and generally have not been used across more than one study. The development of a comprehensive tool for measuring the healthiness of the street food environment that can be used across different jurisdictions and with different levels of resourcing is essential in order to understand the current street food environment and how it changes over time. As a major source of food in low- and middle-income countries globally, the street food environment is important to understand in order to know how it might help address the growing burden of diet-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadika Akhter
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Deakin University Institute for Health Transformation, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Adrian J Cameron
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Deakin University Institute for Health Transformation, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, VIC, 3125, Australia
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3
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Filho WL, Minhas A, Schmook B, Mardero S, Sharifi A, Paz S, Kovaleva M, Albertini MC, Skouloudis A. Sustainable development goal 13 and switching priorities: addressing climate change in the context of pandemic recovery efforts. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE 2023; 35:6. [PMID: 36691567 PMCID: PMC9849839 DOI: 10.1186/s12302-022-00701-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had many deep social and economic impacts that go beyond health issues. One consequence is that the pandemic has made it even harder to mobilize the financial resources needed to pursue SDG 13 (Climate Action) as a whole and to fund climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in particular. This is especially acute in respect of the efforts to achieve the targets set by the Paris Agreement and by the recent decisions in Glasgow. This paper looks at how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated poverty and undermined climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, as a result of the switches in priorities and funding. Using a review of the recent literature, an analysis of international trends, and a survey among climate scientists, it identifies some of the impacts of the pandemic on climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and discusses their implications. The findings indicate a decrease in funding to climate change research since the pandemic crisis. The bibliometric analysis reveals that a greater emphasis has been placed on the relationship between COVID-19 and poverty when compared to the interrelations between COVID-19 and climate change. Addressing climate change is as urgent now as it was before the pandemic crisis started, and efforts need to be made to upkeep the levels of funding needed to support research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Leal Filho
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD UK
- European School of Sustainability Science and Research, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aprajita Minhas
- European School of Sustainability Science and Research, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Birgit Schmook
- Department for the Observation and Study of the Land, Atmosphere, and Ocean, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Chetumal, 77014 QROO Mexico
| | - Sofia Mardero
- School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AL UK
| | - Ayyoob Sharifi
- Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability, and Center for Peaceful and Sustainable Futures (CEPEAS), Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8530 Japan
| | - Shlomit Paz
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel, 3498838 Haifa, Israel
| | - Marina Kovaleva
- European School of Sustainability Science and Research, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Antonis Skouloudis
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, University Hill, 81132 Mitilini, Lesvos, Greece
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4
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Arvin M, Bazrafkan S, Beiki P, Sharifi A. A county-level analysis of association between social vulnerability and COVID-19 cases in Khuzestan Province, Iran. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION : IJDRR 2023; 84:103495. [PMID: 36532873 PMCID: PMC9747688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Social vulnerability is related to the differential abilities of socio-economic groups to withstand and respond to the adverse impacts of hazards and stressors. COVID-19, as a human risk, is influenced by and contributes to social vulnerability. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between social vulnerability and the prevalence of COVID-19 infection in the counties of Khuzestan province, Iran. To determine the social vulnerability of the counties in the Khuzestan province, decision-making techniques and geographic information systems were employed. Also, the Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between the two variables. The findings indicate that Ahvaz county and the province's northeastern counties have the highest levels of social vulnerability. There was no significant link between the social vulnerability index of the counties and the rate of COVID-19 cases (per 1000 persons). We argue that all counties in the province should implement and pursue COVID-19 control programs and policies. This is particularly essential for counties with greater rates of social vulnerability and COVID-19 cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Arvin
- Department of Human Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahram Bazrafkan
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parisa Beiki
- Department of Geography, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ayyoob Sharifi
- Hiroshima University, ،The IDEC Institute, the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Science, and the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS), Japan
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5
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Nayak R, Jespersen L. Development of a framework to capture the maturity of food safety regulatory and enforcement agencies: Insights from a Delphi study. Food Control 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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6
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Kroll F, Adelle C. Lockdown, resilience and emergency statecraft in the Cape Town food system. CITIES (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 131:104004. [PMID: 36189109 PMCID: PMC9513340 DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2022.104004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Well before the Covid-19 pandemic, rapidly growing cities of the global South were at the epicenter of multiple converging crises affecting food systems. Globally, government lockdown responses to the disease triggered shocks which cascaded unevenly through urban food systems, exacerbating food insecurity. Cities worldwide developed strategies to mitigate shocks, but research on statecraft enabling food systems resilience is sparse. Addressing this gap, we analyse the case of the African metropolis of Cape Town, where lockdown disrupted livelihoods, mobility and food provision, deepening food insecurity. Employing a vital systems security lens, we show how civil society and state networks mobilised to mitigate and adapt to lockdown impacts. Building on preceding institutional transformations, civil society and state collaborated to deliver emergency food aid, while advocacy networks raised food on the political agenda, formulated proposals, and navigated these through a widened policy window. Emergency statecraft assembled networks and regulatory instruments to secure food systems, enhance preparedness for future disruptions and present opportunities for transition towards more sustainable food systems. However, current food systems configuration enabled powerful actors to resist deeper transformation while devolving impacts to community networks. Despite resilient vested interests and power disparities, advocacy coalitions can anticipate and leverage crises to incrementally advance transformational, pro-poor statecraft.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Kroll
- Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies and DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Western Cape 7535, South Africa
| | - Camilla Adelle
- Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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7
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Thanh PT, Duong PB. The COVID-19 pandemic and the livelihood of a vulnerable population: Evidence from women street vendors in urban Vietnam. CITIES (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 130:103879. [PMID: 35915708 PMCID: PMC9329276 DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2022.103879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused enormous detrimental impacts on a global scale. Street vendors are one of the most heavily affected groups since they lack the skills and resources to overcome shocks. This study examines the economic burden facing this group during the pandemic and their coping strategies and mitigation mechanisms in response to these adverse effects. We utilized a mixed-methods approach, wherein 91 women vendors completed a survey questionnaire and 15 women vendors were interviewed. These vendors were found to experience a large reduction in business and consumption. The businesses of immigrant vendors suffered more adverse effects than those of local vendors. Also, the vendors selling in wet market areas incurred greater economic burdens than those selling near schools or recreation centers. The vendors lacked coping strategies to sustain their businesses and adopted various mitigation mechanisms to ensure essential consumption. This study highlights the need for urban social policies that can support this vulnerable group amid a pandemic. We also discuss policy implications for cities and economic development with a focus on street vendors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pham Tien Thanh
- Faculty of Business Administration, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Pham Bao Duong
- Faculty of Economics and Rural Development, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam
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8
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Ngarava S. Empirical analysis on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity in South Africa. PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF THE EARTH (2002) 2022; 127:103180. [PMID: 35694434 PMCID: PMC9173843 DOI: 10.1016/j.pce.2022.103180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The study sought to ascertain the changes in the food insecurity status of households during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study made use of secondary data obtained from the 5 Waves of the National Income Dynamics Study-Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM). Descriptive statistics, food insecurity index and independent sample t-test were used to compare the mean differences in the food insecurity statuses of the households over the 5 Waves. The study found that there was an increase in food insecurity as the COVID-19 progressed from Wave 1 to 5. Significant differences at the 1% level were observed between Wave 5 and Wave 1 as well as between Wave 5 and Wave 3. The study concludes that there was food security in the initial progression of the COVID-19 pandemic which deteriorated. The study recommends a reconsideration of the scrapping of the top ups on the social grants. This will likely tighten the dire economic situation the households find themselves in. There is need to expand the social safety nets to accommodate the vulnerable in society. Short and localised value chains should be promoted to improve food accessibility during times of crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saul Ngarava
- Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre, University of Fort Hare, P. Bag X1314, 1 King William's Town Road, Alice, 5700, South Africa
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9
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Abstract
South Africa had the privilege of learning from how other countries responded to the crisis engendered by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this opportunity seems to have been lost as the South African government made the mistake of transposing a developed world preventive response onto a largely developing-world populace. The government failed to map out how factors such as South Africa’s demographic composition, spatial architecture, the incidence of poverty and informality, and competing epidemics would interact synergistically and shape epidemiological outcomes. In this article shaped by sociological insights, we show how the application of governance systems can give rise to many unintended social consequences when the knowledge forms upon which they are based are not suitably tailored to meet the needs of the specific local context. We highlight how informality can play a valuable role in fighting the COVID crisis and suggest that, to truly succeed, the government should include rather than override informal principles of governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Trevor van Wyk
- Department of Sociology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Vasu Reddy
- Department of Sociology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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10
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Ababulgu N, Abajobir N, Wana H. The embarking of COVID-19 and the perishable products' value chain in Ethiopia. JOURNAL OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 2022; 11:34. [PMID: 35310329 PMCID: PMC8917364 DOI: 10.1186/s13731-022-00224-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this paper is analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on the perishable products' value chain in Ethiopia. As a methodology, both data sources and types: primary and secondary, qualitative and quantitative, were used to achieve the objective of the study under consideration. The primary data sources used in this work is mainly phone survey, expert opinions and judgments based on real situation observation, and that of secondary data were collected through review of materials published on lessons learned from previous pandemics by different reputable sources. Therefore, this work is based on systematically reviewing and retrieving secondary sources through Google search, library plus harvesting and word type searching. The findings of the study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic cut the full functioning of the value and supply chain of perishable products due to social distance restrictions imposed by the government, fear of the disease, cutoff transportation and even lock-down of market centers. This led to price changes, gross domestic product loss, the start-up of agro-industrial parks was delayed, reduced export and more women become out of work due to their high participation in perishable products' value chain. To mention, Ethiopia has lost about $25 million-almost 10% of annual revenue-just over $10 million within the horticultural sector and around 50,000 workers lose their jobs-mostly female labourers. Based on the results, the authors forwarded the collective engagement of the concerned bodies to reduce the negative impacts of COVID-19 on perishable products by using the possible mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasir Ababulgu
- Department of Agribusiness and Value Chain Management, Faculty of Resource Management and Economics, Wollega University, Shambu Campus, Shambu, Ethiopia
| | - Nugusa Abajobir
- Department of Agribusiness and Value Chain Management, Faculty of Resource Management and Economics, Wollega University, Shambu Campus, Shambu, Ethiopia
| | - Hika Wana
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Resource Management and Economics, Wollega University, Shambu Campus, Shambu, Ethiopia
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11
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Urban Informal Food Traders: A Rapid Qualitative Study of COVID-19 Lockdown Measures in South Africa. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14042294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Globally, the adoption of COVID-19 containment measures, such as lockdowns, have been used to curb the rapid spread of the pandemic. However, these action regulations have caused substantial challenges to livelihoods. We explored the perceptions and experiences of COVID-19 implications for urban informal food traders in South Africa during the initial lockdown period that lasted five weeks. A rapid qualitative study was conducted during October–November 2020. Twelve key informants (seven men and five women) categorized into informal traders and food system expert groups were interviewed. Data were analyzed thematically using MAXQDA software. Participants perceived informal trading as a main source of livelihood for many individuals. Negative lockdown impacts described included forced business closure, increased food costs and reduced demand. The consensus among participants was that the government’s lack of formal recognition for informal food traders pre-COVID-19 contributed to challenges they faced during the pandemic, as evidenced by their exclusion as “essential service providers’’ at the start of lockdown. Policies that fail to recognize and consider informal food traders during ‘normal’ times lead to widened social inequality gaps among already vulnerable groups during natural disasters and disease outbreaks. In the case of COVID-19 in South Africa, this caused severe hunger, food insecurity and income loss.
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12
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Adeosun KP, Greene M, Oosterveer P. Informal ready-to-eat food vending: a social practice perspective on urban food provisioning in Nigeria. Food Secur 2022; 14:763-780. [PMID: 35154516 PMCID: PMC8816685 DOI: 10.1007/s12571-022-01257-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe way people access food in Nigeria is of central relevance for food security, health and sustainability. One key trend is the shift from household-based to primarily out-of-home food consumption as an increasing majority of the urban poor derive their daily nutrient intake from street foods. However, few studies have yet explored the role of the ready-to-eat food vending sector in urban food systems and the diets of the urban poor. This paper investigates the interrelations between these practices and the diversity of food groups provisioned among the urban poor in developing city contexts. A social practice approach is employed to explore differentiation among informal-ready-to-eat food vending practices in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria, in terms of their daily activities, competences and resources. Applied methods include GIS mapping, food log diaries, in-depth interviews and participant observation to map and classify informal-ready-to-eat food vending practices according to the nature of food provisioned and explore the everyday performances of different informal-ready-to-eat food vending practice initiatives and their relation to dietary diversity. The results reveal three key categories among these practices: traditional, processed and unprocessed—with varying levels of diversity in the food groups on offer. Traditional food vendors offer more diversified food compared to processed food vendors and unprocessed food vendors. The results reveal that material infrastructure, cooking bargaining and purchasing skills and nutritional knowledge are key to the diversity of food groups provisioned. The paper concludes by considering the wider relevance of these findings for urban food science and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kehinde Paul Adeosun
- Environmental Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
| | - Mary Greene
- Environmental Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Oosterveer
- Environmental Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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13
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Sepadi MM, Nkosi V. Environmental and Occupational Health Exposures and Outcomes of Informal Street Food Vendors in South Africa: A Quasi-Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:1348. [PMID: 35162371 PMCID: PMC8835235 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Informal street vending is a form of informal employment, and occupational conditions for people within this group have been proven to be detrimental to their health. Two independent reviewers carried out a systematic evaluation of the existing literature in South Africa on environmental and occupational exposures, as well as the health effects faced by informal street food vendors. Methods: 354 published publications were reviewed and 9 were included, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results: The evidence showed that informal street vendors are exposed to workplace risks that affect their health and wellbeing. Non-enclosed vendor stalls and frequent use of open fires were among the risk concerns. Vendors are vulnerable to gastrointestinal diseases such as salmonellosis and respiratory infections such as influenza and COVID-19 due to inadequate access to water, waste disposal facilities, and basic hygiene awareness and practices. Exposure to air pollutants increased the risk of respiratory and urinary illnesses and an impact on the reproductive health of female street vendors. Conclusions: This investigation demonstrated the difficulties in complying with the requirements of the Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of Food, and Related Matters (no. R638 of 22 June 2018) and the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act (no. 85 of 1993). Within South African borders, there is a scarcity of research on occupational exposures and health effects in this occupation. As a result, eliminating or preventing these occupational exposures should be at the top of government and stakeholder agendas. The majority of the research was carried out in KwaZulu Natal and used a quantitative, cross-sectional technique. Other designs, including cohorts, time series, and randomized intervention trials, were underutilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maasago Mercy Sepadi
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa;
| | - Vusumuzi Nkosi
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa;
- Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 001, South Africa
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14
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Manlosa AO, Hornidge AK, Schlüter A. Institutions and institutional changes: aquatic food production in Central Luzon, Philippines. REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE 2021; 21:127. [PMID: 34873393 PMCID: PMC8637508 DOI: 10.1007/s10113-021-01853-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Aquaculture is the most rapidly growing food production sector globally. In certain coastal social-ecological systems, this has resulted in significant changes and sustainability challenges. In particular, coastal environments which used to support only capture fisheries are becoming sites for brackish water aquaculture production; this impacts the sustainability of aquatic food production. Sustainability challenges associated with aquaculture expansion and intensification necessitate a contextually rooted understanding of institutions and institutional changes which can be used as an informed basis for leveraging institutions to achieve desirable sustainability outcomes in the aquatic food sector. This research used a qualitative empirical case study involving in-depth interviews, participant observation, and analysis of institutional documents in the region of Central Luzon, Philippines. It applied the inter-institutional systems concept which considers multiple institutions with distinct but linked purposes and functions in the societal spheres of state, market, and civil society. The study found that aquaculture emerged as an important livelihood because of rice farmers' need to adapt to saltwater intrusion into what were formerly rice farms. It grew into an industry due to developments in the availability and accessibility of inputs such as fingerlings and feeds. This process was also driven by the high demand and high profitability of fish farming at the time. Regulatory institutions have not adequately adapted to protect the environment. Market institutions adapted but the changes mostly benefited consignacions (middlemen) and large-scale players. However, organised groups of collaborating smallholder fishers and fish farmers are helping to address the disadvantages they face. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10113-021-01853-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisa O. Manlosa
- Social Sciences Department, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Fahrenheitstraße 8, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharina Hornidge
- German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), Tulpenfeld 6, 53113 Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Political Sciences and Sociology, University of Bonn, Regina-Pacis-Weg 3, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Achim Schlüter
- Social Sciences Department, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Fahrenheitstraße 8, 28359 Bremen, Germany
- Department of Business and Economics, Jacobs University, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
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Sarkar A, Hongyu W, Jony AA, Das JC, Memon WH, Qian L. Evaluation of the determinants of food security within the COVID-19 pandemic circumstances- a particular case of Shaanxi, China. Glob Health Res Policy 2021; 6:45. [PMID: 34847956 PMCID: PMC8632560 DOI: 10.1186/s41256-021-00230-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Agricultural food production and distribution industries may play a vital role in determining the current conditions of any country's food security and sustainable development goals. This paper examined the determinants of food security within three distinct aspects (effective utilization of food, food availability, and food access) within the COVID-19 epidemic situation. METHODS The qualitative set-up of the study comprised with the identification of drivers by critical analysis of published papers and discussion held with some practitioners. The quantitative data used in this research were collected from a survey covering the agricultural food supply industry in China (Shaanxi Province). The survey was conducted from November to December 2020 and we mainly focus on three aspects of food security (effective utilization of food, food availability, and food access). The core analytical assumptions were made by employing exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). RESULTS After analyzing the data collected from 257 agricultural food productions and distribution personnel along with the hypothesis testing, it found that the determinants of the effective utilization of food were positively related to the determinants of food access (β = 0.291, p = 0.029) and food availability (β = 0.298, p = 0.011), and the determinants of food availability were positively related to the food access determinants (β = 0.128, p = 0.002). The association and variance values between food availability and food access were 0.659 and 0.407; the association and variance values between for effective utilization of food and food availability aspects were 0.465 and 0.298, and between effective utilization of food and economy were 0.508 and 0.475. CONCLUSION The study critically evaluated the interconnection among the crucial determinants within the banner of three dimensions, which will act as a major contribution to existing literature. This research will help the government and industry to develop policies and strategies for the successful implementation of all the associated determinants of food security in terms of the epidemic situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apurbo Sarkar
- College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wang Hongyu
- College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Abdul Azim Jony
- School of International Education, Xidian University, Xian, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiban Chandro Das
- College of Economics and Management, Sher e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, 1207, Bangladesh
| | - Waqar Hussain Memon
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaoling Wei, Nanjing, 210014, China
| | - Lu Qian
- College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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Dear N, Duff E, Esber A, Parikh A, Iroezindu M, Bahemana E, Kibuuka H, Owuoth J, Maswai J, Crowell TA, Ake JA, Polyak CS. Transient Reductions in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Clinic Attendance and Food Security During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic for People Living With HIV in 4 African Countries. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:1901-1905. [PMID: 33906235 PMCID: PMC8135576 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated public health responses have disrupted daily living activities with economic and health consequences globally. We observed transient decreases in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinic visit adherence and food security among persons living with HIV early in the pandemic, and an increase in viral suppression later in the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Dear
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Emma Duff
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Allahna Esber
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ajay Parikh
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael Iroezindu
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- HJF Medical Research International, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Emmanuel Bahemana
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- HJF Medical Research International, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - Hannah Kibuuka
- Makerere University-Walter Reed Project, Kampala, Uganda
| | - John Owuoth
- US Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kisumu, Kenya
- HJF Medical Research International, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Jonah Maswai
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- HJF Medical Research International, Kericho, Kenya
| | - Trevor A Crowell
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Julie A Ake
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Christina S Polyak
- US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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17
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Shupler M, Mwitari J, Gohole A, Anderson de Cuevas R, Puzzolo E, Čukić I, Nix E, Pope D. COVID-19 impacts on household energy & food security in a Kenyan informal settlement: The need for integrated approaches to the SDGs. RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS 2021. [PMID: 34276242 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.27.20115113v1.full.pdf] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
This longitudinal study presents the joint effects of a COVID-19 community lockdown on household energy and food security in an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Randomly administered surveys were completed from December 2019-March 2020 before community lockdown (n = 474) and repeated in April 2020 during lockdown (n = 194). Nearly universal (95%) income decline occurred during the lockdown and led to 88% of households reporting food insecurity. During lockdown, a quarter of households (n = 17) using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a cleaner cooking fuel typically available in pre-set quantities (e.g. 6 kg cylinders), switched to polluting cooking fuels (kerosene, wood), which could be purchased in smaller amounts or gathered for free. Household size increases during lockdown also led to participants' altering their cooking fuel, and changing their cooking behaviors and foods consumed. Further, households more likely to switch away from LPG had lower consumption prior to lockdown and had suffered greater income loss, compared with households that continued to use LPG. Thus, inequities in clean cooking fuel access may have been exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdown. These findings demonstrate the complex relationship between household demographics, financial strain, diet and cooking patterns, and present the opportunity for a food-energy nexus approach to address multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): achieving zero hunger (SDG 2) and universal affordable, modern and clean energy access (SDG 7) by 2030. Ensuring that LPG is affordable, accessible and meets the dietary and cooking needs of families should be a policy priority for helping improve food and energy security among the urban poor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Shupler
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - James Mwitari
- School of Public Health, Amref International University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Arthur Gohole
- School of Public Health, Amref International University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Elisa Puzzolo
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Global LPG Partnership (GLPGP), 654 Madison Avenue, New York, United States
| | - Iva Čukić
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Nix
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Pope
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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18
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Shupler M, Mwitari J, Gohole A, Anderson de Cuevas R, Puzzolo E, Čukić I, Nix E, Pope D. COVID-19 impacts on household energy & food security in a Kenyan informal settlement: The need for integrated approaches to the SDGs. RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS 2021; 144:None. [PMID: 34276242 PMCID: PMC8262075 DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
This longitudinal study presents the joint effects of a COVID-19 community lockdown on household energy and food security in an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Randomly administered surveys were completed from December 2019-March 2020 before community lockdown (n = 474) and repeated in April 2020 during lockdown (n = 194). Nearly universal (95%) income decline occurred during the lockdown and led to 88% of households reporting food insecurity. During lockdown, a quarter of households (n = 17) using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a cleaner cooking fuel typically available in pre-set quantities (e.g. 6 kg cylinders), switched to polluting cooking fuels (kerosene, wood), which could be purchased in smaller amounts or gathered for free. Household size increases during lockdown also led to participants' altering their cooking fuel, and changing their cooking behaviors and foods consumed. Further, households more likely to switch away from LPG had lower consumption prior to lockdown and had suffered greater income loss, compared with households that continued to use LPG. Thus, inequities in clean cooking fuel access may have been exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdown. These findings demonstrate the complex relationship between household demographics, financial strain, diet and cooking patterns, and present the opportunity for a food-energy nexus approach to address multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): achieving zero hunger (SDG 2) and universal affordable, modern and clean energy access (SDG 7) by 2030. Ensuring that LPG is affordable, accessible and meets the dietary and cooking needs of families should be a policy priority for helping improve food and energy security among the urban poor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Shupler
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - James Mwitari
- School of Public Health, Amref International University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Arthur Gohole
- School of Public Health, Amref International University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Elisa Puzzolo
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Global LPG Partnership (GLPGP), 654 Madison Avenue, New York, United States
| | - Iva Čukić
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Nix
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Pope
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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19
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Atukunda P, Eide WB, Kardel KR, Iversen PO, Westerberg AC. Unlocking the potential for achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 - 'Zero Hunger' - in Africa: targets, strategies, synergies and challenges. Food Nutr Res 2021; 65:7686. [PMID: 34262413 PMCID: PMC8254460 DOI: 10.29219/fnr.v65.7686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 ('Zero Hunger') aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. Thus, a range of different strategies are needed to facilitate the achievement of SDG 2 to overcome challenges and enable synergies between various SDG targets. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to highlight Africa's progress toward SDG 2, including targets, strategies, synergies and challenges. METHODS We scrutinized published research articles in peer-reviewed journals, UN reports and in-country Africa reports (between 2015 and 2020) that were relevant to the current topic. RESULTS Several hunger indicators are showing slow progress or even deterioration in Africa. The prevalence of undernourishment in the general population was 19.1% in 2019 and is expected to increase to 25.7% by 2030. Improvements in child stunting in several regions in Africa are slow, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where about 34% of under-fives were stunted in 2012 and 31% in 2019. In Eastern Africa, stunting prevalence decreased from 38% in 2012 to 34% in 2019. Major drivers of hunger are poor governance and state fragility, war and conflicts, increasing inequality, weak economic development, climate change, biodegradation - and now lately the Covid 19 pandemic - factors that all increase food insecurity. CONCLUSION Africa is off track to reach SDG - 'Zero Hunger' - by 2030. Current efforts and progress are insufficient. Africa must champion the SDG agenda on a national, regional and global level to facilitate synergies to unlock the potential for reaching 'Zero Hunger' throughout the continent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Per Ole Iversen
- Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Haematology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Human Nutrition, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Ane C. Westerberg
- Institute of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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20
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Hirvonen K, Minten B, Mohammed B, Tamru S. Food prices and marketing margins during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from vegetable value chains in Ethiopia. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2021; 52:407-421. [PMID: 34149129 PMCID: PMC8206862 DOI: 10.1111/agec.12626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
It is widely feared that the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to a significant worsening of the food security situation in low and middle-income countries. One reason for this is the disruption of food marketing systems and subsequent changes in farm and consumer prices. Based on primary data in Ethiopia collected just before the start and a few months into the pandemic, we assess changes in farm and consumer prices of four major vegetables and the contribution of different segments of the rural-urban value chain in urban retail price formation. We find large, but heterogeneous, price changes for different vegetables with relatively larger changes seen at the farm level, compared to the consumer level, leading to winners and losers among local vegetable farmers due to pandemic-related trade disruptions. We further note that despite substantial hurdles in domestic trade reported by most value chain agents, increases in marketing-and especially transportation-costs have not been the major contributor to overall changes in retail prices. Marketing margins even declined for half of the vegetables studied. The relatively small changes in marketing margins overall indicate the resilience of these domestic value chains during the pandemic in Ethiopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalle Hirvonen
- International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Addis Ababa Ethiopia
| | - Bart Minten
- International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Addis Ababa Ethiopia
| | - Belay Mohammed
- International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Addis Ababa Ethiopia
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21
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Agyei SK, Isshaq Z, Frimpong S, Adam AM, Bossman A, Asiamah O. COVID-19 and food prices in sub-Saharan Africa. AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW = REVUE AFRICAINE DE DEVELOPPEMENT 2021; 33:S102-S113. [PMID: 34149241 PMCID: PMC8206953 DOI: 10.1111/1467-8268.12525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on prices of maize, sorghum, imported rice and local rice in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We estimated dynamic panel data models with controls for macroeconomic setting using general method of moments estimation. The study found that the COVID-19 outbreak led to increases in food prices of the sampled countries. Restrictions on movements or lockdowns in the wake of COVID-19 was associated with an increase in the price of maize only. We also found that exchange rate, inflation and crude oil prices exerted a detrimental effect on food prices. We recommend that governments of SSA countries invest in infrastructure that improves efficiencies in the food supply chain during pandemics. Providing adequate support to industries in the value chain will also improve food availability and food price stability post-COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Kwaku Agyei
- Department of Finance, School of BusinessUniversity of Cape CoastCape CoastGhana
| | - Zangina Isshaq
- Department of Finance, School of BusinessUniversity of Cape CoastCape CoastGhana
| | - Siaw Frimpong
- Department of Finance, School of BusinessUniversity of Cape CoastCape CoastGhana
| | - Anokye Mohammed Adam
- Department of Finance, School of BusinessUniversity of Cape CoastCape CoastGhana
| | - Ahmed Bossman
- Department of Finance, School of BusinessUniversity of Cape CoastCape CoastGhana
| | - Oliver Asiamah
- Department of Finance, School of BusinessUniversity of Cape CoastCape CoastGhana
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22
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Kiaka R, Chikulo S, Slootheer S, Hebinck P. “The street is ours”. A comparative analysis of street trading, Covid-19 and new street geographies in Harare, Zimbabwe and Kisumu, Kenya. Food Secur 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12571-021-01162-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThis collaborative and comparative paper deals with the impact of Covid-19 on the use and governance of public space and street trade in particular in two major African cities. The importance of street trading for urban food security and urban-based livelihoods is beyond dispute. Trading on the streets does, however, not occur in neutral or abstract spaces, but rather in lived-in and contested spaces, governed by what is referred to as ‘street geographies’, evoking outbreaks of violence and repression. Vendors are subjected to the politics of municipalities and the state to modernize the socio-spatial ordering of the city and the urban food economy through restructuring, regulating, and restricting street vending. Street vendors are harassed, streets are swept clean, and hygiene standards imposed. We argue here that the everyday struggle for the street has intensified since and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mobility and the use of urban space either being restricted by the city-state or being defended and opened up by street traders, is common to the situation in Harare and Kisumu. Covid-19, we pose, redefines, and creates ‘new’ street geographies. These geographies pivot on agency and creativity employed by street trade actors while navigating the lockdown measures imposed by state actors. Traders navigate the space or room for manoeuvre they create for themselves, but this space unfolds only temporarily, opens for a few only and closes for most of the street traders who become more uncertain and vulnerable than ever before, irrespective of whether they are licensed, paying rents for vending stalls to the city, or ‘illegally’ vending on the street.
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Cotula L. Towards a political economy of the COVID-19 crisis: Reflections on an agenda for research and action. WORLD DEVELOPMENT 2021; 138:105235. [PMID: 33100479 PMCID: PMC7566792 DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The spread of COVID-19 has raised difficult questions that interrogate the pandemic as a public health emergency, an economic crisis and a disruptor of consolidated governance forms. While addressing the public health emergency must be the main priority, we also need to track the ways in which the crisis is reconfiguring economic and political ordering and diverse actors are renegotiating relations in the exceptional circumstances the pandemic has created. These dimensions can have far-reaching implications in wide-ranging policy areas, both as the crisis unfolds and in the longer term. Based on a review of developments concerning land governance, this Viewpoint discusses continuities with longstanding patterns as well as ruptures and distinctive features that outline the initial contours of an agenda for research and action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Cotula
- International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), United Kingdom
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24
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Manlosa AO, Hornidge AK, Schlüter A. Aquaculture-capture fisheries nexus under Covid-19: impacts, diversity, and social-ecological resilience. MARITIME STUDIES : MAST 2021; 20:75-85. [PMID: 35300182 PMCID: PMC7811386 DOI: 10.1007/s40152-021-00213-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic is a global shock that is significantly affecting coastal social-ecological systems (SES) in different parts of the world. Its widespread impacts have unravelled vulnerabilities in many aspects of society, including food systems. Our study investigated the impacts of a lockdown associated with the pandemic in the province of Bulacan, in the region of Central Luzon, Philippines, where aquaculture and capture fisheries are important and interconnected sectors. In particular, we focused on impacts related to production and market. We considered people's coping strategies and the factors that enabled such strategies. Our investigation adopted a case study approach and drew on qualitative data analysed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed differentiated mechanisms through which aquaculture and capture fisheries production were impacted. Both were strongly affected by market disruptions but through slightly different ways. In effect, the lockdown provided the impetus for the uptake and spreading of practices that were previously peripheral, particularly in relation to market exchanges. The study also identified a variety of coping strategies, as well as the importance of social support in the form of food aid, financial assistance, and institutional livelihood assistance. Finally, it discusses the importance of diversity in food sources, the role of local food systems, and governance implications for foregrounding social-ecological resilience in short-term response and long-term recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisa O. Manlosa
- Social Sciences Department, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharina Hornidge
- German Development Institute/Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Political Sciences and Sociology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Achim Schlüter
- Social Sciences Department, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
- Department of Business and Economics, Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany
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25
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Douglas I, Champion M, Clancy J, Haley D, Lopes de Souza M, Morrison K, Scott A, Scott R, Stark M, Tippett J, Tryjanowski P, Webb T. The COVID-19 pandemic: local to global implications as perceived by urban ecologists. SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL PRACTICE RESEARCH 2020; 2:217-228. [PMID: 34765884 PMCID: PMC7484922 DOI: 10.1007/s42532-020-00067-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The global COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone, but in many different ways, stimulating contrasting reactions and responses: opportunities for some, difficulties for many. A simple survey of how individual workers in urban ecology have been coping with COVID-19 constraints found divergent responses to COVID-19 on people’s activities, both within countries and between continents. Many academics felt frustrated at being unable to do fieldwork, but several saw opportunities to change ways of working and review their engagement with the natural world. Some engaging with social groups found new ways of sharing ideas and developing aspirations without face-to-face contact. Practitioners creating and managing urban greenspaces had to devise ways to work and travel while maintaining social distancing. Many feared severe funding impacts from changed local government priorities. Around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified issues, such as environmental injustice, disaster preparation and food security, that have been endemic in most countries across the global south in modern times. However, developing and sustaining the strong community spirit shown in many places will speed economic recovery and make cities more resilient against future geophysical and people-made disasters. Significantly, top-down responses and one-size-fits-all solutions, however good the modelling on which they are based, are unlikely to succeed without the insights that local knowledge and community understanding can bring. We all will have to look at disaster preparation in a more comprehensive, caring and consistent way in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Douglas
- School of Environment, Education and Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL UK
| | - Mark Champion
- Lancashire Wildlife Trust, The Barn, Berkley Drive, Preston, PR5 6BY UK
| | - Joy Clancy
- University of Twente, Enschede Area, The Netherlands
| | - David Haley
- Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
| | | | | | - Alan Scott
- Complete Ecology Limited, 76 Tankerville Road, Streatham, London, SW16 5LP UK
| | - Richard Scott
- Director of the National Wildflower Centre, Eden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall PL24 2SG UK
| | - Miriam Stark
- Department of Anthropology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Saunders 346, 2424 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA
| | - Joanne Tippett
- School of Environment Education and Development, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL UK.,Ketso Ltd, Stretford, UK
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, 60-625 Poznań, Poland
| | - Tim Webb
- London National Park City, London, UK
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