Socio-Economic Consequences and Mitigation Strategies of COVID-19 Pandemic (Phases One and Two) on Rural Farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

This study assessed the socio-economic consequences and mitigation strategies of COVID-19 pandemic (phases one and two) on rural farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study described socio-economic characteristics of rural farmers; assessed perceived socio-economic consequences of COVID-19 pandemic; identified strategies used by farmers to cope with effect of COVID-19 pandemic. Multistage random sampling technique was employed to select 120 respondents from whom data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and mean score. Results showed that disruption in children's education (mean=3.02), reduced purchasing power and increased rate of inflation across the country (mean=2.83), reduction in diversity and amount of food consumed (mean=2.77), reduction in standard of living ( =2.68), reduction of farm income (mean=2.63), reduced off-farm employment and income (mean=2.61), loss of lives (mean=2.61), increase in price of food items (mean=2.59), reduced religious activities and gathering (mean=2.57), reduction of remittance (mean=2.54) and high foreign exchange rates (mean=2.53) were some of the perceived socio-economic consequences of the pandemic. Meanwhile, 80.00% and 70.83% of the rural farmers reduced quantity of meals eaten and prayed to God. It was recommended that government assistance programmes must be modified and augmented in order to better reach rural populations, many of whom do not have access to formal contributory social insurance systems.