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Impacts of COVID-19 on agricultural production and food systems in late transforming Southeast Asia: The case of Myanmar

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  • Boughton, Duncan
  • Goeb, Joseph
  • Lambrecht, Isabel
  • Headey, Derek
  • Takeshima, Hiroyuki
  • Mahrt, Kristi
  • Masias, Ian
  • Goudet, Sophie
  • Ragasa, Catherine
  • Maredia, Mywish K.
  • Minten, Bart
  • Diao, Xinshen

Abstract

The objective of this contribution is to report the initial impacts of measures taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic on Myanmar's agri-food system. Myanmar is one of several late-transforming low-income countries in Southeast Asia where agriculture still plays a large role in rural livelihoods, and where food prices are a key factor affecting nutrition security for poor urban and rural households. Whereas the economic impacts of COVID-19 disruptions on tourism and manufacturing were obvious to policymakers, the impacts on the agri-food system were less evident and often more indirect. This resulted in the rural sector being allocated only a very small share of the government's initial fiscal response to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19.

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  • Boughton, Duncan & Goeb, Joseph & Lambrecht, Isabel & Headey, Derek & Takeshima, Hiroyuki & Mahrt, Kristi & Masias, Ian & Goudet, Sophie & Ragasa, Catherine & Maredia, Mywish K. & Minten, Bart & Diao,, 2021. "Impacts of COVID-19 on agricultural production and food systems in late transforming Southeast Asia: The case of Myanmar," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:188:y:2021:i:c:s0308521x20308878
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2020.103026
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    3. Hiroyuki Takeshima & Ian Masias & Myat Thida Win & Phoo Pye Zone, 2023. "Effects of COVID‐19 restrictions on mechanization service providers and mechanization equipment retailers: Insights from phone surveys in Myanmar," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 323-351, February.
    4. Gatto, Marcel, 2021. "Heterogenous Effects of COVID-19 on Rural Livelihoods in Bangladesh: Evidence from a Panel Study," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315875, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Petro Dikhtiievskyi & Nataliia Zadyraka & Volodymyr Pashinskyi & Liudmyla Chupryna & Volodymyr Dikhtiievskyi, 2022. "Legal regulation of access to public information on the state of use of natural resources," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(2), pages 103-123.
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    7. Yanqi Xie & Apurbo Sarkar & Md. Shakhawat Hossain & Ahmed Khairul Hasan & Xianli Xia, 2021. "Determinants of Farmers’ Confidence in Agricultural Production Recovery during the Early Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-22, October.
    8. Stephens, Emma & Timsina, Jagadish & Martin, Guillaume & van Wijk, Mark & Klerkx, Laurens & Reidsma, Pytrik & Snow, Val, 2022. "The immediate impact of the first waves of the global COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural systems worldwide: Reflections on the COVID-19 special issue for agricultural systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
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