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Growing and Eating Food during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Farmers’ Perspectives on Local Food System Resilience to Shocks in Southern Africa and Indonesia

Author

Listed:
  • Nicole Paganini

    (Centre for Rural Development (SLE), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
    Societal Transition and Agriculture, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany)

  • Kustiwa Adinata

    (Indonesian Farmers Community Network (JAMTANI), Jawa Barat 4037, Indonesia)

  • Nomonde Buthelezi

    (Cape Town Research Farmer Club, Cape Town, South Africa)

  • David Harris

    (Pusbinlat Motivator—GT, Sangalla’, Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, Indonesia)

  • Stefanie Lemke

    (Societal Transition and Agriculture, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
    Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK)

  • Alberto Luis

    (Associação pela Agricultura Biológica, Biodiversidade e Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Maputo, Mozambique)

  • Jennifer Koppelin

    (Centre for Rural Development (SLE), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany)

  • Abdulrazak Karriem

    (Institute for Social Development, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa)

  • Fezile Ncube

    (Hope Tariro Trust, Masvingo, Zimbabwe)

  • Enzo Nervi Aguirre

    (Development Practice, University of California—Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Tandu Ramba

    (Pusbinlat Motivator—GT, Sangalla’, Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, Indonesia)

  • Inês Raimundo

    (Center for Policy Analysis and Department of Geography, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo 3453, Mozambique)

  • Nedim Sulejmanović

    (Centre for Rural Development (SLE), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany)

  • Haidee Swanby

    (Critical Food Studies, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa)

  • Daniel Tevera

    (Department of Geography, Environmental Studies and Tourism, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa)

  • Silke Stöber

    (Centre for Rural Development (SLE), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak forced governments to make decisions that had adverse effects on local food systems and supply chains. As a result, many small-scale food producers faced difficulties growing, harvesting, and selling their goods. This participatory research examines local small-scale farmers’ challenges as farmers but also as consumers and their coping strategies during the month of April and one week in June 2020. The study was initiated and conceptualized in collaboration with small-scale farmer members of an existing research network in selected urban and rural areas in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Indonesia. Participants co-designed the research, collected and uploaded data through digital survey tools, and contributed to data analysis and interpretation. A common observation across regions is that the measures imposed in response to COVID-19 highlighted and partly exacerbated existing socio-economic inequalities among food system actors. Strict lockdowns in Cape Town, South Africa, and Masvingo, Zimbabwe, significantly restricted the production capacity of small-scale farmers in the informal economy and created more food insecurity for them. In Maputo, Mozambique, and Toraja and Java, Indonesia, local food systems continued to operate and were even strengthened by higher social capital and adaptive capacities.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicole Paganini & Kustiwa Adinata & Nomonde Buthelezi & David Harris & Stefanie Lemke & Alberto Luis & Jennifer Koppelin & Abdulrazak Karriem & Fezile Ncube & Enzo Nervi Aguirre & Tandu Ramba & Inês R, 2020. "Growing and Eating Food during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Farmers’ Perspectives on Local Food System Resilience to Shocks in Southern Africa and Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:20:p:8556-:d:429007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Coopmans, Isabeau & Bijttebier, Jo & Marchand, Fleur & Mathijs, Erik & Messely, Lies & Rogge, Elke & Sanders, Arthur & Wauters, Erwin, 2021. "COVID-19 impacts on Flemish food supply chains and lessons for agri-food system resilience," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    3. Nishant Saravanan & Jessica Olivares-Aguila & Alejandro Vital-Soto, 2022. "Bibliometric and Text Analytics Approaches to Review COVID-19 Impacts on Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-33, November.
    4. Clement Mensah & Abdulrazak Karriem, 2021. "Harnessing Public Food Procurement for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods in South Africa through the National School Nutrition Programme: A Qualitative Assessment of Contributions and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Oyedolapo A. Anyanwu & Elena N. Naumova & Virginia R. Chomitz & Fang Fang Zhang & Kenneth Chui & Martha I. Kartasurya & Sara C. Folta, 2022. "The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nutrition, Health and Environment in Indonesia: A Qualitative Investigation of Perspectives from Multi-Disciplinary Experts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-20, September.
    6. Bélair, Joanny & van der Haar, Gemma & Wieckardt, Chantal & Wangu, James & Githuku, Fridah & Atukunda, Judith & Sebbanja, Junior Alves & Mudinga, Emery & Nghitevelekwa, Romie Vonkie & Bichehe, Júlio &, 2023. "COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa: Impacts on land, governance, and livelihoods," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    7. Damilola Giwa-Daramola & Harvey S. James, 2023. "COVID-19 and Microeconomic Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study on Ethiopian and Nigerian Households," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-25, May.

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