IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/agrhuv/v39y2022i3d10.1007_s10460-022-10298-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Agroecological producers shortening food chains during Covid-19: opportunities and challenges in Costa Rica

Author

Listed:
  • Mary Little

    (School for Field Studies)

  • Olivia Sylvester

    (University for Peace)

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has compounded the global food insecurity crisis, disproportionately affecting the consumers, farmers, and food workers (UN in Policy brief: impacts of COVID-19 on food security and nutrition, 2020, https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/sg_policy_brief_on_covid_impact_on_food_security.pdf ). The significant disruptions caused by Covid-19 have called international attention to food security and sparked conversations about how to better support food production and trade. Our paper contributes to a small but growing literature on the impacts and responses of agroecological farmers to Covid-19 in Costa Rica. Specifically, we interviewed 30 agroecological farmers about (1) livelihood disruptions during Covid-19, (2) the areas of food production and sales most affected during this pandemic, and (3) how farmers and consumers are adapting during this crisis. Our findings reveal multiple impacts on agroecological farmers including: economic hardships of lower incomes and inability to pay loans, changes in purchasing and consumption patterns, market disruptions, changes in sales, a decrease in agrotourism, and a shortage of farmworkers. Furthermore, we also report the following farmer adaptation strategies: (1) minimizing distance with consumers to facilitate direct delivery, (2) establishing e-commerce platforms. Based on our findings, we recommend the following: (1) building farmer networks for knowledge sharing, (2) increasing technological support for farmers, and (3) providing government support to ensure that such crises do not increase unemployment among farmers and exacerbate food insecurity.

Suggested Citation

  • Mary Little & Olivia Sylvester, 2022. "Agroecological producers shortening food chains during Covid-19: opportunities and challenges in Costa Rica," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 1133-1140, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:39:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s10460-022-10298-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-022-10298-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10460-022-10298-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10460-022-10298-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Potira V. Preiss, 2020. "Challenges facing the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: lessons from short food supply systems," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(3), pages 571-572, September.
    2. Ceballos, Francisco & Kannan, Samyuktha & Kramer, Berber, 2020. "Impacts of a national lockdown on smallholder farmers’ income and food security: Empirical evidence from two states in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    3. Rosario Michel-Villarreal & Eliseo Luis Vilalta-Perdomo & Maurizio Canavari & Martin Hingley, 2021. "Resilience and Digitalization in Short Food Supply Chains: A Case Study Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, May.
    4. Jody Harris & Lutz Depenbusch & Arshad Ahmad Pal & Ramakrishnan Madhavan Nair & Srinivasan Ramasamy, 2020. "Food system disruption: initial livelihood and dietary effects of COVID-19 on vegetable producers in India," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(4), pages 841-851, August.
    5. Alison Blay-Palmer & Rachel Carey & Elodie Valette & Matthew R. Sanderson, 2020. "Post COVID 19 and food pathways to sustainable transformation," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(3), pages 517-519, September.
    6. Yuna Chiffoleau & Tara Dourian, 2020. "Sustainable Food Supply Chains: Is Shortening the Answer? A Literature Review for a Research and Innovation Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-21, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rub?n Dar?o Sep?lveda Vargas & Mar?a Alejandra Taborda Caro & Deivi David Fuentes Doria & Carlos Eduardo Maldonado Casta?eda & Iv?n Dar?o Sep?lveda Calderin, 2023. "Socioecological practices and community resilience strategies for sustainable agriculture in lower Sinú, Colombia," Economia agro-alimentare, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 25(1), pages 65-91.
    2. Stephanie Louise Godrich & Flavio Macau & Katherine Kent & Johnny Lo & Amanda Devine, 2022. "Food Supply Impacts and Solutions Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Regional Australian Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Vargas, Rubén Darío Sepúlveda & Caro, María Alejandra Taborda & Doria, Deivi David Fuentes & Castañeda, Carlos Eduardo Maldonado & Calderin, Ivan Darío Sepúlveda, 2023. "Socioecological practices and community resilience strategies for sustainable agriculture in lower Sinú, Colombia," Economia agro-alimentare / Food Economy, Italian Society of Agri-food Economics/Società Italiana di Economia Agro-Alimentare (SIEA), vol. 25(1), May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Boglárka Anna Éliás & Attila Jámbor, 2021. "Food Security and COVID-19: A Systematic Review of the First-Year Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Soumya Gupta & Payal Seth & Mathew Abraham & Prabhu Pingali, 2022. "COVID-19 and women's nutrition security: panel data evidence from rural India," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 39(1), pages 157-184, April.
    3. Lindsay M. Jaacks & Divya Veluguri & Rajesh Serupally & Aditi Roy & Poornima Prabhakaran & GV Ramanjaneyulu, 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural production, livelihoods, and food security in India: baseline results of a phone survey," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(5), pages 1323-1339, October.
    4. Lecoutere, Els & van den Berg, Marrit & de Brauw, Alan, 2023. "Changes in women’s empowerment in the household, women’s diet diversity, and their relationship against the background of COVID-19 in southern Bangladesh," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    5. Nitya Mittal & Janina Isabel Steinert & Sebastian Vollmer, 2023. "COVID-19 pandemic, losses of livelihoods and uneven recovery in Pune, India," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Bekhzod EGAMBERDIEV, 2021. "Household Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic From A Development Economics Perspective - A Review," Regional Science Inquiry, Hellenic Association of Regional Scientists, vol. 0(1), pages 15-30, June.
    7. Martin Paul Jr. Tabe‐Ojong & Bisrat Haile Gebrekidan & Emmanuel Nshakira‐Rukundo & Jan Börner & Thomas Heckelei, 2022. "COVID‐19 in rural Africa: Food access disruptions, food insecurity and coping strategies in Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(5), pages 719-738, September.
    8. Giannis T. Tsoulfas & Panagiotis Trivellas & Panagiotis Reklitis & Anna Anastasopoulou, 2023. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Short Supply Chains in the Agri-Food Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-46, January.
    9. Assem Abu Hatab & Lena Krautscheid & Mohamed Elsayied & Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah, 2024. "COVID-19 risk perception and food security in the MENA region: evidence from a multi-wave household survey," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(4), pages 989-1008, August.
    10. Mrozek, Michał, 2022. "Indian Agriculture and Rural Economy in Terms of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Problems of World Agriculture / Problemy Rolnictwa Światowego, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, vol. 22(4), December.
    11. Catherine Nkirote Kunyanga & Morten Fibieger Byskov & Keith Hyams & Samuel Mburu & Grace Werikhe & Rawlynce Bett, 2023. "Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Market Prices and Food Supply in Urban Markets in Nairobi, Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.
    12. Aminou Arouna & Souleïmane A. Adekambi & Rachidi Aboudou & Wilfried Gnipabo Yergo & Gaudiose Mujawamariya, 2024. "Impact assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic on the income and food security of rice smallholder producers in five African countries," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(11), pages 1-20, November.
    13. Bilgesu Bayir & Aurélie Charles & Aicha Sekhari & Yacine Ouzrout, 2022. "Issues and Challenges in Short Food Supply Chains: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, March.
    14. Kansiime, Monica K. & Tambo, Justice A. & Mugambi, Idah & Bundi, Mary & Kara, Augustine & Owuor, Charles, 2021. "COVID-19 implications on household income and food security in Kenya and Uganda: Findings from a rapid assessment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    15. Morgan, Peter J. & Trinh, Long Q., 2021. "Impacts of COVID-19 on Households in ASEAN Countries and Their Implications for Human Capital Development," ADBI Working Papers 1226, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    16. Pallavi Rajkhowa & Lukas Kornher, 2022. "COVID-19 and distortions in urban food market in India," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 133-164, June.
    17. Dixon, John M. & Weerahewa, Jeevika & Hellin, Jon & Rola-Rubzen, Maria Fay & Huang, Jikun & Kumar, Shalander & Das, Anup & Qureshi, Muhammad Ejaz & Krupnik, Timothy J. & Shideed, Kamil & Jat, Mangi L., 2021. "Response and resilience of Asian agrifood systems to COVID-19: An assessment across twenty-five countries and four regional farming and food systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    18. Alvi, Muzna & Gupta, Shweta & Barooah, Prapti & Ringler, Claudia & Meinzen-Dick, Ruth, 2021. "Hello, Can You Hear Me? Impact of Speaker Phones on Responses in Phone Surveys during COVID-19," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315075, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    19. Panagiotis Trivellas & Georgios Malindretos & Panagiotis Reklitis, 2020. "Implications of Green Logistics Management on Sustainable Business and Supply Chain Performance: Evidence from a Survey in the Greek Agri-Food Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-29, December.
    20. Veronika Harantová & Ambróz Hájnik & Alica Kalašová & Tomasz Figlus, 2022. "The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Traffic Flow Characteristics, Emissions Production and Fuel Consumption at a Selected Intersection in Slovakia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-21, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:39:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s10460-022-10298-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.