COVID-19, climate shocks, and food security linkages: evidence and perceptions from smallholder farming communities in Tanzania

Insights on the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are critical for designing and implementing policies to alleviate the food security burden it may have caused, and for bolstering rural communities against similar macroeconomic shocks in the future. Yet estimating the causal effects of the pandemic is difficult due to its ubiquitous nature and entanglement with other shocks. In this descriptive study, we combine high-resolution satellite imagery to control for plot-level rainfall with household socio-economic panel data from 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2020, to differentiate the effect of the pandemic from climatic shocks on food security in Morogoro, Tanzania. We find evidence of decreased incomes, increased prices of staple foods, and increased food insecurity in 2020 relative to previous years, and link these changes to the pandemic by asking households about their perceptions of COVID-19. Respondents overwhelmingly attribute economic hardships to the pandemic, with perceived impacts differing by asset level.

Smallholder views on Chinese agricultural investments in Mozambique and Tanzania in the context of VGGTs

Based on a case study in each country, this study documents the views of Mozambican and Tanzanian smallholders regarding Chinese agricultural investments and the extent to which investors abide by their legitimate land tenure rights as defined by the Voluntary Guidelines for the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Forests and Fisheries in the Context of National Food Security (VGGTs). The VGGTs offer guidelines to government on how to protect the land tenure of rural communities when land is being acquired for large-scale land investments. The study also assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on smallholders. Due to COVID-19, instead of fieldwork, we conducted telephone interviews with 20 smallholders in Mozambique and 35 in Tanzania. The Mozambican case showed that even when land set aside for investors was not in dispute, smallholders still had unmet expectations, especially regarding investors' corporate social responsibility activities. In the Tanzanian case, even though the land leased by the Chinese investor had been designated as general land, it had laid fallow for a long period, and smallholders had moved back onto the land, only to be displaced in 2017. Although smallholders' views on the investment were mixed, the case underscored the need for government to assess current land use before allocating it to investors - regardless of how the land is classified and especially in areas where land shortages are creating conflict. The cases show that even if communities are consulted about proposed land investments, guidelines need to include clauses that allow for ongoing communications between investors, communities and government officials such that if communities are unsatisfied with the results of the investment, renegotiation is possible. Further, in the event of crises, such as COVID-19, investors should partner with communities and government to limit the extent of harm in communities as a result of the crisis.

E-commerce service quality influence on domestic tourists satisfaction in Tanzania: a pursuit to sustaining tourism growth amid COVID-19 pandemic

This paper assesses the influence of e-commerce service quality on domestic tourists' satisfaction in Tanzania. This was important following closure of international tourism amid COVID-19. A multiple regression analysis to data collected from 150 local tourists in Dar es Salaam assessed influence of variables (reliability of e-services, perceived transaction security, responsiveness of e-services, and e-service ease of use) on customer satisfaction. Findings reveal variables' positive and significant influence statistically at p < 0.05. This implies that domestic tourists' satisfaction through e-commerce service quality in Tanzania is facilitated by reliability of e-services, perceived transaction security, responsiveness of e-services and e-service ease of use. Tourism managers need to ensure that all important pre-requisites necessary for tourism e-service quality provision are in place. The government and other responsible stakeholders need to invest in facilitative digital facilities to ensure optimal e-service quality are reliable at all times.

Special Issue: One health. (Special Issue: One health.)

This special issue consists of 17 papers dealing with issues animal health (captive and wild primates), environmental health (rain forests and mountain areas), and human health (the role of religion in One Health, lessons from the Hanuman langur (Semnopithecus entellus) and other human-non-human primate interactions,and Covid-19).

Comparative study of the effects of COVID-19 on the activities of fishermen in two fisheries in Burkina Faso

The artisanal fishery in Burkina Faso, already fragile, has been severely affected by government measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. Fishermen were the first actors to feel the impact of the crisis. This study was undertaken to assess the impact of the pandemic on their activities in two fisheries in Burkina Faso. To this end, a survey was conducted in the Samendeni and Sourou fisheries. A total of 86 fishermen were interviewed. The variables collected were: unemployment rate, reduction in fishing time, variation in fish prices, loss of income, inaccessibility of fishing equipment. The results reveal that 31.4% of the fishermen were unemployed, of which 41.2% were from Samendeni and 17.1% from Sourou. A reduction in fishing time of 1 to 6 months was observed in 53.49%. The perception of the fishermen on the catches shows that 2.32% have made gains in catches, 27.91% have not noticed a variation in their catches and 69.77% have noted a decrease in the quantities caught. They lost an average of 30.3% and 22.16% of their income in Samendeni and Sourou respectively. This study revealed the difficulties experienced by fishermen during the restrictive measures to curb COVID-19.

Where there was no COVID-19: strengthening health systems response to disease threats in Tabora, Tanzania

Background: In May 2020, the international non-governmental organization Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) sought to enable health systems in Tanzania to address COVID-19 health response. CARE leveraged existing partnerships with the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children and the President's Office of Regional Administration and Local Government in the largest geographic region of Tanzania, Tabora Region. At the time, the government declared Tanzania to be free from COVID-19 and did not permit partners to implement COVID-19 programming. In this context, CARE implemented integrated health systems strengthening support for government response to not only COVID-19 but also other infectious diseases.

Patterns of African healthcare funding: investment implications for public-private partnerships

The coronavirus global pandemic now poses additional peril to the already burdened healthcare systems with inadequate funding in Africa. This paper attempts to present the funding patterns for healthcare in Nigeria, Congo, Tanzania, Egypt, and South Africa. It also explored investor opportunities for lowering OOPs and increasing investor profits. Data were drawn from the WHO, the World Bank, and world charts databases. Government health expenditure was far below what individuals and families pay from out-of-pocket payments (OOPs) for healthcare services except in South Africa, where OOP accounts for only 8%. Contrary to popular notion, donation funds or foreign aid for healthcare accounts for a lower percentage of total healthcare expenditure in the countries under consideration. Households mostly bore the healthcare expenditure burden (Nigeria's OOPs of 77%, Congo- 48%, and Egypt- 60%). Averagely, Nigeria and Congo only spent about 3% of their national budget on healthcare. In comparison, Tanzania and Egypt spent an average of 4% and 5% (South Africa-8%) between 2010 and 2017, reflecting low-risk protection for households. Specific aspects for investments through public-private partnerships (PPP) reviewed in this paper should include designing innovative financing models focusing on risk pooling mechanisms to help bridge the funding gap, local production, and manufacture of pharmaceuticals and healthcare equipment at this time, instead of importation. Investors can, therefore, take advantage of the various initiatives outlined in this paper to achieve better health outcomes in Africa.

Risk assessment of global COVID-19 pandemic in October 2021

Objective: To assess the global epidemic of Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) in October 2021 and the risk of importation.