ABSTRACT
The aim of the paper is the analysis of the changes in Indian agriculture during the pandemic. The following research questions were put forward: What is the diversification of the Indian agriculture and rural economy in terms of COVID-19?;What is the percentage change in overall agricultural commodities production, in farm-gate prices for commodities in agriculture and the allied sector and in the availability of agri-inputs? The theoretical part of the paper depicted the following issues: India's role in global farming;rural economy issues, economic recovery, and the agricultural sector in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic. The studies that were conducted include: documentation, statistical, comparative, and dynamics analysis. The results showed that the Indian agriculture and rural economy in terms of COVID-19 had different tendencies. With businesses across all industries forced to shut down, the economy ground to a halt. Even while farming operations were spared during the lockdown's early stages, the agricultural value chain nonetheless experienced widespread disruptions. This was devastating to the rural Indian economy.
ABSTRACT
Cocoa farmers in C..te d'Ivoire are mostly below the poverty line. In September 2019, the Ivorian and Ghanaian governments imposed the Living Income Differential (LID) on private companies, an additional $ 400 per ton compared to the international market price, passed on to the producer price (farm gate price). At the beginning of 2020, the Covid-19 arose. In this dual context, how did prices change? Has the hope of increased income been achieved? Three approaches are used: (a) monitoring of the selling price of cocoa beans and monitoring of the price of purchased cocoa farming inputs and basic necessities for households;(b) monthly monitoring of farm gate cocoa price in 2020-2021;(c) an analysis of national production data from C..te d'Ivoire and Ghana, the world price, variations in the demand for beans by the grinding industry, and the price paid to producers, over 20 years. The first result is a very temporary and limited rise in the farm gate price of cocoa at the end of 2020, then its fall in 2021 as the price of inputs and basic necessities soar. The 2021-2022 campaign is even more harmful with a tightening of the price scissor. It is therefore the failure of the LID, but the role of Covid-19 in this failure is very nuanced with regard to the declarations of the State and the multinationals. The drop in prices and the loss of income for cocoa farmers in 2020-2022 rather fits into the economic theory of games. Without control of their supply, an agreement between two companies or countries cannot work. The failure is part of a largely endogenous structural change: demographic growth, policies to encourage migration and deforestation, opacity of the sector and finally continued growth of the supply of cocoa from C..te d'Ivoire on the international market.
ABSTRACT
This article examines the increase in prices of farm inputs (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers) in 2021 and the reasons for the increase, including the rise in energy costs, the disruption caused by outbreaks of new variants of COVID-19, and the increase in international freight prices. It is concluded that there are definitely external factors, beyond local control, that are drastically affecting the prices of farm inputs, a situation that directly harms the Colombian agri-food market by significantly increasing production costs due to the high dependence on imported products and raw materials necessary in the national agrochemical and fertilizer industry. There is a need to implement technologies and cultivation practices that lead to the reduction and/or rationalization in the use of inputs, seeking to reduce production costs and increase yields.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted agriculture in India in many ways, yet no nationally representative survey has been conducted to quantify these impacts. The three objectives of this study were to evaluate how the pandemic has influenced: (1) cropping patterns and input use, (2) farmers' willingness to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, and (3) farmers' COVID-19 symptoms. Phone surveys were conducted between December 2020 and January 2021 with farmers who had previously participated in a nationally representative survey. Values are reported as weighted percent (95% confidence interval). A total of 3,637 farmers completed the survey;59% (56-61%) were small/marginal farmers;72% (69-74%) were male;and 52% (49-55%) had a below poverty line ration card. A majority of farmers (84% [82-86%]) reported cultivating the same crops in 2019 and 2020. Farmers who reported a change in their cropping patterns were more likely to be cultivating vegetables (p = 0.001) and soybean (p<0.001) and less likely to be cultivating rice (p<0.001). Concerning inputs, 66% (63-68%) of farmers reported no change in fertilizers;66% (64-69%) reported no change in pesticides;and 59% (56-62%) reported no change in labor. More than half of farmers (62% [59-65%]) were interested in trying sustainable farming, primarily because of government schemes or because their peers were practicing it. About one-fifth (18% [15-21%]) of farmers reported COVID-19 symptoms in the past month (cough, fever, or shortness of breath) and among those with symptoms, 37% (28-47%) reported it affected their ability to work. In conclusion, COVID-19 infections had started to impact farmers' productivity even during the first wave in India. Most farmers continued to grow the same crops with no change in input use. However, many expressed an interest in learning more about practicing sustainable farming. Findings will inform future directions for resilient agri-food systems.
ABSTRACT
The impact of COVID 19 on the economy in general is no doubt ravaging and its impact on agriculture is complex and varied across diverse segments that form the agricultural value chain. Cotton has a complex supply chain that stretch from input suppliers, farmers, traders, ginning factories, spinning mills, textile companies and oil processors. The study was designed to capture the panoramic view of world and national cotton economy during the pandemic period and its impact on cotton fanning in India. Cotton prices declined in the initial months for January to April, 2020 and later recouped once the lock down restrictions were phased out. As such from the study during the year 2020-2021, it was noticed in general, as per CAB estimates, cotton fanning in India was not Effected in its area and production excepting in north zone which was not due to lock down but for the pest attack and lack of irrigation facilities. Districtwise analysis confirmed that labour availability for loading and unloading and its transport was the major impediment especially in the southern zone while it was market uncertainty in the other zones. During the COVID 19 pandemic year, the cotton value chain, like others, had faced unprecedented disruptions. Cotton farmers and supply chain actors should work together to make sure that the farmers have secured acquaintance to sell their cotton. Farmers' protection should be considered a priority in getting the minimal requirements regarding the input supply, logistics and remuneration for their produce.
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agro-inputs distribution and sales along the agricultural supply chain (ASC) in gun State, Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 96 agro-dealers from the Abeokuta and Ilaro ADP zones of Ogun State. Data were collected and analysed using a computer assisted personalized interviewing (CAPI) system. Findings showed that 89% of the respondents sold agro-inputs in the shops, 26% in the rural villages, and 19.8% at market stands. Due to the lockdown, 68.8% closed down shops for 35-39 days, 92.7% found it difficult to move agroinputs from the stores to the villages, and 85.4% incurred high costs in transporting agroinputs from urban to the rural areas. Likewise, 61.5% reported low patronage of fewer than 10 customers per week while the average weekly sales dropped from 60,000 to 15,600 for maize seeds, 78,000 to 27,000 for herbicides, and 336,000 to 120,000 for fertilizers. The lockdown was significantly affected patronage (beta = 0.64) and sales (beta = 0.72). The COVID19 pandemic affected patronage and sales of agro-inputs in Ogun State.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Covid-19 virus pandemic has affected the entire world and all economic sectors. The agricultural sector has been affected by this crisis from various dimensions, too. The broiler industry is the largest industry in Kurdistan province, which has been affected by this pandemic in various ways, such as supply chain of inputs, changes in supply and demand structures. The broiler industry of Kurdistan province has directly and indirectly created employment for about 14,000 people. Kurdistan province has more than 750 active broiler farms, which use about 15 million broiler chicken pieces in each period and 60 million pieces per year. Kurdistan province produces about 4% of the country's chicken meat. This study aims to investigate and estimate the implications of the Corona pandemic on production, performance and economic efficiency of broiler farms in Sanandaj township, Kurdistan province, Iran. Materials and Methode: Production and performance criteria were extracted from summarizing and comparing data in Excel software. To estimate the efficiency criteria by data envelopment analysis model, DEAP software was used;and in order to evaluate the difference between the means, the matched-pairs t-test was conducted in SPSS software. Necessary data were obtained through a simple random sampling method. The collected data were related to two breeding periods in autumn 2019 before the pandemic, and autumn 2020 after the pandemic. All production, performance and efficiency measures calculated and compared in pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Results and discussion: The results showed that the total number of day-old chicks in pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods was not significantly different. Total production of small and medium farms decreased slightly in the post-pandemic period;whilst total production in large farms, due to the increase in weight of chickens, not only did not decrease but also increased significantly. The grain-to-chicken conversion ratio increased on all farms, so that more grain was used to produce one kilogram of chicken, in the post-pandemic period. The reason for this could probably be the irregularity in the sales process and the increase in the number of storage days. The age of slaughter increased in all farms in the post-pandemic period, significantly. Due to the increase in slaughter age, the average weight of chickens at slaughter also increased significantly. Furthermore, the percentage of losses in all farms showed a significant increase. Regarding efficiency, no significant difference was found in the average technical efficiency of broiler farms before and after the corona outbreak. Nevertheless, the difference between the average allocation and economic efficiency of the farms in the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods were significant;In all three capacity groups, there was a significant decrease in both allocation efficiency and economic efficiency in the post-pandemic period. Suggestion: The results showed a significant decrease in allocative and economic efficiency of the farms in post-pandemic relative to pre-pandemic periods, therefore, more attention is needed by managers and policy makers in the private and public sectors to develop and implement a special and alternative program for emergencies like COVID-pandemic. In order to limit the reduction of allocation and economic efficiency, which play an important role in maintaining the motivation of production and continuity of product supply, it is suggested that broiler farms develop managerial and economic strategies including scheduling and mechanizing the process of supplying inputs and selling the product.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 induced lockdowns have disrupted input supply, production, processing, marketing, and consumption segments of the rice value chain. The rice value chain is facing adverse impacts of constraints on mobility, access to inputs and services, markets, finance, labour, trade and services, demand and income. The rural-urban disconnect has increased price differences between producers and consumers, decreased cash flows and hampered businesses in the value chain. To mitigate impacts of COVID-19 on the rice value chain, ensuring access to input & output markets, minimizing supply chain disruptions, promoting digital services, financial support, social safety nets, open trade, and investing in rice research will be key.