COVID-19’s impact on agriculture systems in Africa
In a recent survey, the Sasakawa Africa Association heard from 433 key actors in African agriculture about the impacts the pandemic has had across the continent.
June 23, 2020
The productivity and sustainability of our agriculture and food systems are constantly threatened by pandemic outbreaks of disease and pests. The Harvest 2050 blog is providing a weekly-updated list of resources and articles that explore the threats to agricultural productivity, food security, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability from diseases and pests that sicken and kill people, livestock, and crops.
The 2020 GAP Report will also explore these themes, as well as describing technologies, practices, and policies that foster productivity growth, while also mitigating the risks of pandemic disease and threats.
We will keep this list current, so follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn, where we’ll share as we update this blog. Past resource lists are available here, and linked at the bottom of each blog.
Ms. Sarah Mutesi is a smallholder farmer who is engaged in soybean production. Sasakawa Africa Association – Uganda enrolled her in the Vegetable Oil Development Project (VODP) which allowed her to get a ready market for her soybean grain and enabled her to increase her productivity and income. Credit: Sasakawa Africa Association
A survey across African countries brings pandemic impacts to light
Guest blog by Sasakawa Africa Association
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to expand rapidly. It has severely disrupted supply chains, created significant volatility in global financial markets and changed the communication and business landscape. Governments across the globe are tasked with minimizing the impact of the pandemic, whilst also protecting human lives, livelihoods, and ensuring sufficient food availability along the entire food supply chain.
The agriculture sector of African countries, in particular, is extremely vulnerable to the pandemic – with millions at risk of being deprived of their livelihoods. Records show the number of cases on the continent continuing to rise, with 306,567 official cases and 8,115 fatalities reported, as of the most recent data available on June 21, 2020.
The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) recently conducted an assessment on the impact of COVID-19 on African food systems. The survey was conducted virtually with key actors across the agriculture value chain, and covered the countries in which SAA operates: Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria and Uganda (SAA focus countries); as well as Benin, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.
Results of the assessment showcase the negative impact COVID-19 is having across the agriculture sector, including on productivity, delivery of extension services, and food security. A total of 433 respondents were surveyed, with key findings from the focus countries available below.