July , 2020, Volume : 1 Article : 8
COVID-19 Impact and implication to Agriculture and Food security
Author : Poulami Ray, Kamlesh Kumar Acharya and Amit Thakur
ABSTRACT
The spread of COVID-19 across the world and nationwide lockdown as a restrictive measure has affected the livelihood of billions of people in the world. Agriculture is one of the sectors which are vulnerable to this disturbance caused due to pandemic. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has anticipated upcoming challenges in terms of food insecurity and malnutrition in the world. The article discussed problems to agriculture like Labour availability, market and farm prices, supply chain disruption, and occupation cuts. The discussion reveals that there is a need to check farm price volatility, encouragement of public-private partnerships, and target specific strategies by premier institutions like ICAR to secure our future needs.
COVID-19 pandemic has made the world stop and influenced almost all nations. India has made an early move to restrict the spread of COVID-19, requesting an across the nation lockdown for its populace of 1.3 billion individuals beginning March 25, 2020. COVID-19 cases are expanding quickly; subsequently, there is incredible worry about the ailment`s latent capacity spread and effect. This pandemic has hit hard poor people and the helpless segment of the general society. Farm families and the farming segment has additionally influenced by the pandemic.
The effect of COVID-19 on the economy is pulverizing. Every section could not escape from its effect. Its effect on agriculture is detrimental. It differs across various fragments that structure the agricultural value chain. Indeed, even among the various fragments, its effect changes broadly among various locales and among cultivators and workers.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) anticipates moves in the supply and demands of food. It cautions of a world "food crisis" if nations do not shield individuals from starvation and malnourishment. Also, the United Nations has warned that the COVID-19 emergency could trigger "food deficiencies" around the globe. The World Food program (WFP) has reported that the Covid-19 crisis is "threatening to affect millions of people already made vulnerable by food insecurity and malnutrition."
The problems in agriculture at the moment are mainly associated with
a. Labour unavailability: The non-accessibility of labour has harmed activities in numerous parts. A few parts of agriculture that have the advantage of conveying innovation for harvestings, like Paddy and Wheat, are
generally more protected since they frequently don`t need to rely upon enormous quantities of manual labour. The expanding utilization of mechanical harvesters for paddy has helped in the current conditions; however, their inter-state movement has been mostly reduced. The arrival of numerous migrant labourers to their homes has implied that harvest tasks are not occurring easily, and numerous farmers are being driven away from the yield in the field. Misfortunes to farmers will be the most noteworthy in such cases. While mechanical harvesters can be utilized, lockdown guidelines upset their free development. Further, in certain spots, a lack of drivers/administrators for these harvesters has likewise been accounted for. As machine fix shops are shut and mechanics become inaccessible for work, save parts are not effectively accessible, prompting numerous machines to be left unused. In the rice plants of Kerala, reports show a lack of migrant specialists, which has prompted these factories not to secure sufficient supplies of paddy from farmers. Farmers have either not harvested by any means, or have harvested and left the item close to the fields. Work deficiencies are likewise being knowledgeable about most milk handling plants, cold stockpiling units, and distribution centres. As per the Chairperson of AMUL, most milk preparing plants are right now working with half of the work power. Numerous specialists are not announcing for work or have to get back likewise on account of the dread of police outrages. Various transient workers are arriving at their homes, it has suggested that harvest tasks are not happening effectively, and various farmers are being driven away from the yield in the field. Mishaps to farmers will be the most imperative in such cases. As machine fix shops are closed and mechanics become difficult to reach for work, provoking various machines being left unused. According to the Chairperson of AMUL, most milk getting preparing plants are now presently working with half of the work power.
b. Markets and farm prices: As we see developing degrees of concern, suggestions for social distancing, decreased travel, keeping away from groups and other protective practices to slow the spread of COVID-19, consumers will have to take care on some intense decisions about food, generally speaking about overall spending. Dairy is noticeably highlighted in out-of-home eating, and there might be a few disturbances in foodservice sales. This will probably affect markets and prices. Price of produce has been hampered drastically due to COVID 19 in different parts of India (Majhi et al., 2020; Mukherjee et al., 2020). Tomato producers in Maharashtra are accounted for to get not even Rs 2 for every kg. Grape cultivators have reported a total loss of Rs 1000 crore in light of the emergency, as demand has fallen. Wheat prices in Madhya Pradesh have been tumbled from Rs 2200/Q to about Rs 1600/Q by March 25, 2020. For some crops, these prices are additionally below the Minimum Support Prices declared. In Punjab, vegetables that were sold at Rs 15/kg are allegedly being sold at a negligible Rs 1/kg. In Delhi`s mandis, the cost of broiler chicken has fallen from Rs 55/kg in January 2020 to Rs 24/kg in March 2020. In Tamil Nadu, egg prices are reduced from Rs 4/egg to Rs 1.95/egg over a similar period.
c. Supply chain slowdowns and shortages: - Numerous associated industry sectors are now being affected, as logistics are disturbed, and endeavors continue to slow the spread of the virus infection. With certain items, "panic purchasing" is making extra concern. While the government has given licenses to trucks permitting them to convey food supplies, carry groceries, fruits, cereals, and countless transporters are yet to get their grants. Therefore, the time taken for the farm produces to arrive at the market has been expanded. APMC mandis are not working each day; while some have shut down, others are working just twice or thrice a week. Then again, there is a slight effect on the demand side as the restaurants have been requested to close down for the interim time frame. This is making a substantial income loss to numerous farmers across states. According to a published report, the railway ministry informs that cargo stacking has plunged from a typical 10,000 cargo rakes for each day to pretty much 3-4,000 at this point. Therefore, the farmers need to sell their harvest at a less expensive price, settle with a lower benefit.
d. Unemployment: The fourth effect of COVID-19 is the normal occupation cuts in the rural segment. According to the government, there are about nine crore farmers along with a similar number of landless farming labour. Globally, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expects moves in the supply of and demand for food. It cautions of a world "food emergency" if nations do not shield individuals from craving and malnourishment, and de-stop up food supply chains. Correspondingly, the United Nations has cautioned that the COVID-19 emergency could trigger "food deficiencies" around the globe. The World Food Program (WFP) has noticed that the COVID-19 emergency is "threatening to affect millions of people already made vulnerable by food insecurity and malnutrition."
It is critical to take note that even before the COVID-19 pandemic started; the Indian economy was confronting a rise in food prices. Data show that food inflation had started to increase from the middle of 2019, expanding to, by January 2020. Information on the wholesale price indices (WPI) for some crops, accessible just till February 2020, shows that while WPI for food articles has been expanding from August 2019 onwards. Due to an increase in the prices of vegetables; the price of onions, followed by potato and tomato drove the WPI up. While onion prices have descended, vegetable prices stayed high even in February 2020.
As per the RBI`s 7-the bi-monthly monetary policy proclamation, dated March 27, 2020, "as regards inflation, the prints for January and February 2020 indicate that actual outcomes for the quarter are running 30 bps above projections, reflecting the onion price shock". Nonetheless, the RBI`s evaluation is that food inflation weights will fall, since total demand is probably going to debilitate due to the COVID-19 emergency. Consumer price indices (CPI) for food likewise demonstrate a comparative pattern of an increase after August 2019, with some weakening in January and February 2020.
Public-Private Partnership can play an important role here (Mukherjee and Maity, 2015) for Integrated Agriculture Development (PPP-IAD) under RKVY should profit more farmers as it amplifies profitability, acquire benefits, and continue economically and socially. Endeavours ought to be made to develop more crops that depend less on nitrogen as it ends up being useful for adapting with the atmosphere and resolving malnutrition simultaneously. Domesticated animals cultivating is equipped for propelling nourishment. Aquaculture cultivating is another available, reasonable choice in certain locales of the country. The unification is required to improve the status of food security and nutrition in the country.
Simultaneously, through behaviour change communication it is crucial at government institutions like ICAR to prepare farmers about the changing cultivating strategies and inform them about the safety measures they have to take much after COVID-19 like social distancing, utilization of masks, washing of hands, etc. Spreading the correct awareness through the correct channels is key at this point. Since the counteraction is in every case superior to fix, we likewise need to bring out changes in ways of life, dietary, and social adjustments.
References:
Majhi, S, Rakshit, S and Roy, D. (2020) Effect of Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Outbreak on Indian Agriculture: An overview through News Reports amid Nationwide Lockdown. Food and Scientific Reports, 1 (4): special issue : 1-9.
Mukherjee A., Kumar, U., Shubha, K., Anand, S. (2020). Implications of COVID-19 on Agriculture in Eastern Region. Food and Scientific Reports. May, special issue. Vol 1: 63-66.
Mukherjee, A., & Maity, A. (2015). Public–private partnership for convergence of extension services in Indian agriculture. Current Science, 1557-1563.
Other Sources
http://fci.gov.in/news.php?view=378
https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=200757
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1610809
https://www.mssrf.org/content/covid%C2%AD-19-pandemic-and-indian-agriculture-not
https://thewire.in/agriculture/reinventing-agriculture-in-the-time-of-covid-19
COVID-19 Impact and implication to Agriculture and Food security.pdf
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