Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey

This report provides a farm-level analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, 12–15 months in, using a nationally representative rural household survey conducted in June–July 2021. We draw three major observations from the survey. First, farming activities, access to inputs and extension service...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ragasa, Catherine, Balakasi, Kelvin, Carrillo, Lucia
Format: Brief
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140932
_version_ 1855514578983583744
author Ragasa, Catherine
Balakasi, Kelvin
Carrillo, Lucia
author_browse Balakasi, Kelvin
Carrillo, Lucia
Ragasa, Catherine
author_facet Ragasa, Catherine
Balakasi, Kelvin
Carrillo, Lucia
author_sort Ragasa, Catherine
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This report provides a farm-level analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, 12–15 months in, using a nationally representative rural household survey conducted in June–July 2021. We draw three major observations from the survey. First, farming activities, access to inputs and extension services, production, and sales were largely unaffected by the crisis. There were temporary challenges in accessing inputs during lockdown and mobility restrictions, and input prices and transportation costs increased; however, production and sales volume and value were largely unaffected. Second, although farming was not affected, other nonfarm livelihoods of a large proportion of farmers were negatively affected because of lower demand and fewer buyers. Eighty-two percent of rural households were engaged in various nonfarm livelihoods, and 32 percent reported negative impacts of the crisis on their nonfarm incomes. Third, direct responses from sample households indicate no negative impacts of the crisis on food access and food consumption by most rural households. Comparisons between 2018 and 2021 of various food security indicators show improvements in food access and dietary diversity. Improvements are likely attributable to better harvests overall and greater awareness of the need to eat healthy and nutritious foods to combat COVID-19 and other diseases. Results show overall resilience of rural households and the agriculture sector amid the COVID-19 crisis. Nonetheless, the survey was conducted right after harvest, and the situation needs to be monitored during the lean season.
format Brief
id CGSpace140932
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2022
publishDateRange 2022
publishDateSort 2022
publisher International Food Policy Research Institute
publisherStr International Food Policy Research Institute
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1409322025-11-06T05:09:41Z Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey Ragasa, Catherine Balakasi, Kelvin Carrillo, Lucia household surveys surveys covid-19 agrifood systems resilience food systems This report provides a farm-level analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, 12–15 months in, using a nationally representative rural household survey conducted in June–July 2021. We draw three major observations from the survey. First, farming activities, access to inputs and extension services, production, and sales were largely unaffected by the crisis. There were temporary challenges in accessing inputs during lockdown and mobility restrictions, and input prices and transportation costs increased; however, production and sales volume and value were largely unaffected. Second, although farming was not affected, other nonfarm livelihoods of a large proportion of farmers were negatively affected because of lower demand and fewer buyers. Eighty-two percent of rural households were engaged in various nonfarm livelihoods, and 32 percent reported negative impacts of the crisis on their nonfarm incomes. Third, direct responses from sample households indicate no negative impacts of the crisis on food access and food consumption by most rural households. Comparisons between 2018 and 2021 of various food security indicators show improvements in food access and dietary diversity. Improvements are likely attributable to better harvests overall and greater awareness of the need to eat healthy and nutritious foods to combat COVID-19 and other diseases. Results show overall resilience of rural households and the agriculture sector amid the COVID-19 crisis. Nonetheless, the survey was conducted right after harvest, and the situation needs to be monitored during the lean season. 2022-03-30 2024-04-12T13:36:54Z 2024-04-12T13:36:54Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140932 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Ragasa, Catherine; Balakasi, Kelvin; and Carrillo, Lucia. 2022. Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey. MaSSP Project Note March 2022. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.135832.
spellingShingle household surveys
surveys
covid-19
agrifood systems
resilience
food systems
Ragasa, Catherine
Balakasi, Kelvin
Carrillo, Lucia
Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey
title Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey
title_full Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey
title_fullStr Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey
title_full_unstemmed Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey
title_short Resilience in the Malawi agri-food system amid the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey
title_sort resilience in the malawi agri food system amid the covid 19 crisis evidence from a 2021 nationally representative household survey
topic household surveys
surveys
covid-19
agrifood systems
resilience
food systems
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140932
work_keys_str_mv AT ragasacatherine resilienceinthemalawiagrifoodsystemamidthecovid19crisisevidencefroma2021nationallyrepresentativehouseholdsurvey
AT balakasikelvin resilienceinthemalawiagrifoodsystemamidthecovid19crisisevidencefroma2021nationallyrepresentativehouseholdsurvey
AT carrillolucia resilienceinthemalawiagrifoodsystemamidthecovid19crisisevidencefroma2021nationallyrepresentativehouseholdsurvey