Inside Zambia's ‘new normal:’ COVID‐19 policy responses and implications for peri‐urban food security and livelihoods

Manda, Simon

doi:10.1002/jid.3720

Cited by 7 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(45 reference statements)

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“…Results underpin the argument that the functionality of markets such as for soybean for farmers located both nearer and further away from cities and main roads could raise challenges including price exploitation. As with other crop value chains, this increases transactional costs on the part of smallscale farmers and undermines incomes, perpetuating the poverty trap (see Manda, 2022). The policy drive to expand soybean production has not considered the dynamics among smallscale farmers; instead, as the case has been with maize, the approach is more holistic than targeted.…”

Section: Sociodemographic Factors and Women's Dietsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary diversity of women from soybean and non-soybean farming households in rural Zambia

Kapulu

Chomba²,

Nkonde

et al. 2023

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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IntroductionSoybean farming in Zambia is promoted to increase farm productivity and diversification away from maize, and improve cash income and livelihoods for farmers. However, the impact of soybean farming on women's dietary intake is not clear. This study compares the dietary diversity of women from soybean (S) and non-soybean (NS) farming households as a pathway to understanding policy efficacy.MethodsA cross-sectional survey involving 268 women of reproductive age from 401 rural households was conducted in two soybean-producing districts of Central Province, Zambia. Data from a qualitative 7-day food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to calculate dietary diversity scores (DDS), women's dietary diversity scores (WDDS-10) and assess dietary patterns. Information on household sociodemographic and agricultural characteristics was used to explore determinants of dietary diversity.ResultsResults show there were no significant differences in the mean DDS (S: 10.3 ± 2.4; NS:10.3 ± 2.6) and WDDS-10 (S:6.27 ± 1.55; NS:6.27 ± 1.57) of women from soybean and non-soybean farming households. Both cohorts had similar dietary patterns, plant-based food groups with additional fats and oils. Agricultural diversity was not associated with dietary diversity. Household wealth status was the most important determinant of dietary diversity, as women from wealthier households were more likely to have higher DDS (β = 0.262, 95% CI = 0.26 to 0.70, P < 0.001) and WDDS-10 (β = 0.222, 95% CI = 0.08 to 0.37, P < 0.003) compared to those from poorer households. Women from households that spent more on food had a higher DDS (β = 0.182, 95% CI = 0.002 to 0.07), but not WDDS-10 (β = 0.120, 95% CI = −0.01 to 0.03); for every additional dollar spent on food in the past 7 days, the DDS increased by 0.18. Meanwhile, soyabean farming was not statistically associated with higher wealth.ConclusionsPolicymakers and promoters of agricultural diversification and nutrition-sensitive agriculture need to consider how women can benefit directly or indirectly from soybean farming or other interventions aimed at smallholder farmers.

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Section: Sociodemographic Factors and Women's Dietsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary diversity of women from soybean and non-soybean farming households in rural Zambia

Kapulu

Chomba²,

Nkonde

et al. 2023

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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“…There are reports about the impacts of COVID-19 on access to agricultural services, increased labour and input prices and difficulties in transferring inputs from point of sale (collection) to production areas (Nchanji et al, 2021). Grain businesses, distribution and trade were effected, compounded by little or no state incentives to support aggregators and traders (Manda, 2022a). A recent report by Nkumbu (2021) focuses on whether small-scale producers can take advantage and accumulate market opportunities by supplying supermarkets and find evidence to that effect, but wider results vary (Manda, 2022a).…”

Section: Covid-19 and Livelihood Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Grain businesses, distribution and trade were effected, compounded by little or no state incentives to support aggregators and traders (Manda, 2022a). A recent report by Nkumbu (2021) focuses on whether small-scale producers can take advantage and accumulate market opportunities by supplying supermarkets and find evidence to that effect, but wider results vary (Manda, 2022a).…”

Section: Covid-19 and Livelihood Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was reported by one KASFA representative that the association lost about 5 smallholders due to COVID-19, and that 'such a loss on our farmers has never happened before' (Human capital). All these were male victims, with recent country reports revealing most men generally disregarded COVID-19 rules (Manda, 2022a).…”

Section: Resilience Pathway 1: Input Supply and Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, most of these analyses centre on impacts of COVID-19 policy responses on traditional value chains in some cases state driven (Nchanji et al, 2021). Although evidence is mixed, existing literature generally suffers from its exclusive focus on the impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods, more generally (Manda, 2022a); livelihoods and gender (Montalvao & Van de Velde, 2020); and vulnerability and resilience of food systems such as those in Africa (Moseley & Battersby, 2020). Others focus on prospects for agricultural transformation and accumulation (Nalwimba, 2021), livelihoods and land-use decisions during the pandemic (Nolte et al, 2022), including impact on smallholder farmers across different agricultural activities (Kapembwa & Joshi, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does value chain inclusiveness increase smallholder resilience during pandemics? Lessons from the Zambia's sugar‐belt

Manda,

Miti

2023

J of Intl Development

Self Cite

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This paper asks whether value chain integration increases smallholder resilience during shocks. Using a qualitative research study design and the test case of the ‘sugar‐belt’ in Zambia, the paper draws on interviews with participants from different stakeholder groups, including household case studies and group discussions. Results show sugarcane value chain integration enhances smallholder livelihood resilience during pandemics through its coordination arrangement, but more could be done. Indirect involvement in, and joint procurement processes of inputs between smallholders and the management company, existing ready and stable access to markets and access to Fairtrade relief funds that point to direct livelihood support proved crucial for strengthening smallholder livelihood resilience during the pandemic. There were COVID‐19‐related adjustments by the management company, which further increased smallholder support. However, in as much as coordination arrangements seemed to have worked well during COVID‐19, smallholder livelihoods remained narrow and risky, raising the need for diversification that could strengthen sustainable resilience. This paper sheds light on how value chains could be organised to enhance pandemic recovery and build livelihood resilience. It helps us to reflect on the ‘(in)effectiveness’ of value chain institutions and the role and importance of smallholder coordination arrangements during pandemics. Ultimately, the result is a contribution to livelihood resilience thinking in value chains—one we hope is appropriate to our conjuncture.

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Differing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on farmers and intermediaries: insights into the Ecuadorian cocoa value chain

Zambrano,

Tennhardt,

Egger

et al. 2024

Agric Econ

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The COVID-19 pandemic generated diverse impacts and responses in agricultural value chains worldwide. Cocoa is a key crop for Ecuadorian exports, and the analysis of effects the pandemic had on value chain actors contributes to the understanding of their individual capacities to coping with a major shock. The purpose of this study was to assess the number and severity of impacts and responses implemented by two links in the cocoa value chain to the pandemic, based on a survey of 158 cocoa farmers and 52 cocoa intermediaries from the main cocoa-producing provinces of the northern coast of Ecuador in 2021. Surveyed farmers and part of the intermediaries form part of the sustainability program of a large Swiss chocolate manufacturer. The impacts and responses reported were grouped into seven resources according to the Activity System Approach. Then, a comparison between groups was applied using the Wilcoxon rank sum test for nonparametric data, determining the most severe impacts and effective resilience responses among the actors. The results reveal that farmers and intermediaries were similarly affected by the pandemic, reporting 21 and 16 negative impacts, respectively. Farmers experienced a higher number and severity of impacts on financial and social resources, while intermediaries on human and material resources. The strongest impact was the loss of sales, reported by 65% of farmers and 58% of intermediaries. Farmers implemented more social responses that they judged highly effective, while intermediaries implemented more human responses that they judged highly effective. Public policy should enhance the social resources of farmers by strengthening their associativity and the capacities of their members, as mechanisms to mitigate their vulnerability to future health and climate crises. The financial resources of both actors should be protected through public credit and agricultural insurance.

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Inside Zambia's ‘new normal:’ COVID‐19 policy responses and implications for peri‐urban food security and livelihoods

Cited by 7 publications

References 33 publications

Dietary diversity of women from soybean and non-soybean farming households in rural Zambia

Dietary diversity of women from soybean and non-soybean farming households in rural Zambia

Does value chain inclusiveness increase smallholder resilience during pandemics? Lessons from the Zambia's sugar‐belt

Differing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on farmers and intermediaries: insights into the Ecuadorian cocoa value chain

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