Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural production, livelihoods, and food security in India: baseline results of a phone survey

Lindsay M Jaacks,Rajesh Serupally,Poornima Prabhakaran,Divya Veluguri,Aditi Roy,G V Ramanjaneyulu

doi:10.1007/s12571-021-01164-w

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on agricultural production, livelihoods, food security, and dietary diversity in India. Phone interview surveys were conducted by trained enumerators across 12 states and 200 districts in India from 3 to 15 May 2020. A total of 1437 farmers completed the survey (94% male; 28% 30–39 years old; 38% with secondary schooling). About one in ten farmers (11%) did not harvest in the past month with primary reasons cited being unfavorable weather (37%) and lockdown-related reasons (24%). A total of 63% of farmers harvested in the past month (primarily wheat and vegetables), but only 44% had sold their crop; 12% were still trying to sell their crop, and 39% had stored their crop, with more than half (55%) reporting lockdown-related issues as the reason for storing. Seventy-nine percent of households with wage-workers witnessed a decline in wages in the past month and 49% of households with incomes from livestock witnessed a decline. Landless farmers were about 10 times more likely to skip a meal as compared to large farmers (18% versus 2%), but a majority reported receiving extra food rations from the government. Nearly all farmers reported consuming staple grains daily in the past week (97%), 63% consumed dairy daily, 40% vegetables daily, 26% pulses daily, and 7% fruit daily. These values are much lower than reported previously for farmers in India around this time of year before COVID-19: 94–95% dairy daily, 57–58% pulses daily, 64–65% vegetables daily, and 42–43% fruit daily. In conclusion, we found that the COVID-19 lockdown in India has primarily impacted farmers’ ability to sell their crops and livestock products and decreased daily wages and dietary diversity.

Highlights

IntroductionIn response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government of India imposed the largest lockdown in history: 1.3 billion people were required to shelter in place targeted provision of emergency food rations to those most in need, and re-building a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable agri-food system.Six previous studies relating to agricultural production, livelihoods, and food security during the COVID-19 lockdown in India have recently been reported (Acharya 2020; Azim Premji University 2020; Ceballos et al 2020; Harris et al 2020; Totapally et al 2020; Vikas Anvesh Foundation 2020)
Six previous studies relating to agricultural production, livelihoods, and food security during the COVID-19 lockdown in India have recently been reported (Acharya 2020; Azim Premji University 2020; Ceballos et al 2020; Harris et al 2020; Totapally et al 2020; Vikas Anvesh Foundation 2020)
They reported that 43% of men and 48% of women worried about getting daily essentials such as groceries, and 43% of those who were eligible for free food rations through the Public Distribution System (PDS) did not receive them (Totapally et al 2020)

Summary

Introduction

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government of India imposed the largest lockdown in history: 1.3 billion people were required to shelter in place targeted provision of emergency food rations to those most in need, and re-building a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable agri-food system.Six previous studies relating to agricultural production, livelihoods, and food security during the COVID-19 lockdown in India have recently been reported (Acharya 2020; Azim Premji University 2020; Ceballos et al 2020; Harris et al 2020; Totapally et al 2020; Vikas Anvesh Foundation 2020). A study of 1515 smallholder farmers conducted between early-April and mid-May found that in Haryana, 41% spent more on harvesting their wheat this year and 61% stored their harvest, and in Odisha, 80% spent more on harvesting their black gram this year and 74% stored their harvest (Ceballos et al 2020) They reported little impact of the lockdown on food insecurity citing short value chains, homestead gardens, and a well-functioning PDS as potential mitigation factors (Ceballos et al 2020)

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