Abstract
Rural-urban linkages are vital elements in a sustainable food system. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, supply chains were disrupted and fear of infection impacted food shopping decisions, pushing consumers to seek local and safer options for procuring fresh produce. Direct marketing arose as a promising alternative for both consumers and producers. We undertook a study in Bengaluru, India, in order to understand what direct marketing activities have unfolded with the COVID-19 pandemic. Media reports highlighted the plight of farmers struggling to market their harvest during lockdown as well as the farm to fork initiatives and lockdown farmers markets that have been created as a response. We see this moment as an opportunity to develop Bengaluru’s food system to be more sustainable, specifically through the City Region Food System framework. This study conducted online and telephone surveys with both consumers and producers in Bengaluru to explore the elements of supply and demand that have fostered and hindered direct marketing schemes. We found that consumers are interested in sourcing fruits and vegetables directly from farmers, but communication and logistics between consumers and producers are major hindrances. Although producers are diversifying their marketing strategies, they need to be implemented at economically viable scales to ensure long-term success. We find that the role of technology, specifically messaging apps, can streamline direct marketing activities and remove the barriers that currently hamper rural-urban linkages. Furthermore, existing community and farmer organizations have the size and scale to make direct marketing schemes a worthy endeavor for both consumers and producers.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic shocked food systems around the world, testing resilience and revealing frailties in the networks that currently connect billions of people to their food
Research Methods In this study, we investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in direct marketing between urban middle-class consumers and local producers
Two resident welfare associations (RWAs) worked with Horticultural Producers’ Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) to source fresh produce, while one worked closely with a street vendor, and one with a private driver
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic shocked food systems around the world, testing resilience and revealing frailties in the networks that currently connect billions of people to their food. This paper examines changes in the food system during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown (March to June 2020) in the megacity of Bengaluru, in southern India. We use the City Region Food System framework (Carey & Dubbeling, 2017) as our food systems lens point of reference. This framework has the scope to holistically assess the food system and offers practical tools for food system transformation. To better understand the changes that occurred in Bengaluru’s food system and the potential for community-based organizations to become more closely linked in the food system, we surveyed urban consumers, resident welfare associations (RWAs), and rural farmer producer organizations (FPOs)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
