Perceived impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic: does farm households' capability influence food security resilience in Ghana?

Abstract

PurposeCOVID-19 which became a global pandemic in 2020 has had tremendous impacts on several sectors including agriculture. Farm household capability is said to play a major role in ensuring that individuals develop some level of resilience towards the pandemic. This study assesses the perceived impacts of the pandemic on livelihood activities and examines the effects of farm household capability on food security resilience.Design/methodology/approachThe factor analysis, 2SLS and RIMA methodology were employed to assess the perceived impacts of the pandemic on livelihood activities and examine the effects of farm households' capability on food security resilience. The study is based on farm households in the Northern region of Ghana.FindingsThe study revealed that on a scale of 0 (no impact of the COVID-19 pandemic) to 1 (high impact of the COVID-19 pandemic), a value of 0.641 was obtained which means that the COVID-19 pandemic had a moderate (average) impact on farm households. Farm household capability also increases the food security resilience of farm households.Practical implicationsGovernment and local leaders should ensure that basic life-sustaining conditions are provided for rural farmers, and farm household capabilities are considered during crises.Originality/valueStudies have examined impacts of the COVID-19 but little or no attention has been given to farm households' capability to remain resilient amid the COVID-19 shocks on livelihoods.