Primary Agricultural Products Research Articles

Production of Citric Acid from Different Aspergillus species Obtained from Soil

The genus Aspergillus is considered highly important in the production of various types of enzymes and organic acids. Aspergillus species produce organic acids such as citric acid, itaconic acid, and malic acid, which are one of the most important alternate techniques for chemical processes. Citric acid is an essential primary agricultural product that is extensively used in the world. It acts as an intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (citric acid cycle) during the oxidation of carbohydrates to carbon dioxide. Citric acid has an important role in industries involving the production of food products, beverages, pharmaceutical and agricultural products, detergents, and cosmetics. The production of citric acid, a crucial agricultural commodity with widespread applications in various industries including food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, detergents, and cosmetics, heavily relies on microbial fermentation. The great demand for citric acid due to its wide industrial applications and less toxicity. Citric acid can be produced using less expensive substrates that are renewable too. In this work, Aspergillus species was isolated from the soil source, collected in different localities of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The total 90 different isolates are isolated among these the 20 different Aspergillus species are isolated and pure culture by using potato dextrose agar (PDA) Czapek dox agar medium and study the effect of different media on growth and sporulation of different Aspergillus species and the quantitative analysis of citric acid production was done by titration method with help of NaOH and phenolphthalein indicator. The main reason for the study increases is the large number of applications that can be found for citric acid, primarily in the food and pharmaceutical industries

Temporal and spatial characteristics of agricultural non-point source pollution in Hebei Province from 2000 to 2021

Agricultural non-point source pollution (ANP) had become an important source of water pollution, which seriously restricted the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. As the primary agricultural production base in the region of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Hebei had serious ANP. In order to clarify the current status of ANP in Hebei and figure out the main pollution source and areas, ANP load of Hebei from 2000 to 2021 were evaluated by the export coefficient modeling (ECM) and spatial-temporal characteristics were carried out using geographic information system (GIS). In addition, ANP severity and emission characteristics of Hebei in 2021 were evaluated. The results showed that the environmental impact of ANP in southwest area was obviously more serious than that in northeast area of Hebei. Especially, ANP emissions in Hebei showed significant decreasing inflection points in 2007 and 2017, respectively, reaching a minimum by 2021. The TN and TP emissions of ANP in Hebei were 315,026.1 t and 50,323.76 t in 2021, respectively. The contribution of agricultural land, livestock and poultry breeding and rural life to TN and TP emissions were 37%, 34%, 29% and 20%, 61% and 18%, respectively. The ANP pollution mainly came from livestock and poultry breeding in Hebei Province. Based on cluster analysis, cities in Hebei were divided into four types, and the control strategies for ANP environment management were put forward.

Development of radio frequency drying protocols for preserving the color and fragrance of lotus bee pollen

This investigation delves into radio frequency (RF) drying as a novel approach for preserving the inherent quality and extending shelf life of lotus bee pollen, a primary agricultural product enriched with essential nutrients and bioactive compounds. Through a comparative analysis with conventional hot air (HA) drying conducted at 50 °C, 55 °C, and 60 °C, this study evaluated the impact of both drying techniques on critical quality parameters of bee pollen. These parameters included moisture content, fatty acid profile, color, aroma characteristics, pigment concentrations, and malondialdehyde levels. Findings revealed that RF drying significantly reduced drying time while maintaining superior quality attributes of bee pollen, such as enhanced color retention (ΔE < 5) and diminished lipid oxidation, in comparison to HA drying. Notably, RF drying at 55 °C for 130 min emerged as the optimum condition for preserving the sensory and nutritional qualities of lotus bee pollen. The study underscores the potential of RF drying as an efficient and quality-preserving method that could be advantageous for commercial applications in food industry, aiming at enhancing shelf life and safety of bee pollen.

Operational workflow to simulate biophysical variables, based on the coupled WRF/SEBAL models

Three subsystems including an atmospheric regional forecast and analysis system, satellite data retrieval and processing, and a surface energy balance model have been employed in a 24/7 operational system to measure and simulate some primary agricultural variables, including evapotranspiration, biomass production, and other associated productivity metrics such as NDVI and Albedo. The final products are generated in a daily routine, covering Iran as the domain of simulation. The WRF atmospheric model, VIIRS, and SENTINEL2 satellite data, as well as the SEBAL model (implemented in pySEBAL) are the main components of the operational system, with products in two different spatial resolutions of 375 m and 100 m. The output products can be used by farmers and stakeholders to manage agricultural water requirements and monitor biophysical parameters.

Is Agriculture Still the Mainstay of Rural Economies? Insights from Ultra-Poor Households in North-central Nigeria

Aims: Nigeria may be facing aging and decline in the population engaged at food production nodes, posing huge challenge to agri-food systems with poverty at risk of deepening. Current trend in rural-urban migration and occupational mobility raises the open question of: “Is agriculture still a mainstay of rural economy, playing reliant roles in income and employment generation for the ultra-poor in Nigeria rurality?”. Understanding this is important because structural change to agricultural workforce in Nigeria has far-reaching implications on food security, welfare, and poverty. We sought to unfold the dynamics of agriculture as a business among ultra-poor rural households in North-Central Nigeria. First, we investigated engagements of ultra-poor rural households in agriculture. Secondly, we examined their level of commercialization. Lastly, we investigated determinants of ultra-poor’s market participation and its intensity. Study Design: This study used quantitative primary data collected in surveys and qualitative data generated from focus group discussions. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in three states in North-central Nigeria viz: Kwara, Kogi, and Niger with data collected and analyzed between 2020-2022. Methodology: We randomly selected 1588 households (out of 60,427 households) from the “Single Register of the Ultra-poor” operationalized on a World-Bank-Assisted Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme. We analysed data using descriptive statistics, Household Agricultural Commercialization Index, and Double-Hurdle Model. Results: Only about 18.7% of the ultra-poor households were primarily engaged in agriculture with the focus groups highlighting conflicts issues from indiscriminate grazing activities as primary reason for the abandonment. Determinants of market participation and intensification include: (-) household dependency ratio, distance to markets, (+) linkage to market agents, access to mechanization and input market, CCT-beneficiary status, and farm size (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Involvement in primary agricultural production is declining in Nigeria. We recommend a boost to infrastructural development of the rurality to support agricultural transformation and attractiveness to the next wave of youths.

Agricultural plastic pollution in China: Sources, supply chain drivers, and mitigation strategies

Plastic pollution from agricultural production poses discernible risks to food security and safety. This work endeavors to address the gap of quantification and traceability of agricultural plastic pollution by estimating plastic loss associated with diverse farm activities and explore potential mitigation strategies. Results revealed that annual agricultural plastic pollution in China amounted to 570 kt. The main sources of the pollution were identified as the use of mulching film in agriculture production, farming practices employed for vegetable and fruit production, and the geographical distribution of agricultural activities, particularly in provinces of Xinjiang and Shandong in China. From a production perspective, thicker agricultural film substitution proved a more cost-effective mitigation than biodegradable alternatives for most provinces. Applying a nested multiregional input-output model, interprovincial and international final demand drivers of pollution were identified primarily from eastern China, the United States, and Japan. At the provincial level, the most significant sectoral driving force of provincial agricultural plastic pollution is primary agricultural products, followed by processed foods and textile-related products. The study highlights the imperatives for more inclusive plastic pollution monitoring and comprehensive consumption behavior guidance for sustainable agriculture.

The impact of the agricultural digital economy on China's agricultural export growth: Examining mechanisms from supply‐ and demand‐side path perspectives

AbstractThe deep integration of the agricultural digital economy and foreign trade is an important driving force for promoting high–quality economic development. Based on a theoretical analysis of the impact mechanisms of the agricultural digital economy on agricultural exports, this study empirically examines the impact and mechanism of the agricultural digital economy on agricultural exports using Chinese agricultural export data from 2011 to 2016. The relevant findings are threefold. (1) The agricultural digital economy significantly enhances the growth of China's agricultural exports, and the result remains robust after a series of robustness tests. (2) The heterogeneity analysis reveals that the agricultural digital economy has a greater role in promoting exports from quality frontier firms, primary agricultural products and exports to developed countries. (3) The mechanism analysis demonstrates that the agricultural digital economy promotes exports of agricultural products on the supply side most strongly through quality–enhancing and the information cost effects, improving product quality and reducing information expenditure to achieve export growth. On the demand side, domestic demand traction and external–demand creation effects exert a local market effect and stimulate import market demand to promote export growth. [EconLit Citations: F746.12].

Agricultural Trade Effects of China’s Free Trade Zone Strategy: A Multidimensional Heterogeneity Perspective

The purpose of this work is to investigate the varied effects of China’s free trade zone (FTZ) strategy on agricultural trade and its underlying mechanisms. This work utilizes the propensity score matching–staggered difference-in-differences (PSM–Staggered DID) approach and synthetic control method (SCM) as its analysis methods. This study analyzes trade volume data between China and various countries alongside diverse economic indicators spanning from 1995 to 2020. The data sources include CEPII_BACI, the China Free Trade Zone Services website, the Penn World Tables, and the CEPII database. The novelty of this work lies in exploring the multidimensional heterogeneity of agricultural product trade effects in FTZs and their underlying mechanisms and extending the application of causal inference methods to the assessment of FTZs’ trade effects. Empirical analysis indicates that the establishment of FTZs with partner countries has contributed to the growth of China’s agricultural trade. The effects of agricultural trade resulting from China’s FTZ strategy exhibit multidimensional heterogeneity in the aspects of agreement terms, years, product categories, and network positions. Specifically, when it comes to the agreement terms, FTZs negotiated by China with broader scope, deeper terms, and stronger constraints have a more significant impact on agricultural trade due to the establishment of FTZs; in terms of years, the agricultural trade effects have gradually expanded over time; in terms of product categories, China has expanded its imports of primary agricultural products and semiprocessed agricultural products from partner countries, thus augmenting its exports of horticultural agricultural products and processed agricultural products. In terms of network positions, China, as a hub country, has greater agricultural trade effects than partner countries after the establishment of the FTZs. Finally, the paper proposes policy recommendations for optimizing the implementation strategy of FTZs.

The role of the food industry in the development of the agricultural sector

Food Industry has a significant place in the structure of the entire Industry. Depending on the level of economic and agricultural development, as well as the raw material base, about 60-80% of primary agricultural production is processed and prepared for final consumption in the food industry. The term food industry implies the processing of plant, animal and mineral raw materials in order to meet the dietary needs of people. Considering the development of production orientations of the food industry, it can be seen that this industry is expanding its activities beyond the framework of traditional food production and has an increasing focus on the production of a full range of its own raw materials and auxiliary materials; whereby, constantly connecting with other branches and areas, establishing more permanent and stronger integration ties in the process of social reproduction (vertical integration). The processing industry of agricultural raw materials is one of the leading branches of the economy and represents an important resource for the development, not only of the agricultural sector, but also of the RS economy as a whole. However, analyzing this segment of the economy, it can be concluded that the volume, processing, degree of finalization, export and connection in the business chain, etc. is not even remotely used. Observing the trend of realized production in the analyzed period through the basic index of physical volume, it can be concluded that the basic index of 1,11 was achieved in meat production and processing; in fruit and vegetable processing 0,68; dairy production 0,62; manufacturing of mill products 0,98; manufacturing of bakery products and pasta 1,25; manufacturing of any remaining food products 1,02; manufacturing of finished animal feed 1,08 and in the production of beverages 1,25. Based on the analysis and presented data, the strategic goals of the RS food industry would be to increase the level of raw material utilization, revitalization of capacities by modernization of existing capacities, introduction of quality standards, new equipment and new technologies.

The Legal Status and Selection of a Model for Geographical Indications for Agricultural Products in China: a Study

As a traditional agricultural country, China produces a wide range of diverse agricultural products. However, China's legislation on geographical indications (GI) for agricultural products is incomplete, existing in three different legal documents. Although China appears to be ready for an independent GI law, it has not yet been enacted, and the method of its administration remains unclear. China is faced with the choice of whether to adopt ‘strong protection’ or ‘weak protection’ in its GI legislation. This question is also directly related to the relationship between international GI treaties and domestic legislation. The protection of geographical indications of agricultural products in China lacks strategic design. The main legislative and administrative bodies are confused, and the specific legal documents at the national, provincial and municipal levels are imbalanced. The recommendation of this article is that, China should choose ‘strong protection’ for primary agricultural products and processed agricultural products with key characteristics, and ‘weak protection’ for other general agricultural products.

Spatial Procurement of Farm Products and the Supply of Processed Foods: Application to the Tomato Processing Industry

AbstractIncreased transportation and logistical costs in agricultural markets have affected the spatial allocation of production in the agricultural and food sectors of the economy. We develop a spatial model of farm product procurement by a food processor, which is designed to capture the effects of supply-chain disruptions on the spatial procurement of farm products in the processed food sector. We use detailed data on production and procurement from a large California tomato processor to estimate the key parameters of the model, which allow us to calculate the price elasticity of supply for California tomato paste production and describe how changes in energy prices and transportation costs for primary agricultural products affect the supply of processed food.

МОДЕЛІ УПРАВЛІННЯ ДОДАНОЮ ЦІННІСТЮ У НІШЕВОМУ АГРОБІЗНЕСІ

The article examines the methodological approaches and models of added value management as a consumer’s value based on the ecosystem and marketing approach in the segment of micro and small agricultural business, which operates in the conditions of full-scale military invasion in Ukraine. The sociological study conducted in 2022-2023 among 100 managers and founders of domestic micro and small agricultural enterprises shows and explains value-added management models in the segment of niche agro-production business. Creating value for consumer’s approach is a methodological basis for sustainable competitive strategies development, which allows micro and small businesses to adapt to the external environment rapid changes and to be consistent in the long term period perspective both in conditions of the full-scale military invasions and in the post-war period. The agri-food market structural changes caused by the pandemic and full-scale military actions led to the domestic micro and small agricultural business strategy transformation. In conditions of full uncertainty and the threats of physical destruction, micro and small agro-enterprises that retained their production capacity showed adaptability to rapid market changes in comparison with large-scale agribusiness. Leaders of micro and small business actively studied and implemented innovative approaches to the management of material, financial and information flows, which directly affected their ability to produce added value. Running an agri-food business in Ukraine in modern realities requires the use of sustainable business practices that will ensure sustainability both in the short-term and in the long-term. The ecosystem approach to the added value management, as a value for the consumer, involves a comprehensive approach to the of available resources assessment, external threats and challenges, and development prospects. A marketing approach to the added value creation and treatment it as a value for the consumer allows to develop a differentiated strategy. Such approach allows to obtain more sustainable competitive advantages in comparison with the economic approach of added value creation and management. The strategy of increasing value of primary agricultural products by increasing the market value and product attractiveness through marketing tools allows to differentiate the product line and receive an additional premium.

Development of a Lean Six Sigma Model and Resilient Supply Chain Using Modern Fuzzy Inference Approaches and Design of Experiments (Case Study: Asia Factory)

Objective: The present research aims to develop a Lean Six Sigma model and a resilient supply chain. Methodology: To develop the Lean Six Sigma model and resilient supply chain using a grounded theory method, interviews with experts were conducted to examine the factors influencing the model's development. Then, the Delphi process and surveys from relevant experts (faculty members, managers of food companies, and supply chain experts) were used to finalize the list of dimensions and components via the grounded theory method and to determine the importance coefficient of each. Finally, the identified input variables were converted into explicit or numerical values using fuzzy inference algorithms by a defuzzification unit. Using the design of experiments technique, the 3^(k-p) method was applied to express the impact of each influencing factor on the output characteristics as a model. Considering the qualitative nature of the research method, the data obtained from the study were analyzed using NVIVO version 11 software in the first step. In the next step, MATLAB software was used for the fuzzy inference section, and finally, MINITAB software was used in the design of experiments section. Findings: The results showed that all input variables affecting flexibility, capacity, and adaptability were significant at a 95% confidence level. Additionally, Total Quality Management (TQM) had the most significant impact on the variables of flexibility and capacity, while Quality Function Deployment (QFD) had the most significant impact on adaptability. Conclusion: The proposed model, aiming for integrated information across the food chain, spans from primary agricultural production to the consumer, replacing human mechanisms and potential errors.

Research on Expansion of the Export Paths of Developing Aquatic Products in Hainan Province

Hainan Province is rich in marine resources, and the marine economy is one of the exceptional advantages of Hainan Province's economic development. As the eleventh free trade zone opened by China, Hainan Province, as a province supported by the double policies of special economic zone and free trade zone, should fully harness its strengths, and adopt scientific and correct development strategies to accelerate the construction pace of aquatic products’ export industry. At present, aquatic products in Hainan Province are mostly exported for sale in the form of primary agricultural products, developing marine culture technology is needed, otherwise it will lose its development force in the face of the red line of marine fishing. Furthermore, the lack of fine deep processing of aquatic resources has become the weakness of Hainan Province in the international market competition. Therefore, we should step up efforts to of Hainan Province in the construction of aquatic products’ export industry, establish and perfect a complete aquatic products’ export industry, develop and improve the upstream and downstream industries of Hainan Province's aquatic products export and give support to the aquatic products industry, and increase the research efforts on the fine deep processing of aquatic products and other related application technology.

What causes green efficiency losses in Chinese agriculture? A perspective based on input redundancy

Incompatibility between agricultural production inputs and the resource environment leads to efficiency losses and has an impeding effect on sustainable agricultural development. However, efficiency loss in agriculture is a blind spot in current research. To explore the green development performance and efficiency losses in China's agricultural modernization process, this paper measures the green efficiency of China's agriculture from static and dynamic perspectives. An in-depth analysis of efficiency losses in the efficiency measurement process was conducted. It was found that the overall agricultural green efficiency (AGE) of China showed a continuous upward trend from 2006 to 2019 and the average growth rate is 4.1 %. The utilization efficiency of agricultural inputs in China increased significantly, but the regional variations in the redundancy of agricultural inputs widened. Both agricultural modernization and environmental regulations are associated negatively with labor redundancy, and environmental regulations are associated negatively with fertilizer and machinery redundancy. The effective substitution of labor production factors by agricultural modernization can reduce labor redundancy and release a large amount of rural labor engaged in primary agricultural production, and environmental regulations effectively inhibit the waste of fertilizer, labor, and machinery inputs.

COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE JUICE PRODUCTION SECTORS IN SERBIA AND CROATIA

The paper analyzes fruit and vegetable juice production sectors in Serbia and Croatia, with a special emphasis on the analysis of financial performance indicators. Costeffectiveness, profitability and liquidity indicators over the five-year period have been calculated on the basis of financial data. The aim of the paper is to examine whether there is a statistically significant difference between these indicators in the sectors of the two countries. Having in view that previous research results indicate a lower level of technical effectiveness of Serbian agriculture compared to EU countries, the paper examines the potential of the processing sector in generating new value and the possibility of creating a new product from primary agricultural products with considerably better business results. Based on the statistically significant difference in the mean values of financial indicators, the conclusion is that this sector in Serbia is more liquid and profitable than the counterpart sector in Croatia.

Rural-Urban Linkages: Regional Financial Business Services’ Integration into Chilean Agri-Food Value Chains

The spatial structure of urban-related industries and agri-food value chains is important for promoting sustainable linkages. Using an interregional input-output framework, this study explores the geography of inter-industry linkages between financial business services and the Chilean agri-food related industries from a subnational perspective. This framework allows adding evidence on rural-related economic activities and financial business services, covering Chilean internal geography, which has a regional concentration of both the business services supply and the agriculturally engaged regions, potentially blocking territorial competitiveness. Our findings indicate that the relationship between value-added and trade is consistent with the vertical fragmentation of domestic production associated with returns to scale. Consequently, while the value-added financial services are more intense in trade for global value chains, this occurs in regions specialized in agri-food industries and services. Our findings also show that Southern Chilean regions engaged in primary agricultural production have lower levels of financial services directly and indirectly embedded in both domestic and global value chains trade, thus highlighting an uneven geography of vertical integration within the country.

P3HB from CH4 using methanotrophs: aspects of bioreactor, fermentation process and modelling for cost-effective biopolymer production.

P3HB (poly-β-hydroxybutyrate), an energy-storage compound of several microorganisms, can be used as bioplastics material. P3HB is completely biodegradable under aerobic and aerobic conditions, also in the marine environment. The intracellular agglomeration of P3HB was examined employing a methanotrophic consortium. Supplanting fossil, non-degradable polymers by P3HB can significantly reduce the environmental impact of plastics. Utilizing inexpensive carbon sources like CH4 (natural gas, biogas) is a fundamental methodology to make P3HB production less costly, and to avoid the use of primary agricultural products such as sugar or starch. Biomass growth in polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in general and in Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) manufacture in specific could be a foremost point, so here the authors focus on natural gas as a proper carbon source and on the selection of bioreactors to produceP3HB, and in future further PHA, from that substrate. CH4 can also be obtained from biomass, e.g., biogas, syngas methanation or power-to-gas (synthetic natural gas, SNG). Simulation software can be utilized for examination, optimizing and scale-up of the process as shown in this paper. The fermentation systems continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR), forced-liquid vertical loop bioreactor (VTLB), forced-liquid horizontal tubular loop bioreactor (HTLB), airlift (AL) fermenter and bubble column (BC) fermenter were compared for their methane conversion, kLa value, productivity, advantages and disadvantages. Methane is compared to methanol and other feedstocks. It was discovered that under optimum processing circumstances and using Methylocystis hirsuta, the cells accumulated 51.6% cell dry mass of P3HB in the VTLB setup.

Input–Output Global Hybrid Analysis of Agricultural Primary Production (IO-GHAAPP) Database

In many regions of the world, water consumption exceeds the limits of sustainable water use. A commonly used method to examine the relationship between global water consumption and production is input–output analysis. However, between approximately 70% and 90% of freshwater consumption occurs in agricultural primary production, which is often represented by only a small percentage of the total number of sectors in input–output databases. As a result, water-related assessments based on input–output analysis are limited in their accuracy and substance. In addition, the assessment of the impact of water consumption is usually carried out at the national level, which can further contribute to the imprecision of the results. Therefore, the primary objective of this work was to develop an approach to better assess water use and its impacts in input–output analysis. In order to achieve this objective, a novel approach was adopted by integrating a global spatial model of agricultural primary production (MapSPAM) into an existing input–output database via prorating. In addition, the utilisation of MapSPAM allowed the calculation of water environmental extensions with unprecedented accuracy. The resulting Input–Output Global Hybrid Analysis of Agricultural Primary Production (IO-GHAAPP) approach includes (1) a novel input–output database and (2) novel environmental extensions for freshwater consumption and scarcity. The IO-GHAAPP database consists of 150 categories and 164 regions, resulting in a total of 24,600 region–category combinations. Forty-two of the categories are dedicated to agricultural primary production (28%). In comparison, the source input–output data consist of 120 categories and 164 regions, resulting in a total of 19,680 region–category combinations, of which 14 are dedicated to agricultural primary production (12%). The Python code and IO-GHAAPP database are openly available via Zenodo. The IO-GHAAPP approach is presented in a comparative analysis of agricultural primary production, along with the associated water consumption and water footprint, at both the global level and for the United States and India. Both countries are among the most important in the world in terms of agricultural primary production as well as associated water consumption and water scarcity. Furthermore, the IO-GHAAPP approach is applied in a simple case study of Germany, which stands in contrast as one of the largest importers of agricultural primary production on a global scale. The results show that the IO-GHAAPP approach adds a valuable layer of information to the disaggregated input–output data, allowing crop-specific analyses to be carried out that would otherwise not be possible, e.g., for specific leguminous or beverage crops. The results are relevant to practitioners of input–output analysis who are concerned with the impacts of agricultural primary production and who need highly resolved data, as well as to policy-makers who rely on such studies. The demonstrated IO-GHAAPP approach could be extended to other externalities relevant to agricultural primary production, such as land use, soil degradation or pollution.

African agri-entrepreneurship in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe African continent is known for high entrepreneurial activity, especially in the agricultural sector. Despite this, the continent's economic development is below expectations, due to numerous factors constraining the growth and sustainability of agricultural SMEs. These constraints have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to understand the pathways through which the pandemic affected agri-SMEs, with specific focus on assessing the differentiated effects arising from the size of the agri-SME and the gender of the owner-manager.MethodsData was collected from over 100 agri-SMEs, ranging in size from sole proprietorships with one employee to agri-SMEs employing up to 100 people, in six African countries. Mixed methods were used to analyse the data with changes in business operations arising from changing market access, regimented health and safety guidelines and constrained labour supply assessed using visualisations and descriptive statistics. Logistic regression modelling was employed to determine the set of variables contributing to agri-SME business downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsAll surveyed agri-SMEs were negatively affected by COVID-19-associated restrictions with the size of the firm and gender of the owner-managers resulting in differentiated impacts. The smallest agri-SMEs, mainly owner-managed by women, were more likely to experience disruptions in marketing their goods and maintaining their labour supply. Larger agri-SMEs made changes to their business operations to comply with government guidelines during the pandemic and made investments to manage their labour supply, thus sustaining their business operations. In addition, logistic regression modelling results show that financing prior to the pandemic, engaging in primary agricultural production, and being further from urban centres significantly influenced the likelihood of a firm incurring business losses.ConclusionsThese findings necessitate engendered multi-faceted agri-SME support packages that are tailored for smaller-sized agri-SMEs. Any such support package should include support for agri-SMEs to develop sustainable marketing strategies and help them secure flexible financing that considers payment deferrals and debt moratorium during bona fide market shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic.