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Open access
Natural Hazards Research, volume 4, issue 4, pages 633-642

The Aspects of Food Security and Subsistence Systems of Climate-Induced Hazards Affected Coastal People in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh

Publication typeJournal Article
Publication date2024-12-01
SJR
CiteScore4.1
Impact factor
ISSN26665921
Abstract
Climate change-induced hazards and environmental change pose great threats and vulnerabilities to the livelihoods and food security of forest-dependent coastal people in Bangladesh. Moreover, the recent surge of COVID-19 has aggravated this vulnerability manifold. This paper is an attempt to examine the aspects of food security and subsistence systems of coastal people in dual hazards. It also explores the gender roles and responses of coastal people in food security and subsistence systems in climatic hazards during the period of COVID-19. This project employed participant observation, in-depth interviews (N=55), and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)(N=7) for collecting data. The findings of the research demonstrate that climate-induced hazards severely reduce the resources of the forest and river and threaten the food security of coastal people. Many of the coastal people are forced to change their occupations, diversify their livelihoods, or migrate to other places for subsistence. Moreover, the recent outbreak of COVID-19 restricts them in-house and stops their income-generating activities. In addition, forest departments do not allow them to enter forests to collect forest resources during and after the hazards, which severely affects their food security. In coastal areas, women play a great role in food security and subsistence systems, but dual hazards limit their working opportunities by restricting agricultural inputs, and technological support, disrupting the environment, closing markets, breaking supply chains, and so on. However, coastal people try to overcome these challenges by applying their local strategies. This paper helps policymakers and the government to gain insight into the real situation of coastal people during and after the hazards, which can influence policymakers to formulate effective policies for ensuring food security and creating alternative subsistence systems for coastal people in adversity.
Sakib S.N., Towfiqul Islam A.R., Azad M.A., Mallick J., Ahmed M., Pal S.C., Islam M.S., Hu Z., Alam E., Malafaia G.
Geocarto International scimago Q1 wos Q2 Open Access
2023-04-25 citations by CoLab: 2
Garai J., Ku H.B.
2023-02-01 citations by CoLab: 4 Abstract  
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented suffering to the lives and livelihoods of indigenous people across the country, especially in the south-eastern parts of Bangladesh, but the situation has rarely reported by the mass media and academic literature. This study was an attempt to find out the impacts and vulnerabilities of COVID-19 on the indigenous Chakma community at Rangamati sadar (sub-district) of Rangamati (district) in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) area, Bangladesh. It also aimed to investigate how indigenous people respond to the pandemic and how they can develop resilience to adapt to the adverse situation. For conducting this study, a critical ethnographic approach was adopted, along with participant observation, in-depth interview, and focus group (FGs) for collecting data in the study area. The findings of the study indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic severely affects the traditional way of life, mythology, culture, food security, economic activities, and educational activities, along with increasing health risks for the people of the indigenous community. However, indigenous people respond to this pandemic in their own ways, involving their ancestors' works, avoiding dependence on market systems, keeping faith in traditional medicines, building close relation to nature, along with following some health guidelines announced by government. This work refutes the existing mainstream discourse that indigenous people are unwittingly vulnerable and docile in their waiting for outside assistance.
Alam G.M., Sarker M.N., Kamal M.A., Khatun M.N., Bhandari H.
Sustainability scimago Q1 wos Q2 Open Access
2023-02-01 citations by CoLab: 6 PDF Abstract  
Bangladesh’s aquaculture sector has contributed progressively to the nation’s economy over the years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has impeded fish farmers’ access to markets, reduced their production and sales capacity, resulted in lower income, and increased food security vulnerability. This study assesses how COVID-19 affects smallholder fish farmers and their response strategies by employing data collected from 250 fish farmers and traders from intensive fish-growing areas of Bangladesh. The results reveal that most farmers experienced difficulty obtaining inputs, and the price of those inputs skyrocketed during the COVID-19 period, resulting in several months of decreased production and operations. As a result of COVID-19, farm gate prices for silver carp, ruhu, common carp, grass carp, and tilapia fish dropped by 25%, 23%, 23%, 22%, 23%, and 40%, respectively. On the other hand, fish feed prices were found to increase significantly. Reduced income from fish farming and other sources has triggered a significant drop in capital for farming operations and production capacity improvement, leading to food insecurity. The most common coping strategies include reduced buying from the market (vegetables, fruits, meat, milk, etc.), relying on less expensive or less preferred food, purchasing food on credit, and selling assets. Notably, due to COVID-19, a new mode of marketing has evolved as an adaptation strategy in the fish marketing system, such as the use of the mobile phone (18%) and Facebook/internet to sell fish directly to the customer (16%). The sector requires short-term financial assistance to assist fish actors with production and marketing challenges.
Picchioni F., Goulao L.F., Roberfroid D.
Clinical Nutrition scimago Q1 wos Q1
2022-12-01 citations by CoLab: 120 Abstract  
Background & aimsThe current global pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19), and measures adopted to reduce its spread, threaten the nutritional status of populations in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Documenting how the COVID-19 affects diets, nutrition and food security can help generating evidence-informed recommendations for mitigating interventions and policies.MethodsWe carried out a systematic literature review. A structured search strategy was applied in MEDLINE (Pubmed®), EMBASE®, Scopus® and Web of Science®. Grey literature was retrieved by screening a pre-set list of institutions involved in monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nutrition and food security. The first search was done on 20th August 2020, and updated in mid-November 2020 and mid-January 2021. All research steps were described as recommended in the PRISMA statement.ResultsOut of the 2085 references identified, thirty-five primary studies were included. In spite of their heterogeneity, studies converge to demonstrate a detrimental effect of COVID-19 pandemic and associated containment measures on diet quality and food insecurity. One of the major direct effects of COVID-19 on food and nutrition outcomes has been through its impact on employment, income generating activities and associated purchasing power. Other channels of impact, such as physical access, availability and affordability of food provided a heterogeneous picture and were assessed via binary and often simplistic questions. The impacts of COVID-19 on food systems and diets manifested with various intensity degrees, duration and in different forms. Factors contributing to these variations between and within countries were: 1) timing, duration and stringency of national COVID-19 restriction measures and policies to mitigate their adverse impacts; 2) context specific food value chain responses to domestic and international containment measures; 3) differentiated impacts of restriction measures on different groups, along lines of gender, age, socio-economic status and employment conditions. Shorter value chains and traditional smallholder farms were somewhat more resilient in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the impact of the pandemic has been particularly adverse on women, individuals with a low socio-economic status, informal workers and young adults that relied on daily wages. Finally, there were heterogeneous government responses to curb the virus and to mitigate the damaging effects of the pandemic. It has been demonstrated that existing and well-functioning social protection programmes and public distribution of food can buffer the adverse effects on food insecurity. But social safety nets cannot be effective on their own and there is a need for broader food systems interventions and investments to support sustainable and inclusive food systems to holistically achieve food and nutrition security.ConclusionThe current economic and heath crisis impacted diet quality and food security. This raises concerns about long term impacts on access to and affordability of nutrient-rich, healthy diets and their health implications. Women and individuals with a low socio-economic are likely to be the most at risk of food insecurity. Social safety nets can be effective to protect them and must be urgently implemented. We advocate for improved data collection to identify vulnerable groups and measure how interventions are successful in protecting them.
Kang Y., Baidya A., Aaron A., Wang J., Chan C., Wetzler E.
Global Food Security scimago Q1 wos Q1
2021-12-01 citations by CoLab: 43 Abstract  
Lockdowns due to COVID-19 in early 2020 had health, economic, and social consequences globally. Using survey data collected as part of a rapid assessment among non-governmental organization- (NGO) supported communities in six Asia Pacific countries (n = 13,522), this study examined if the early impacts of COVID-19 on job loss or reduced income, food expenditure, food availability at households and markets, and affordability of essential items, differed between rural and urban areas. Job loss or reduced income was higher in urban areas than in rural areas in India (91.2% vs. 82.5%), Myanmar (72.0% vs. 48.6%), and Vietnam (76.5% vs. 44.9%). While there was a significant decline in food expenditure in all six countries, there were significantly larger reductions in food expenditures in urban areas versus rural areas in India (35.2% vs. 24.0%), Myanmar (30.8% vs. 8.5%), and Vietnam (31.0% vs. 2.3%). Food stocks were less available in urban areas than in rural areas in Bangladesh (18.8% vs. 37.8%), India (91.5% vs.76.0%), and Myanmar (72.0% vs. 59.0%). Foods and essential items were largely available at markets, without significant differences between rural and urban areas, except in Vietnam. Full affordability was only 20%-30% for most items, with a trend of higher affordability of some items in urban areas than in rural areas. Recommendations to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 include promoting urban agriculture with efficient food distribution and cash support and supporting small-holder farmers for procurement and adequate functioning of the supply chain system in the region.
Visser J., Wangu J.
2021-10-27 citations by CoLab: 19 Abstract  
Food insecurity remains a critical issue worldwide. The current COVID-19 crisis has exposed how vulnerable the global food systems are and that urgent measures need to be taken, especially in the Global South. Despite increased recognition that women are among the most food insecure yet major contributors to local and global food security over the recent years, there has not been a systemic change needed in the current food security paradigm. This paper argues that, in developing countries, a stronger gender lens ought to be at the center to the food systems' debate as women are critical to agriculture and food systems' sustainability and resilience. Women are central to food systems, both as primary food producers and as primary caretakers of the household. Three key recommendations are put forward in this article for establishing inclusive, sustainable and resilient food systems: One, ensuring a stronger gender lens in food systems and food security paradigms; by working with accurate sex-disaggregated data and beyond on individuals' level. Two, promoting and supporting alternative strategies to agriculture as a means of livelihood for women. Three, ensuring that women are central in food security solutions by not only listening to their concerns and needs, but also building on their resilience, knowledge, and practices.
Lam Y., Winch P.J., Nizame F.A., Broaddus-Shea E.T., Harun M.G., Surkan P.J.
Food Security scimago Q1 wos Q1
2021-07-29 citations by CoLab: 42 Abstract  
The rising salinity of land and water is an important, but understudied, climate change-sensitive trend that can exert devastating impacts on food security. This mixed methods investigation combines salinity testing with qualitative research methods to explore these impacts in one of the most salinity-affected regions in the world—the Ganges River Delta. Data collection in 2015 and 2016 undertaken in Bangladesh’s southwest coastal region and Dhaka consisted of 83 in-depth household and stakeholder interviews, six community focus groups, and salinity testing of 27 soil and 45 surface and groundwater samples. Results show that household food production is a multifaceted cornerstone of rural livelihood in the southwest coastal region, and virtually every component of it—from rice plantation and homestead gardening to livestock cultivation and aquaculture—is being negatively affected by salinity. Although households have attempted multiple strategies for adapting food production, effective adaptation remains elusive. At the community level, improved irrigation and floodplain management, as well as restrictions on saltwater aquaculture to abate salinity, are viewed as promising interventions. However, the potential of such measures remains unrealized on a broad scale, as they require a level of external resources and regulation not yet provided by the NGO and government sectors. This study elucidates issues of accessibility, equity, and governance surrounding agricultural interventions for climate change-related salinity adaptation, and its findings can help inform the community of organizations that will increasingly need to grapple with salinity in order to guarantee food security in the context of environmental change.
Mangubhai S., Nand Y., Reddy C., Jagadish A.
2021-06-01 citations by CoLab: 41 Abstract  
The global COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of our health, social, and economic systems. While responding to the health crisis, governments are scrambling to understand and address the knock-on economic effects from market disruptions, and respond to other major disturbances (e.g. natural disasters). We conducted 61 key informant interviews with Indo-Fijian small-scale fisheries (SSF) actors (i.e. fishers, boat owners (that may or may not fish), crew members, and traders) in May 2020, two months after Fiji got its first case of COVID-19 and a month after Cyclone Harold hit the country. We examined how these SSF groups whose access to resources depends on their ability to navigate existing social relations of power, have lived through, experienced, and responded to the two stresses. We found the main impact of COVID-19 on SSF actors was the reduction in sales of fish (73.8 % of respondents) likely a result of reduction in local consumption and/or the loss of tourism markets. Loss of purchasing power meant almost a fifth of Indo-Fijian SSF actors interviewed (comprising 44.4 % of crew members, 16.4 % fishers, 11.5 % boat owners, 8.3 % traders) were unable to obtain sufficient food to meet their families' daily needs. Many of these SSF actors do not have access to social security or similar safety nets leaving them vulnerable to the current crisis as well as to other shocks and changes. Furthermore, social inequities and power relations surrounding access to fisheries resources and government aid contributed to their vulnerability to economic stresses from COVID-19 and a severe cyclone. An understanding of early impacts of COVID-19 on SSF through an intersectional lens can assist decision-makers to quickly mobilise assistance to help people who are most vulnerable, and avoid widening inequities among social groups.
Nyahunda L., Chibvura S., Tirivangasi H.M.
2021-05-26 citations by CoLab: 25 Abstract  
In this paper, the researchers argue that the repercussions of the Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic are taking a toll on rural women, not as a new phenomenon, but as an amplifier for their historical calamities dovetailed by climate change. The declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation ignited widespread pronouncements of national state of disasters in various countries around the globe including Zimbabwe. Subsequently, like other countries, Zimbabwe followed the precautionary measures outlined by the WHO and pronounced its national lockdown to curtail the transmission of the virus. This paper intends to demonstrate how convergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change impacts serves as a double injustice for rural women in Nyanga communities, Zimbabwe. The study was qualitative in nature guided by the descriptive research design. Twenty participants comprising rural women and social workers were selected using purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Data were collected using focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The Thematic Content Analysis was followed to analyse the data from which the findings were derived. This study established that the COVID-19 pandemic is enhancing the catastrophic implications created by climate change on rural women whose food security systems are shattered, livelihood strategies maimed, caregiving roles burgeoning, and access to healthcare systems compromised. This daunting double impact is aggravated by gender inequalities, social exclusion and patriarchal dominance. The centrality of social justice to social work connotes that the profession has a tendentious responsibility to stand in the gap and liberate women from the jaws of these double catastrophes (climate change and COVID-19).
Islam M.M., Mostafiz M., Begum P., Talukder A., Ahamed S.
Using the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts, and Responses) framework as an analytical lens, this study elucidates how climate-related hazards coupled with other drivers create disaster vulnerability to coastal communities in the southern region of Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through fieldwork from the five communities in the study area which includes individual interview, focus group discussion and key informant interview. Following this framework, the present study revealed that coastal communities in Bangladesh face recurrent hazards (e.g., cyclones) which coupled with social (e.g., poverty), demographic (e.g., migration) and economic drivers (e.g., poor economic system). These altogether transform the effects of hazards into disaster and make corresponding changes in human well-being and as well as in the environment. Also, environmental degradation (e.g., over-exploitation of common pool resources) seriously undermines the adaptive capacity of the population. As a result of a disaster, communities suffer: human causalities, food insecurity, and malnutrition. In response to the adverse impacts of disaster, affected communities adopt a variety of coping strategies, some of which led them to be worse off. For instance, taking loan for consumption needs, taking children out of school for child labor entrap them into long-term debt bondage and make further vulnerable to intergenerational poverty. To reverse this situation, the economic condition needs to be enhanced for overcoming poverty; disaster risk strategies need to address all factors related to water security of the coastal fishers.
Ebhuoma E.E.
2021-05-20 citations by CoLab: 1 Abstract  
AbstractClimate variability and change have undermined the poor rural households’ ability in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to engage in food production effectively – which comprises their primary source of livelihood – partly because it is predominantly rain-fed. Notwithstanding, the rural poor are not docile victims to climatic risks. They actively seek innovative ways to utilize their bundle of assets to reduce the negative effects of climatic risks to ensure household food security. Bundle of assets comprise the financial, human, physical, social, and natural assets owned by, or easily accessible to, an individual. Drawing on primary data obtained qualitatively in the Delta State of Nigeria, this chapter analyzes how Indigenous farmers utilize their bundle of assets to grow their food in the face of a rapidly changing climate. The results indicate that human and social assets played crucial roles in facilitating household food security. Also, social assets facilitated the procurement of other assets necessary to ensure continuity in food production, albeit farmers continue to live under the global poverty line. This chapter critically discusses the implications of these findings in relation to the attainment of both the first and second Sustainable Development Goals (no poverty and zero hunger) by 2030 in the Delta State.
Nguyen P.H., Kachwaha S., Pant A., Tran L.M., Ghosh S., Sharma P.K., Shastri V.D., Escobar-Alegria J., Avula R., Menon P.
BMJ Open scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2021-04-21 citations by CoLab: 53 Abstract  
ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has profound negative impacts on people’s lives, but little is known on its effect on household food insecurity (HFI) in poor setting resources. This study assessed changes in HFI during the pandemic and examined the interlinkages between HFI with child feeding practices and coping strategies.DesignA longitudinal survey in December 2019 (in-person) and August 2020 (by phone).SettingCommunity-based individuals from 26 blocks in 2 districts in Uttar Pradesh, India.ParticipantsMothers with children <2 years (n=569).Main outcomes and analysesWe measured HFI by using the HFI Access Scale and examined the changes in HFI during the pandemic using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests. We then assessed child feeding practices and coping strategies by HFI status using multivariable regression models.ResultsHFI increased sharply from 21% in December 2019 to 80% in August 2020, with 62% households changing the status from food secure to insecure over this period. Children in newly or consistently food-insecure households were less likely to consume a diverse diet (adjusted OR, AOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.95 and AOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.12, respectively) compared with those in food-secure households. Households with consistent food insecurity were more likely to engage in coping strategies such as reducing other essential non-food expenditures (AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.09 to 4.24), borrowing money to buy food (AOR 4.3, 95% CI 2.31 to 7.95) or selling jewellery (AOR 5.0, 95% CI 1.74 to 14.27) to obtain foods. Similar findings were observed for newly food-insecure households.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdown measures posed a significant risk to HFI which in turn had implications for child feeding practices and coping strategies. Our findings highlight the need for further investment in targeted social protection strategies and safety nets as part of multisectoral solutions to improve HFI during and after COVID-19.
Sunny A.R., Sazzad S.A., Prodhan S.H., Ashrafuzzaman M., Datta G.C., Sarker A.K., Rahman M., Mithun M.H.
Marine Policy scimago Q1 wos Q1
2021-04-01 citations by CoLab: 53 Abstract  
COVID-19 is now a major global health crisis, can lead to severe food crisis unless proper measures are taken. Though a number of scientific studies have addressed the possible impacts of COVID-19 in Bangladesh on variety of issues, problems and food crises associated with aquatic resources and communities are missing. Therefore, this study aimed at bridging the gap in the existing situation and challenges of COVID-19 by linking its impact on aquatic food sector and small-scale fisheries with dependent population. The study was conducted based on secondary data analysis and primary fieldwork. Secondary data focused on COVID-19 overview and number of confirmed, recovered and death cases in Bangladesh; at the same time its connection with small-scale fisheries, aquatic food production, demand and supply was analyzed. Community perceptions were elicited to present how the changes felt and how they affected aquatic food system and small-scale fisheries and found devastating impact. Sudden illness, reduced income, complication to start production and input collection, labor crisis, transportation abstraction, complexity in food supply, weak value chain, low consumer demand, rising commodity prices, creditor’s pressure were identified as the primary affecting drivers. Dependent people felt the measures taken by the Government should be based on protecting both the health and food security. Scope of alternative income generating opportunities, rationing system, training and motivational program could improve the situation. The study provides insight into policies adopted by the policy makers to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on aquatic food sector and small-scale fisheries. • Address the possible impacts of COVID-19 in Bangladesh. • Bridge the gap and challenges of COVID-19 by linking its impact on aquatic food sector and small-scale fisheries. • Provide insights into policies adopted by the policy makers.
Goswami R., Roy K., Dutta S., Ray K., Sarkar S., Brahmachari K., Nanda M.K., Mainuddin M., Banerjee H., Timsina J., Majumdar K.
Agricultural Systems scimago Q1 wos Q1
2021-04-01 citations by CoLab: 40 Abstract  
The shock of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted food systems worldwide. Such disruption, affecting multiple systems interfaces in smallholder agriculture, is unprecedented and needs to be understood from multi-stakeholder perspectives. The multiple loops of causality in the pathways of impact renders the system outcomes unpredictable. Understanding the nature of such unpredictable pathways is critical to identify present and future systems intervention strategies. Our study aims to explore the multiple pathways of present and future impact created by the pandemic and "Amphan" cyclonic storm on smallholder agricultural systems. Also, we anticipate the behaviour of the systems elements under different realistic scenarios of intervention. We explored the severity and multi-faceted impacts of the pandemic on vulnerable smallholder agricultural production systems through in-depth interactions with key players at the micro-level. It provided contextual information, and revealed critical insights to understand the cascading effect of the pandemic and the cyclone on farm households. We employed thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with multiple stakeholders in Sundarbans areas in eastern India, to identify the present and future systems outcomes caused by the pandemic, and later compounded by "Amphan". The immediate adaptation strategies of the farmers were engaging family labors, exchanging labors with neighbouring farmers, borrowing money from relatives, accessing free food rations, replacing dead livestock, early harvesting, and reclamation of waterbodies. The thematic analysis identified several systems elements, such as harvesting, marketing, labor accessibility, among others, through which the impacts of the pandemic were expressed. Drawing on these outputs, we employed Mental Modeler, a Fuzzy-Logic Cognitive Mapping tool, to develop multi-stakeholder mental models for the smallholder agricultural systems of the region. Analysis of the mental models indicated the centrality of "Kharif" (monsoon) rice production, current farm income, and investment for the next crop cycle to determine the pathways and degree of the dual impact on farm households. Current household expenditure, livestock, and soil fertility were other central elements in the shared mental model. Scenario analysis with multiple stakeholders suggested enhanced market access and current household income, sustained investment in farming, rapid improvement in affected soil, irrigation water and livestock as the most effective strategies to enhance the resilience of farm families during and after the pandemic. This study may help in formulating short and long-term intervention strategies in the post-pandemic communities, and the methodological approach can be used elsewhere to understand perturbed socioecological systems to formulate anticipatory intervention strategies based on collective wisdom of stakeholders.
Ingutia R.
2021-03-31 citations by CoLab: 16 Abstract  
This paper set out to show the impacts of COVID-19 and climate change on smallholders through the lens of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ways to keep smallholders on the 2030 agenda. Desc...

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