with contributions from Louisa Nelle, Bruno St. Jaques, Sarah Kirangu-Wissler & Matteo Lattanzi
Young farmers’ insights on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food systems in Sub-Saharan Africa @CovidFoodFuture and video diaries from Nairobi’s informal settlements.
Alexander Müller, a graduate sociologist, is the head of a global study of the UN Environment Program on "The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Agriculture and Food" and CEO of "TMG - Töpfer, Müller, Gaßner GmbH, ThinkTankforSustainabilty".
Sarah D’haen coordinates TMG Research’s SEWOH Lab project. Originally trained as an agronomist and environmental scientist, Sarah’s expertise and interest lie in livelihood dynamics in the Global South, in identifying the direct and indirect drivers of vulnerability and poverty, and finding ways to address these in an effective, inclusive and sustainable way. Throughout her career she has applied this interest in research and implementation projects focused on land use change and adaptation to climate change. She has worked extensively with local and national level stakeholders, scientists and policy makers, predominantly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and more recently also in Europe. She holds a PhD in Geography.
Under its SEWOH Lab project, TMG Research has, together with local partners, launched a series of activities to gain closer insights into how poorer segments of Sub-Saharan African societies experience the effects of the pandemic and navigate the resulting uncertain job, income and food production and supply spaces.
What coping mechanisms emerge? What pragmatic food production, distribution and procurement mechanisms do citizens explore and apply? Are new or innovative structures and patterns arising in rural, or local urban and peri-urban agricultural production? What strategies are being applied in the (informal) distribution chains of (locally) produced food?; and finally: how do informal workers with a now dwindling income access food?
The overarching goal of the activities is to provide a unique and direct insight into the challenges, responses and solutions from the local perspective. Central to our approach are the key actors of the local food system: young, urban and peri-urban farmers, street vendors and informal retailers, and low-income consumers. Together theypresent a plurality of perspectives on the issue and contribute to the emerging discussions in different national contexts.
Under the twitter handle @CovidFoodFuture, young farmers in South-Africa, Madagascar, Malawi, DRC, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Senegaltweet several times per day on the dynamics and developments in their national and local food systems. In addition to the tweets, each participant also publishes a series of longer observations on local food system developments in their country and city. The stories are posted in the sectionCOVID-19 FOOD/FUTURE on TMG Research Medium page “Enabling Sustainability”. This continuous flow of information enables tracking the evolution of the crisis in a dynamic way, identifying how citizens and governments alike are responding and adapting to its impacts in real-time.
Information posted during the first 10 days of April clearly showedhow the details of lockdowns and social distancing measures wereplaying out across the participating SSA countries, and how peoplewerecoping with them. Participants’ observations identified emerging challenges for all food system actors, with farmers and vendors facing noticeable disadvantages due to disruptions of logistics. On the producers’ side, experiencing harvest losses was one of the most tweeted challenges.
Panic purchases caused shortages of goods in the short term
We saw that several pathways led to post harvest losses, be it because farm workers could notmake it to the fields, crop transport options between fields and markets hadbeen reduced to physically carrying goods for hours, or because markets weresimply closed. Losses also occurred after major clients cancelled weekly orders, and due to the reduced buying power of a considerable part of consumers. Finally, lack of adequate storage and refrigeration facilities led to spoilage. Particularly affected were poultry farmers, fishermen/women and fruit and vegetables growers. Several tweets advocated easing/adapting restrictions for these producers. Faced with increasing sales barriers, many producer groups adjusted their prices.
Customer panic buying caused temporary scarcity of available goods, a scarcity which was later stabilised but replaced by a rise in prices due to border closures and international trade restrictions, and, more locally, due to added transportation costs;Some retailers had startedhiringprivate vehicles to transport crops from field to market.Across the countries, the tweeted information suggested that COVID-19 and the related measures wouldexacerbate existing inequalities across all aspects of food and nutritional security. Households dependent on the informal economy were found to be particularly struggling. Several tweets pointed outthe huge number of children from these households now missing out on daily school meals.
A plethora of responses and ad-hoc solutions were quicklyobserved across the continent. Apart from food aid and food bank responses, several governments, NGOs and religious associations started planning and implementing more targeted distributions of food packages to vulnerable households, next to establishing solidarity funds for, for example, those working in the informal sector. Major markets in capital cities have been moved out to stadiums or other big event spaces so that food trading can continue whilst observing social distancingrequirements. Information campaigns targeting (rural) farmers wereobserved and several countries sawfarmer unions bulk buying farming inputs or staple food, stabilizing both the supply and demand side of the market.
In mid-April, digital solutions to physical barriers were among the most prominent type of responses tweeted about. Digital platforms and communication were being used to train people or facilitate local food trading. ICT and mobile phones were identified as helpful in allowing extension workers to carry out their services remotely, e.g. advising on storage techniques and farmgate pricing. However, most tweeted solutions indicated a need for remote data collection and strengthening of monitoring systems. On the consumption side, online platforms were emerging to inform consumers about food access and to overcome physical accessibility issues. Apart from digital solutions, practical interventions were increasingly reported.
Towards the end of April, initiatives targeting the rural poor and aiming to mitigate the impact on food production, market access and employment in rural areas continued to be rolled out. Censuses to identify the most vulnerable segments of the population were carried out, direct cash transfers operationalised, and in some regions, the collection of taxes on agricultural products was suspended. In some countries, markets had reopened in order to relieve those involved in the informal sector and to revive the economy, while other countries were already experiencing a progressive deconfinement.
In a number of countries, both national and locally backed initiatives around urban gardening, livestock keeping, fish breeding, and even beekeeping were emerging or being strengthened, with the aim to keep nutritional diversity up as much as possible. In some capitals and bigger cities, informal workers had now engaged in door to door fruit and vegetable trading as an alternative income source.
Videotagebücher from Nairobi show the reality in dealing with Covid-19
This activity documents how different actors within Nairobi’s food system navigate and cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Focus is on low-income consumers and those sectors within the urban food system that are key to the food security of the urban poor, more specifically urban and peri-urban agriculture, and the informal food retail and vending system.
We use a collaborative visual research method, under which we equip eight (8) individuals with smartphones, and enable them, to ‘showcase‘ their personal experience and navigation of the new reality under the COVID-19 pandemic in self recorded video diaries. The short video sequences, accompanied by and supplemented with insights gained from more in-depth direct exchanges with the participants, are published on a continuous basis on TMG Research's Medium page.
Central to our approach is the question what food people in informal settlements in Nairobi have access to, and how they obtain this access in times of crises. We are interested in finding out what role urban and peri-urban agriculture and the informal food system (could) play here, in overcoming some of the food security and social unrest challenges posed by a global pandemic like COVID-19. We ultimately hope to identify entry points for strategies to make the wider Nairobi food system more resilient to future crises.
From the material collected in the first three weeks of this activity two key insights are emerging. A first one is that, under the current circumstances, urban farming can be a sustainable livelihood in Nairobi, sustaining food security and nutrition of urban farmers and their families.Urban farmers in Nairobi maintain an income, lower than usual since demand for fresh and thus costlier products is lower, but still better than the majority of people working in the informal economy who lost their job opportunities. Urban farmers maintain their food security and nutrition, since a) fresh and nutritious food is available and accessible on their own farm and b) they maintain enough income to buy other food items to complement their diet.
Alex Sikina, urban farmer in the Kangemi informal settlement of Nairobi: “I specialise in growing indigenous vegetables, because they are more nutritious and can prevent many diseases. They also fetch better prices at the market. During this corona period, many consumers are preferring to buy the cheaper but less nutritious vegetables like Sukuma wiki. But my family and I have continued to consume the indigenous vegetables because that is what I grow on my own. Even though the market is down, I still make some income.”
A second insight emerging is that, amongst non-farming residents of Nairobi’s informal settlements, income, and thus access, constitutes the most important constraint to food and nutrition security. Many families skip meals and drop fresh nutrient-rich foods. The majority of the people living in the informal settlements in Nairobi are working in the informal economy. Due to the economic downturn many have lost their income opportunities. Before the pandemic, the middle and low-income population in Nairobi would already spend up to three-quarters of their salary on food. Without income the majority of the low-income population is not able to meet their food needs anymore. With less food available in the markets and food prices higher, the main constraint is money to buy food, and thus access.
An important additional factor here is that families now have to provide (extra) food for their school aged children, who normally benefited from school meals. Most families reduce the amount of meals they eat per day, and minimize their diet to staples, like maize and beans. They cut out especially fresh and nutritious, but costlier vegetables. Mildred Bwasio, a resident of Kangemi informal settlement: “Corona has adversely affected me and my family. All my family members are now home - eight children, my husband and two relatives. We sometimes have to skip lunch. For breakfast, we buy one loaf of bread and take a slice each with black tea because we can no longer afford milk. My husband, who works as a security guard, can no longer contribute to the daily meals. Before coronavirus, he would get tips from people working in the office block where he guards. Now they are working from home. There are no more tips”.
Watch the videos and follow the full stories under ‘Stories’ on TMG Research Medium page.
This article is part of Covid-19 Food/Future, an initiative aiming to provide a unique and direct insight into the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on national and local food systems. Central to our approach are the experiences of young, urban and peri-urban farmers, street vendors and informal retailers, and low-income consumers. Follow @CovidFoodFuture on Twitter. Covid-19 Food/Future is an initiative by TMG. ThinkTank for Sustainability (www.tmg-thinktank.com), or on Twitter @TMG_think. Funding for this initiative is provided by BMZ, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
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Two years following the UN Food Systems Summit, the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development and the Shamba Centre for Food & Climate hosted an official side event at the UNFSS+2. The event explored how public donors can increase the impact of their investments.
Iraq suffered many years of war, sanctions and economic crises. However, Ally-Raza Qureshi from the World Food Programme in Iraq sees progress. But now the effects of climate change are becoming apparent in the country. What is to be done?
The world is currently experiencing a historic food crisis. High fertiliser prices are part of the problem. In addition to the necessary short-term aid measures, the crisis ought to be made use of to develop and implement longer-term fertiliser strategies for sustainable, in particular smallholder increases in production in the Global South.
In a world facing crises – from pandemics, armed conflicts, and climate change – how do we ensure everyone has enough food within planetary boundaries? A new podcast by Food4Transformation discover solutions talking to government officials, scientists, NGOs and farmers around the world.
The Gaza Strip depends heavily on humanitarian aid, more than ever with the current war. Gaza population is very young: Half of them are children. What is their situation on the ground? Questions for Lucia Elmi, Unicef Special Representative to the State of Palestine.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, not all financial institutions (FIs) have access to knowledge about how to implement processes to enhance rural financial inclusion. The pan-African Community of Practice (CoP) plays a pivotal role in supporting these institutions along this transformative journey.
How can agriculture engage more young people in rural areas? Advocacy and education campaigns can play an important role here. Simeon Kambalame, Timveni Child and Youth Media Organisation, has launched such a campaign in Malawi.
Women and girls in poorer countries are affected in particular ways by the multiple crises the world is currently facing. Uncovering the linkages between gender, resilience and food security, experts from International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) look at ways to support women and girls’ capacity to respond to crises.
The armed conflict between Israeli forces and the Hamas is escalating. What does this mean for a Gaza, region that was already heavily dependent on external aid? Questions for Dr. Muriel Asseburg, Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin.
Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Podcast of the Federal Government
At the start of World Food Week around World Food Day on 16 October, Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that the fight against global hunger will only be successful with international responsibility and solidarity (german only).
From measures to promote biodiversity in Germany to more sustainable cocoa cultivation methods in Ecuador: WWF works at many different levels. At the Green Week, it will be demonstrated just how multifaceted nature conservation work is and what role each individual's decision plays.
The Agriculture and Food Security Cluster of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Zambia shows how synergies among different projects and partner organisations can help people to eat healthier, diversified food. A delegation of the Bonn based Division of Agriculture and Rural Development learned this in a field visit in the Eastern Province of the Southern African country.
The guiding orientation framework developed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) summarizes the requirements for the transformation of agriculture and food systems – and identifies principles and approaches for transformative change.
A Contribution by Emmanuel Atamba & Larissa Stiem-Bhatia
Drawing on dialogues with experts in Kenya, TMG Research releases its latest policy brief highlighting the critical need to strengthen coordination mechanisms in food systems governance. Emmanuel Atamba and Larissa Stiem-Bhatia from TMG Research summarize the results.
Every second, worldwide, we lose valuable and healthy soil with the size of four football fields. This was only one of the many facts being presented to a wide audience in Bonn and worldwide via livestream at the World Desertification and Drought Day on 17th June 2024. This was the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Combatting Desertification (UNCCD), which was celebrated at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.
Diversifying our protein supply to include plant-based foods and cultivated meat can be a game-changer for climate mitigation and climate adaptation, especially in the countries of the Global South. However, a great deal of research is still required to capitalise on this potential. And political support, as Ivo Rzegotta, Good Food Institute, demonstrates.
In Himachal Pradesh, India, natural disasters are becoming more frequent and climatic conditions are changing – with negative consequences for apple production and farmers' livelihoods. Holistic and multidimensional innovation bundles are required for the entire value chain in order to make the food system more resilient in the future.
Africa’s largest youth generation has the potential to transform agriculture sustainably. Young entrepreneurs like Febelsa in Mozambique are building agricultural businesses that fuel local growth.
A world without hunger and with sufficient healthy food as well as climate-friendly agriculture can only be achieved if ideas are transformed into innovations and ultimately also applied - a conversation with BMZ Head of Division Sebastian Lesch on the Innovation Challenge programme of the new Agricultural Innovation Fund.
Peasant farmers tend to fail due to bank credit limits. But investment could help them generate a sustainable income. This has given rise to an intense discussion about potential digital solutions.
Does Africa's youth want to live in the city or in the country? Which career path seems particularly attractive? And how optimistic are the young people about the future? Young adults from rural areas answered these questions by SMS.
Small farmers in developing countries must modernise their farming methods, but poorly understood reforms could exacerbate poverty instead of alleviating it.
A report by T. S. Jayne, A. Adelaja and R. Mkandawire
Thirty years ago, Africa was synonymous with war, famine and poverty. That narrative is clearly outdated. African living standards are rising remarkably fast. Our authors are convinced that improving education and entrepreneurship will ensure irreversible progress in the region even as it confronts COVID-19.
Jehiel Oliver was a successful consultant. One day, he quit his job in investment banking to become a social entrepreneur. His mission: tractors for Africa. Rental tractors. What gave him that idea? Find out in his interview with Jan Rübel.
Stefan Liebing is chairman of the Africa Association of German Business. The manager calls for a better structure of African farms. Jan Rübel asked him about small farmers, the opportunities for German start-ups and a new fund.
The project “Scaling digital agriculture innovations through start-ups” (SAIS) supports Africans going into business in the agricultural and food sector in scaling their digital innovations and thus reaching out to a larger number of users.
Africa has a huge opportunity to make agriculture its economic driver. However, the potential for this is far from being made exhaustive use of, one reason being that women face considerable difficulties in their economic activities. The organisation AWAN Afrika seeks to change this state of affairs.
The COVID 19 pandemic is hitting developing and emerging countries and their poorest populations particularly hard. It is important to take countermeasures at an early stage. Companies in the German agricultural sector want to make their contribution to ensuring the availability of urgently needed operating resources.
Stig Tanzmann is a farmer and adviser on agricultural issues at ‘Bread for the World’. Jan Rübel interviewed him about his reservations about AGRA's strategy.
What do electrical engineering, telecommunications and agriculture have in common? They arouse the passion of Strive Masiyiwa: Thirty years ago, he started an electrical installation company with $75, later riding the telecommunications wave as a pioneer. Today he is committed to transforming African agriculture.
A new study on the digitalisation of agriculture puts farmers back at the centre of their own sector, identifies market gaps and gives recommendations on how to support relevant actors.
VR glasses are hardly a conventional tool in agriculture: for the past three years, they have been used in rural areas of Burkina Faso and Cameroon as a training tool for sustainable cotton cultivation.
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020 shows that the world is not on track to meet the international goal of “zero hunger by 2030”. If we continue at our current speed, around 37 countries will not even have reached a low hunger level by 2030.
Innovation is the only way to end hunger worldwide by the deadline we have set ourselves. The secret lies in networking and sharing ideas – and several initiatives are already leading by example.
Oxfam’s supermarket scorecard, which is in its third year, shows one thing in particular - it works! Supermarkets can change their business policies and focus more on the rights of those people around the world who plant and harvest food. However, this does not happen without pressure.
In the tropics rainforests are still being felled for the production of palm oil, meat and furniture. It is high time to act. Proposals are on the table.
From a circular food system in Rwanda to functioning cooled transports in Kenya: The lab of tomorrow addresses development challenges such as preventing food loss and waste
In Zambia, innovative approaches are used to address the problem of post-harvest losses in the groundnut value chain. GIZ's Rapid Loss Appraisal Tool (RLAT) can help to develop more such approaches.
Every one degree Celsius rise in temperature increases the risk of conflict by two to ten percent. The climate crisis is a humanitarian crisis, as the photos by Christoph Püschner and Frank Schultze illustrate.
At the climate conference in Glasgow, activists from various groups protested again – Leonie Bremer from ‘Fridays for Future’ was there too. How can climate protection and development cooperation work hand in hand?
At LCOY Germany, the local youth climate conference, views on climate protection from all political spectrums are discussed. The Fairactivists, a programme of Fairtrade Germany, participated with a panel discussion on the link between social justice and climate justice.
There are only about 1 million jobs in the East African country. The majority of the population works in the informal sector, and it can be difficult for them to find customers. Biscate offers a digital solution - without the need for internet, data or smartphones.
Together they are stronger: In many African countries, young men and women are coming together to form youth organisations. These organisations help young people in rural areas to earn a living in the agricultural and food sector, creating prospects for the future in rural areas.
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