Researchers

Asadul Islam

Abstract

Lockdown strategies entail a number of protective measures to flatten the curve against COVID-19 infection, which include border closures, travel restrictions, restaurant closures, and trade disruptions. This is having a significant impact on the agriculture sector, which is already reeling from the deep cut in the price of produce because of low demand and simultaneous increase in the cost of transporting the produce. Historically, quarantines and panic leads to a spike in hunger and malnutrition, as evidenced during the Ebola Virus outbreak in Sierra Leone in 2014. The negative impact is already visible—the Daily Star reports that in Rangamati, despite bumper production of fruits, growers are incurring losses as the price has fallen drastically in the local markets of the district due to the outbreak. The Bangladesh government has emphasized on the importance of the agriculture sector during these times of crisis, with PM Sheikh Hasina directing the Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate farmers and to provide them all necessary materials to ensure that agricultural production does not suffer. BIGD will start a rapid research study on the extent and nature of the negative impact on the farmers, and suggest possible policy recommendations for safeguarding the sector, which is a crucial sector for food security, employment generation, and poverty reduction. While this research is at a formative stage, researchers plan to interview 3,000 farmers in two rounds.

Partners

BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD)

Impact Goals

Implementing Organization

BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD)

Results Status

No Results Yet