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Amuakwa-Mensah F, Amuakwa-Mensah S, Klege RA, Adom PK. Stockpiling and food worries: Changing habits and choices in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic. Socioecon Plann Sci 2022; 82:101181. [PMID: 34744190 PMCID: PMC8562977 DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2021.101181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Albeit, governments have instituted strong containment measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns of continuous local spread and economic impact of the virus are impacting global food chains and food security. This paper investigates the effect of concern about the i) local spread and ii) economic impact of COVID-19, on the change in the amount of food and necessities bought in twelve Sub-Sahara African countries. In addition, we examine if these effects are channeled through food worries. The study uses a unique survey dataset by GeoPoll collected in April 2020 (first round) and May 2020 (second round) and employs a multinomial logit and generalized structural equation models. We find significant effect of concern about COVID-19 on change in the package size of food and necessities bought, which is heterogeneous across gender group and rural-urban divide. Our results reveal that concerns of COVID-19 might be promoting stockpiling behavior among females and those with no food worries (due to having sufficient money or resources). This if not properly managed could in the medium to long-term affect the food supply chain, food waste and exacerbate food worries problem especially for already food deprived homes. We discuss the policy implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah
- Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg, Box 645, SE 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden
- Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87, Luleå, Sweden
| | - Salome Amuakwa-Mensah
- Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87, Luleå, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Afua Klege
- School of Economics, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
- Henry J Austin Health Center, 321 N. Warren Street, Trenton, 08618, New Jersey, USA
| | - Philip Kofi Adom
- Department of Development Policy, School of Public Service and Governance, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Ghana
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Chiwona-Karltun L, Amuakwa-Mensah F, Wamala-Larsson C, Amuakwa-Mensah S, Abu Hatab A, Made N, Taremwa NK, Melyoki L, Rutashobya LK, Madonsela T, Lourens M, Stone W, Bizoza AR. COVID-19: From health crises to food security anxiety and policy implications. Ambio 2021; 50:794-811. [PMID: 33606247 PMCID: PMC7893840 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01481-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Like the rest of the world, African countries are reeling from the health, economic and social effects of COVID-19. The continent's governments have responded by imposing rigorous lockdowns to limit the spread of the virus. The various lockdown measures are undermining food security, because stay at home orders have among others, threatened food production for a continent that relies heavily on agriculture as the bedrock of the economy. This article draws on quantitative data collected by the GeoPoll, and, from these data, assesses the effect of concern about the local spread and economic impact of COVID-19 on food worries. Qualitative data comprising 12 countries south of the Sahara reveal that lockdowns have created anxiety over food security as a health, economic and human rights/well-being issue. By applying a probit model, we find that concern about the local spread of COVID-19 and economic impact of the virus increases the probability of food worries. Governments have responded with various efforts to support the neediest. By evaluating the various policies rolled out we advocate for a feminist economics approach that necessitates greater use of data analytics to predict the likely impacts of intended regulatory relief responses during the recovery process and post-COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Caroline Wamala-Larsson
- Institute of Computer and Systems Sciences -SPIDER, DSV, Stockholm University, Postbox 7003, 164 07, Kista, Sweden
| | - Salome Amuakwa-Mensah
- Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Assem Abu Hatab
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7012, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Economics & Rural Development, Arish University, Al-Arish, Egypt
| | - Nolwandle Made
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7012, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nathan Kanuma Taremwa
- College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (CAVM), University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Lemayon Melyoki
- University of Dar es Salaam Business School, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Thulisile Madonsela
- Faculty of Law Trust Chair in Social Justice, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marna Lourens
- Faculty of Law Trust Chair in Social Justice, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Wendy Stone
- Faculty of Law Trust Chair in Social Justice, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Alfred R. Bizoza
- College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (CAVM), University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
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