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The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Agriculture Industry and Its Adaptation

Author:Chwen-Ming Yang*, Chiao-Ling Hsiao3, Chia-Hsun Ho4, and Ya-Ling Hou4 Abstract

Abstract:

   The pandemics of infectious diseases that have emerged in the course of the development of human civilization have caused great impacts on life, economy, environment, and livelihood, and have also created social turmoil in the world. The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, also known as new coronavirus 2019-nCoV) that we are experiencing is one of them. The impact of COVID-19 is not only wide-ranging and far-reaching but also harmful to human health. So far, at least 192 countries and regions around the world have reported more than 162 million confirmed cases, and the death toll exceeds 3.367 million and is still increasing. Many pieces of evidence show that COVID-19 affects the processes of agriculture and the food supply chain, mainly due to changing the state and pattern of food supply and demand and the inconvenience of transportation, the decline in purchasing power, and the greater impact on the most vulnerable groups. Food demand and food security are greatly threatened, and farmers are facing even worse challenges. As the pandemic expands daily, many governments have adopted more stringent response measures to curb the spread of the virus, and should also respond to the food system as well. Many measurements must be implemented to protect people’s health and food security, sustain farm operation momentum and farmers’ livelihoods, and accelerate the upgrading of the agriculture industry. Those include: making full use of modern technology and policy tools, such as smart agriculture and digital technology (e.g., Information and Communication Technology, Internet of Things, Big Data, Cloud Computing and Automatic Systems), interest rate adjustment and change tariffs and subsidies. Our government should also adopt diversified strategies and measures in response to the needs of the food supply and demand system and the needs of different stakeholders, ranging from technical support, capital (fund) loans, marketing counseling to special relief programs. As long as the economic fundamentals are maintained and the operation mechanism of the production and marketing chain and food security are functioning, it will surely be able to sustain a stable situation in the long pandemic. When the COVID-19 virus is brought
under control, all situations will gradually return to a normal state and new opportunities will emerge for economic, social, and personal development. Hopefully, this article can be used for reference, which might trigger the collective brainstorming from all dimensions in order to help all domestic agricultural practitioners to develop relevant adaptation strategies and measures.

 

Key words:Coronavirus disease 2019, 2019-nCoV, COVID-19, Food security, Food supply chain.

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