Tyllianakis, E., Otokiti, K.V., Shahvi, S. et al. (1 more author) (2024) Farmers’ perceived effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship to preparedness and risk perception. Journal of Rural Studies, 109. 103318. ISSN 0743-0167
Abstract
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the agri-food sector was significant and pervasive, challenging farmers' resilience through multiple disruptions to the supply chain. To support forward planning in face to future shocks, this research examines the perceived impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by farmers themselves, providing insights from the UK. Using a nation-wide online survey carried out during two distinct waves of the pandemic in 2021, the study reveals changing perceptions and the relationship between preparedness and perceived impacts. Results indicate that perceptions of both the severity of the COVID-19 impacts and preparedness for such impacts in the future, were scaled down as the pandemic evolved. Findings suggest that a farmer feeling more prepared in the present to withstand shocks is positively influenced by them perceiving the impact of COVID-19's in their business as severe. This effect is reinforced for farmers that felt more prepared to withstand COVID-19's impacts when the pandemic unfolded, as well as for those that perceive the impact of COVID-19 as long-term. Farmers in our sample appear to have adapted to the shocks to their businesses through supply-side interventions, focusing on having higher flexibility in delivery of products and diversifying their supply networks. Doing so requires them to absorb an increase in both fixed and variable costs, which can end-up been transferred to the consumer. Government support moving forward should focus on strengthening and, perhaps, re-imagining the whole supply industry and re-defining the role of farmers as more than food producers, but also as stewards of climate and food resilience.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Authors. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Keywords: | Agri-food supply chain, Risk perceptions, Perceived impact, Perceived preparedness, Probit with sample selection |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number EU - European Union 817949 BBSRC (Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council) BB/R005656/1 NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) NE/P011160/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 11 Jun 2024 10:26 |
Last Modified: | 22 Jul 2024 14:45 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103318 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:213280 |