Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Agriculture and Food Supply Chains: System Dynamics Modeling for the Resilience of Smallholder Farmers

• Main Authors: Atamer Balkan, Busra, Nicolaidis Lindqvist, Andreas, Odoemena, Kelechi, Lamb, Robert, Tiongco, Monique Ann, Gupta, Stueti, Peteru, Arpitha, Menendez, Hector Manuel, III
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2021
• Subjects: COVID-19; Smallholder farmers; vulnerability; resilience; food loss; food waste; Agribusiness; Agriculture
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/qmit-faculty-pubs/3; https://archium.ateneo.edu/context/qmit-faculty-pubs/article/1003/viewcontent/1168_3852_1_PB.pdf
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

COVID-19 has caused severe agriculture and food supply chain disruptions; significantly affecting smallholder farmers who supply most of the world’s food; specifically their changes in vulnerability; resilience; and food loss and waste. Therefore; the objective of this study was to understand the complex causal and feedback relationships for this system by developing a dynamic hypothesis and causal loop diagrams utilizing the System Dynamics methodology. Results provide a roadmap for dialogue and a framework for case-specific model development and help to guide policy decisions for smallholder farmers’ survival during health crises.