Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Dear FSN Forum Team and members,

We would like to share with you the views of organic farmers from India, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Philippines, Zambia, Indonesia, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, and Puerto Rico on how they are dealing with COVID-19 in their countries.

Shamika Mone, a young organic farmer from India and president of INOFO[1], collected their voices and wrote the article “Farmers have their own struggles and their own solutions”  published on the IFOAM blog “Organic Without Boundaries”. The article contains answers to some of the questions of the FSN Forum online consultation on “Responding to the impact of the COViD-19 outbreak on food value chains through efficient logistics”.

Although we suggest you to read the whole article, we have included below a summary of the main issues highlighted by the farmers in the different countries.

India

Food producers, especially those with small and marginal lands who live primarily on their daily-earned source of income are feeling the impact of the pandemic. Urban workers sometimes get packets of free food from the government or other institutions, but rural workers are completely deprived of this assistance.

Where harvesting is at its peak time, farm workers tend to migrate from one place to another to earn higher wages. Due to the lockdown, there are now hardly any workers to harvest the crops. Machines are also not easily available. Due to the delay in harvesting, mature grains have started to shatter and grazing (wild and stray) animals are also harming the crop. Crops long ready for harvest are exposed to a number of other risks like the rains, fires, etc.

Farmers often plant 2-3 types of major crops at different times. The farmer arranges the money to pay for the harvesting of subsequent crops upon immediately selling the first crop. But as the markets and retail shops are closed, it has become difficult for farmers to sell their harvest.  As it is necessary to arrange money for harvesting, small farmers are being forced to borrow money from local traders, by making deals to sell their crop at a lower price. However, many farmers might not be able to repay their crop loans within the time line, given the inability to harvest.

Sri Lanka

As many farmers’ markets for organic produce are closed down along with other markets, the Sri Lankan organic farmers find the only possible marketing channel available is “door to door” delivery. Many in the organic sector in Sri Lanka are working in two shifts – day and night – to implement a local home delivery system especially for fresh veggies, fruits, and other perishables.

Brazil

As street markets and restaurants are closed, many young organic farmers are working non-stop on an online delivery system to sell their veggies, fruits, and mushrooms. They are stimulating online payment via app and online bank transactions. This new in-between system is difficult to manage but we are forced to innovate for the sake of the family’s income and also to feed the community. At the same time, lots of other farmers, mostly the elderly ones, are not able to participate in this system. They are losing their produce and the corresponding income, hence, bringing hardships to them and their families. There are some projects from institutes and people who buy organic food and supply it to poor communities in large cities.

Philippines

Not only for organic but especially for conventional farmers, it is now difficult to sell their products because of restrictions on movement. Some vegetables are being thrown away or fed to animals because they cannot be transported to the markets in the city. Some local governments are buying the farmers products and distributing them to the local community but there are very few initiatives like this and the majority of farmers are experiencing difficulties. In other scenarios, farmers are giving away their products for free so they don’t go to waste.

Zambia

There is no complete lockdown, yet. Farmers in Zambia are dealing with lower prices for their commodities as the local economy slows down. In addition, they are witnessing an increase in transport costs as less public transport options are available. They foresee a situation where farmers will lose their produce (especially fresh produce) because of challenges imposed by some of the measures adopted. A window of opportunity has arisen where farmers are being encouraged to partner with retail chain stores and supply some products that are normally imported especially some fruits and vegetables. Though this is a long term program, it exposes some weaknesses in the value chain when one depends on imports and would no longer be available as neighbouring countries are under complete lockdown.

Indonesia

There is an increase in demand for organic products. The Indonesia Organic Association (IOA) has collected information from their organic farmer members and found that there has been around 300 % increase in demand from the supermarkets compared to regular demand. Also, some of their members are getting about 7 – 10 new customers a day. Among the many products, there is an increased demand for the ginger and curcumin family, vegetables, and fruits.

South Africa

Most fresh food producers have shifted to online sales and are setting up pop up stalls in existing local shop venues who have offered to help producers shift their goods. Interest in local, traceable food has escalated 100 fold. However, fresh organic produce is scarce with an increase in demand and the inability to move products easily. Special permission to transport essential goods is required which is a lengthy process. Lots of homes are planting food in their gardens, but high density shack dwellers are at high risk especially children and the elderly who are reliant on feeding schemes. Farmers are also affected by drought but they hope to have some decent rains soon to bring much needed relief.

Uganda

The ban on public transport has hit everyone really hard. The situation has affected food trade and production. Although trucks delivering goods are not yet banned, from the source (farms) to the destinations (consumer homes, restaurants, open market places, etc), the food supply chain is broken. It escalated when armed law enforcers stormed the main city in Kampala, and several of its suburbs intimidating citizens: all in the name of enforcing social distancing. Fear gripped the public. Now, with no access to transportation, most businesses have come to a standstill. At the fresh veggies association in Uganda, members are studying the situation, and have plans to stock seeds for their families since they produce about 60% of the food they eat. They also plan to use this time to raise vegetable seedlings and sell them.

Ghana

There is a partial Lockdown in Greater Accra and Ashanti region, the two economic hubs of the country. These are the places where population numbers are the biggest and demand for organic food is the highest. The lockdown only allows the transport of goods between these regions. But reports from farmers in Accra suggest there is now higher demand for organic produce. All orders are placed online or through calls and money is received by app.

Puerto Rico

People are denouncing the confusing position of the government on street food vendors. People are allowed to buy food at the supermarkets, yet informal produce vendors are not allowed to sell food. Most markets were shut down. Farmers have been making food basket deliveries. The main challenge for farmers, is how to earn enough to feed themselves and their families in the coming weeks.

On behalf of IFOAM Organics International

Cristina Grandi

IFOAM Chief Food Security Campaigner