Immediate impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on bean value chain in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa

Immediate impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on bean value chain in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methodology:The study aimed to examine the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the bean value chain in nine sub-Saharan African countries. Data were collected from various stakeholders, including farmers, coordinators, aggregators, processors, and consumers using quantitative tools that were prepared by gender and social inclusion expert at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). The tools collected data on immediate effects of coronavirus pandemic on production, distribution, and consumption of beans. The data collection tool focused disruptions in input supply, labour availability, transportation, and market access during the pandemic. The study also explored changes in food security before and during the pandemic to emphasize the potential role of pre-existing challenges in vulnerability to COVID-19. Growers of common beans and consumers of bean grain and other bean products were targeted by the study. Farmers were drawn from rural areas while targeted consumers were from urban and peri-urban areas. Due to strict coronavirus containment measure, the tool was designed in Alchemer and links to the survey questions shared with study participants via multiple digital platforms.