The Coronavirus pandemic is expected to intensify an already alarming food crisis globally. While it is not yet known what or how the long-term effects will be, the short-term effects are already being witnessed, with some already posing harsh realities for the smallholder farmers. From the loss of jobs to curfews and lockdowns affecting major food markets, the smallholder farmers are already finding themselves in a bind. The biggest question that all actors across the agricultural research and development landscape are grappling with is how to cushion producers and to build their resilience. Through our Fellowships, we are equipping the top and next generation of African agricultural research scientists to better respond to the needs and priorities of a diversity of women and men across Africa's agricultural value chains in the various contexts.
However, for most of the AWARD Fellows and the One Planet Laureate Candidates, the global shutdown and other measures put in place by their governments to control the spread of the virus has put them in a quandary. 2019 AWARD Fellow, Hadijah Mbwana, from Tanzania, says that she has had to put on hold a nutrition project that was due to be piloted among the rural women in Tanzania because she can neither contact the farmers nor access the lab. "I work in an agricultural university (Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania-SUA), students have been sent home, and research activities put on pause. I was developing a nutrition training module, which is due for piloting among rural women, but now this is on hold," she says. Similarly, 2019 One Planet Laureate Candidate, Essè Ayiga, from Togo reveals that the closure has made him rethink steps to come up with short term solutions. "The lockdown caught us off guard, we no longer have access to our laboratories, and everything is slowing down. I have had to rethink quick ways to ensure the smallholders are shielded from the crisis like building granaries of rescue," he underscores—their plight echoes across the board as the other AWARD Fellows and Laureate Candidates.
Nevertheless, the Fellows and the One Planet Laureate Candidates have been agile and are exploring ways of giving hope to the smallholder farmers.
We share inspiring responses from four of them on how they have been affected by the pandemic and their role in supporting smallholder farmers to cope.
AWARD Fellow, Abiodun-Solanke AyoJesutomi, Nigeria
How has the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis it has created affecting you or your community, your work as a researcher, and how you are coping?
Nigeria reported its first positive case of Coronavirus in February, and since then, the number of confirmed cases has been on a dramatic rise. What followed was a locked-down and social distancing measure, which continues to have a profound impact on the country's economy. Due to restriction of movement, the demand for products in the markets has reduced considerably; jobs lost, pushing the already scarce resources for the smallholder farmers further. Earlier on in the year, I won a research grant from the International Federation of Science (IFS), which was supposed to commence on April 6, 2020. The commencement had to be postponed as the reality on the ground now makes this impossible. As a researcher dealing with living organisms like fish, many production ventures have been disrupted, and ongoing research has also had to be suspended or ended abruptly.
In your capacity as a research scientist, what role, if any, are you playing to help the smallholder farmers cope during this pandemic?
I am currently working on the performance evaluation of some smoking kilns using various energy sources to arrive at the sustainable ones. I am also looking within to see if there are available plant materials, herbs, and traditional preservatives that can help improve some of the food we have around to promote safety, build good immunity and enhance health sustainably. Boosting immunity through better dietary practices is essential to staying healthy. I am motivated to do more in enhancing awareness about the benefit of eating right. I firmly believe if we eat the right amount of food with the appropriate nutrients at the right time with the right attitude, it is a step in the right direction. I am encouraged to do more in the area of traditional plant materials and their applicability to food preservation. I believe they will help us overcome our successes over COVID-19 and help improve safety, well-being, health, and, most importantly, food and nutrition security in Nigeria.
In addition, I am advocating for appropriate actions to improve food security and nutrition through documentation. I, therefore, believe various countries should document what works in seasons like this for future reference and for scaling. Scientific research is the backbone of development. Proper documentation of workable methodologies or processes can only be possible with research, cures against pandemic can only be derived during research, and lastly, possible mitigation and prevention measures can also be developed in the place of detailed and accurate research.
AWARD Fellow, Hadijah Mbwana, Tanzania
How has the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis it has created affecting you or your community, your work as a researcher, and how you are coping?
All research activities are on pause because most of the activities require gatherings and close contact with the rural farmers and data collection in the field. I was currently developing a nutrition training module, which is due for piloting among rural women, and now is on hold too. With the public panic, we expect the already existing inadequate dietary intake among rural farmers to increase, and we are studying this aspect, which will help to identify the gap and barriers to inform future epidemics.
In your capacity as a research scientist, what role, if any, are you playing to help the smallholder farmers cope during this pandemic?
Currently, I am the coordinator of the Vegi-Leg project at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). The Vegi-Leg project aims to improve the nutritional situation of the local population in Tanzania by improving post-harvest treatments of nutrient-dense plant foods to increase perennial food availability. During the pandemic, I have scratched to find possible means to help rural households to cope. I have designed and shared with rural farmers in Lindi region leaflets on recommended safety measures to fight and prevent against the infection. This is to help create awareness and educate people about health and hand washing practices. In rural areas of the Lindi Region, the information flow is not rapid, and most farmers rely on hearsay rather than authoritative sources. I have also taken to using my social media accounts to increase awareness of safety measures.
Photo caption: Creating awareness among farmers is key. Photo credit: AWARD
2019 One Planet Laureate Candidate, Miriam Karwitha, Kenya
How has the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis it has created affecting you or your community, your work as a researcher, and how you are coping?
During this period, I am not able to do on-farm visits to give farmers information on production aspects
In your capacity as a research scientist, what role, if any, are you playing to help the smallholder farmers cope during this pandemic?
We have created WhatsApp groups with the farmers whom we work with to share information. We are also making telephone call follow-ups on any issues arising and advising the farmers, especially for the farmers who have no access to the internet.
Photo caption: Women smallholder farmers. Photo credit: AWARD
2019 One Planet Laureate Candidate Afokpe Mevoyon Pamela, Benin
How has the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis it has created affecting you or your community, your work as a researcher, and how you are coping?
The current global crisis has not only restricted our movements but also slowed down our work. Most institutions are partially closed, and only working with minimum and critical services. We are no more in normal times. Currently, I am not able to access my research station nor check on farmers' trials. But it has also allowed me to explore and read more articles related to my research field and topics of interest. I believe this will make a significant difference in my work.
In your capacity as a research scientist, what role, if any, are you playing to help the smallholder farmers cope during this pandemic?
I am part of a global team that works to supply farmers with high-quality seeds of improved vegetable crops. To support the smallholders during these difficult times, we are making sure that they have access to quality and improved seeds that require shorter yield periods. As much as possible, we are also making sure that the research activities continue with the aim of enhancing crops that will help farmers to cope with the changing climate. We must keep all efforts ongoing to ensure the continuity of the food chain. We need to think and work on measures that will minimize the future risks of global and regional food security crisis.
Photo caption: One Planet Laureate Candidate, Pamela Afokpe on a farm visit. Photo credit: AWARD
AWARD Fellow, Mojisola Ojebode, Nigeria
How has the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis it has created affecting you or your community, your work as a researcher, and how you are coping?
I am currently in Malaga, Spain, for a nine months research fellowship that began two months before the COVID-19 outbreak was reported in China last December. My research activities were not affected until Spain declared a state of emergency on March 14, 2020, this year to contain the spread of the virus. The University of Malaga has since moved all classes online. Unfortunately, that is impossible for laboratory research activities where I must culture cancer cells, observe them, treat and carry out a series of experiments physically.
In your capacity as a research scientist, what role, if any, are you playing to help the smallholder farmers cope during this pandemic?
Even though I am not able to reach the farmers, I am finding other ways to create awareness based on my work with medicinal plants and my research as a biochemist. I aim to counter misinformation and spotlight the need to maintain an excellent immune system through a balanced diet. More so, the importance of an uncompromised immune response has been highlighted by quicker recovery from COVID-19. Recently I published an article on healthy food choices during the pandemic as one of the ways to raise awareness.
Photo caption: AWARD Fellow Mojisola Ojebode during a field excursion. Photo credit: AWARD
Article by Ms. Ojebode on 'Healthy food choices during COVID-19 pandemic'
Credits:
AWARD