Effect of Covid-19 Shocks on Crop Productivity and Households Poverty Status in Osun State
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The main objectives were to examine the effect of covid 19 shocks on crop productivity and households poverty status in Osun State. Specifically, the study aims to:
- Identify the demographic and socioeconomic status of the selected farmers;
- Identify the different farming activities that were severely affected by the Coronavirusoutbreak
- Determine the extent of the impact of Coronavirusoutbreak on crop productivity
- Determine the extent to which reduced farm productivity affected household food security within the study area.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual review
Novel Coronavirus
For coronavirus investigators, the recognition of a new coronavirus as the cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was certainly remarkable, yet perhaps not surprising (Baric et al., 1995). The cadre of investigators who have worked with this intriguing family of viruses over the past 30 years are familiar with many of the features of coronavirus biology, pathogenesis, and disease that manifested so dramatically in the worldwide SARS epidemic. Advances in the biology of coronaviruses have resulted in greater understanding of their capacity for adaptation to new environments, transspecies infection, and emergence of new diseases. New tools of cell and molecular biology have led to increased understanding of intracellular replication and viral cell biology, and the advent in the past five years of reverse genetic approaches to study coronaviruses has made it possible to begin to define the determinants of viral replication, transpecies adaptation, and human disease. This summary will discuss the basic life cycle and replication of the well-studied coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), identifying the unique characteristics of coronavirus biology and highlighting critical points where research has made significant advances, and which might represent targets for antivirals or vaccines. Areas where rapid progress has been made in SCoV research will be described. Finally, areas of need for research in coronavirus replication, genetics, and pathogenesis will be summarized.
Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia
Etiological Characteristics
The novel coronaviruses belong to the β genus. They have envelopes, and the particles are round or oval, often polymorphic, with diameter being 60 to 140 nm. Their genetic characteristics are significantly different from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Current research shows that they share more than 85% homology with bat SARS-like coronaviruses (bat-SL-CoVZC45). When isolated and cultured in vitro, the 2019-nCoV can be found in human respiratory epithelial cells in about 96 hours, however it takes about 6 days for the virus to be found if isolated and cultured in Vero E6 and Huh-7 cell lines.
Most of the knowledge about the physical and chemical properties of coronavirus comes from the research on SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The virus is sensitive to ultraviolet and heat. Exposure to 56°C for 30 minutes and lipid solvents such as ether, 75% ethanol, chlorine-containing disinfectant, peracetic acid, and chloroform can effectively inactivate the virus. Chlorhexidine has not been effective in inactivating the virus.
II. Epidemiological Characteristics
1.Source of infection
Currently, the patients infected by the novel coronavirus are the main source of infection; asymptomatic infected people can also be an infectious source.
2.Route of transmission
Transmission of the virus happens mainly through respiratory droplets and close contact. There is the possibility of aerosol transmission in a relatively closed environment for a long-time exposure to high concentrations of aerosol. As the novel coronavirus can be isolated in feces and urine, attention should be paid to feces or urine contaminated environment that may lead to aerosol or contact transmission.
3.Susceptible groups
People are generally susceptible.
III. Pathological changes
Pathological findings from limited autopsies and biopsy studies are summarized below:
1.Lungs
Variable consolidation is present in the lungs.
The alveoli are filled with fluid and fibrin with hyaline membrane formation. Macrophages and many multinucleated syncytial cells are identified within the alveolar exudates. Type II pneumocytes show marked hyperplasia and focal desquamation. Viral inclusions are observed in type II pneumocytes and macrophages. In addition, there is prominent edema and congestion in the alveolar septa which are infiltrated by monocytes and lymphocytes. Fibrin microthrombi are present. In more severely affected area, hemorrhage, necrosis, and overt hemorrhagic infarction are seen. Organization of alveolar exudates and interstitial fibrosis are also present.
Detached epithelial cell and mucus are present in the bronchi, sometimes mucus plugs are seen.
Hyperventilated alveoli, interrupted alveolar interstitium and cystic formation are occasionally seen.
By electronic microscopy, cytoplasmic 2019-nCoV virions are observed in the bronchial epithelium and type II pneumocytes. Immunostain reveals 2019-nCoV viral immunoreactivity in some alveolar epithelial cells and macrophages and RT-PCR confirms the presence of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The study design used was descriptive field survey design. Fraenkel and Wallen (1993) describe descriptive analysis as that method that involves asking a large group of people questions about a particular issue. Information is obtained from a sample rather than the entire population at one point in time which may range from one day to a few weeks. The design is considered appropriate because it focuses on the observation and the perception of an existing situation, describes and interprets what is concerned with issue; conditions and practices and relationship, views, belief, attitudes, process and trends which are developing concerning the issue of Effect of covid-19 outbreak on food productivity and security in Nigeria. Also, any research undertaking involves lots of cost implications hence this design was deliberately selected for the study because it allows for quick data collection at a comparatively cheap cost (Grinnel, 1993).
Sources of Data
The data for this study were generated from two main sources; Primary sources and secondary sources. The primary sources include questionnaire, interviews and observation. The secondary sources include journals, bulletins, textbooks and the internet.
Population of the study
A study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description (Prince Udoyen: 2019). In this study the study population constitute of all the farmers in Osun state.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF DATA AND ANALYSIS
Personal characteristics of farmers
The result of the demographic data is detailed in Table 1. It showed that most of the farmers are males (59.4%), and most of them (56.3%) were between 36 and 55 years. Farmers between the age ranges of 15 to 35 years constituted 28.1%, while those at 56 years and above were 15.6%. Furthermore, Table 1 revealed that 61.3% of the farmers are married, 25.0% single, 12.5% are widowed/widowers, while 1.2% are divorced. Most of the farmers (37.5%) had adult literacy education. The data further revealed that most of the farmers have many years of practical experience in farming. For example, 50.6% had 11 to 20 years of farming experience, but most of them (56.9%) have small size farms –less than 1ha.
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS,CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
DISCUSSION
According to the research findings, farmers in the communities share common socioeconomic characteristic; the Coronavirus outbreak severely obstructed few post-planted and more post- harvest activities; to the extent that it negatively impacted farm productivity; and caused decrease in food security.
Socio-economic characteristics of farmers
The study revealed that there are more males than females farmers. This subscribes to the findings of Ravi and Gauldin (2014), who found out that gender disparity exist across care providers and Coronavirus patients. The difference between male and female- farmers shown in Table 1 could have arisen from the random sampling procedure adopted by this study; which gave every respondent equal chance irrespective of sex.
The extent of impact of Coronavirus outbreak on farm productivity
The study reveals that the Coronavirus breakout severely affected pest control and harvesting activities in quarantined communities. All three means of pest control, hunting, fencing and bird scaring were not performed in farms during the Coronavirus outbreak. This accelerated pest buildup, especially rodents and birds which get easy access to farms without fences, if they are not hunted, or scared away. This study therefore endorses Boones et al.’s (2004) and Boone and Coughenour’s (2001) findings that fencing can be useful in controlling access either by humans or animals, protecting gardens and landscaping. Rodents destroy the crops in its vegetative growing age, while birds do so during flowering stage. It is therefore very evident from this study that fencing can improve agricultural production of farms in upland farming .When farms are not harvested the result is loss of food in the home. Both lack of pest control and non-harvesting of farms create food insecurity, hunger and poverty and low standard of life. The implication of this is that there will be pressure on government and donor partners for post Coronavirus rehabilitations. The findings further reveal that the Coronavirus outbreak to a large extent negatively impacted farm productivity. In the first instance, it showed that most farmers did not harvest their farms. This finding is in line with the findings of FAO (2014) that most of the farms in Kailahun were abandoned and not harvested due to the Coronavirus outbreak in May that year. The implication of this is that there would be inadequate food for the people, making them susceptible to diseases. Poor health conditions affect agricultural production. Illness impairs the farmers’ ability to innovate, experiment, and implement changes, and to acquire technical information available through extension activities. Households with sick members are less able to adopt labour-intensive techniques. According to the FAO Report (2014), which stated that in an effort to control Coronavirus the government of Sierra Leone imposed restrictions on the movement of people, and closed down markets and border crossings in the country. The closure of markets and the imposition of internal travel restrictions disrupted the marketing of agricultural produce and curtailed food trade. While the farmers find it difficult to take their produce to markets, buying agents who usually provide support to farmers and function as contact points between traders and their products refused to enter certain operational areas for fear of Coronavirus.
The impact of Coronavirus outbreak on household food security
According to the findings, the Coronavirus outbreak caused decreased food availability, accessibility, affordability, due to low or virtually lack of processing and preservation, marketing, financing, and storage and food protection undertakings. The findings revealed decrease in food storage and protection within the quarantine communities. This confirms the findings of Fewsnet, 2014) which stated that when farm yield are low, food storage and perseveration is impossible, as food itself is not available. This is due to the fact that most of the farmers abandoned their farms and crops at the mercy of pests for destruction. Where farmers abandon farms or are prevented from attending to their farms as a result of quarantine or restriction of their movement, there would be nothing for storage or preservation. The implication of this is food insecurity in the community leading to increased malnutrition and poverty.
Conclusion And Recommendations
The revealed Coronavirus outbreak did not only destroy human lives of medical personnel in the Coronavirus outbreak in Nigeria, but the disease affected all facets of the economy, especially agriculture being the primary industry of majority of Nigerians. The disease has also led to food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty. This may have great impact on future development plans of the country. These findings are important for development planners and Non-government organization for action plans for post Coronavirus rehabilitations. An effective strategy to prevent the spread of the disease in all rural areas of the country will help in solving the problem of Coronavirus. Such strategy should include understanding the socio-cultural characteristics of the farmers. This would help the farmers trust the government and its institutions and also enable them to participate in the prevention activities of the disease. Government and international donors should consider the deteriorating trend of farmer’s health and food security to give them priority in time of after Coronavirus rehabilitation. Also, during the first year of the after Coronavirus rehabilitation, government should import more food, especially rice into the rural communities till they settle down as temporary measure and plan and implement a sustainable food production Programme. The markets closed should not only be reopened but farmers and traders should be allowed to freely move within the communities without harassment from police and soldiers. If this is not done, the level of availability of food and income of farmers in the communities will continue to fall beyond a point unbearable. This high food insecurity will make farmers susceptible to other neglected diseases like diarrhea, malaria, etc. which may lead to unrest. This is what Maiderman showed as a concern that food insecurity will lead to unrest and threaten stability in the country.
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