This brief highlights the main findings from the second out of three rounds of data collection of an impact study designed to determine the impacts of COVID-19 on agricultural cooperatives.
Ninety four per cent of surveyed cooperatives reported that COVID-19 continues to impact their operations. This remained the same from Round One. In Round Two, only 5 cooperatives of the 89 sampled report experiencing no negative effects of COVID on their cooperative operations. Those who have not yet experienced any negative impacts of COVID-19 are in the following countries and value chains: dairy in Kenya, and coffee and maize in Tanzania.
SUMMARY: OVERALL TRENDS AND OBSERVATIONS
Overall, the second round findings show the impacts of COVID-10 on cooperatives and their members have not changed dramatically, but several patterns of change are emerging.
- Government restrictions on activities remain the most frequently reported impact of COVID-19 on cooperatives and have increased slightly from Round One to Round Two. The negative impacts of social distancing and reduced mobility have declined slightly, although this is still the second most cited impact.
- Impacts at the level of the cooperatives that have shown large increases are i) reduced revenue, reduced delivery of the product by members, transport limitations reduced sales prices, higher input prices, reduced sales prices, and buyers breaking contract agreements. These are all aspects of disruptions in the markets. Interestingly, the per cent of cooperatives reporting reduced sale quantities has actually gone down in Round Two.
- Impacts of COVID-19 on cooperative members are generally similar to Round One, although the problems associated with interactions of members with cooperatives have increased: lower prices for products sold, reduced sale of products, reduced contacts with cooperatives. The repeated stress of cooperative members has also gone up and, surprisingly, reported difficulties in access to food have declined.
- As in the first round, the impacts of COVID-19 on cooperatives and their members are quite different across the value chains.
- In terms of the types of information provided to cooperatives and that cooperatives provide to their members, there has been a reduction in information about use of personal protective equipment, but an increase in providing information about procedures for handling materials and products (to cooperatives) and protocols for properly collecting and handling products (to members). To read the full document, click here usaid_cd4_v37_covid-impact-survey-round-two_final
Email
