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COVID‐19 and food prices in sub‐Saharan Africa

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  • Samuel Kwaku Agyei
  • Zangina Isshaq
  • Siaw Frimpong
  • Anokye Mohammed Adam
  • Ahmed Bossman
  • Oliver Asiamah

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) outbreak on prices of maize, sorghum, imported rice and local rice in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). We estimated dynamic panel data models with controls for macroeconomic setting using general method of moments estimation. The study found that the COVID‐19 outbreak led to increases in food prices of the sampled countries. Restrictions on movements or lockdowns in the wake of COVID‐19 was associated with an increase in the price of maize only. We also found that exchange rate, inflation and crude oil prices exerted a detrimental effect on food prices. We recommend that governments of SSA countries invest in infrastructure that improves efficiencies in the food supply chain during pandemics. Providing adequate support to industries in the value chain will also improve food availability and food price stability post‐COVID‐19.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel Kwaku Agyei & Zangina Isshaq & Siaw Frimpong & Anokye Mohammed Adam & Ahmed Bossman & Oliver Asiamah, 2021. "COVID‐19 and food prices in sub‐Saharan Africa," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 33(S1), pages 102-113, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:afrdev:v:33:y:2021:i:s1:p:s102-s113
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8268.12525
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    Cited by:

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    2. Kocak, Emrah & Bilgili, Faik & Bulut, Umit & Kuskaya, Sevda, 2022. "Is ethanol production responsible for the increase in corn prices?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 689-696.
    3. Asiamah, Oliver & Agyei, Samuel Kwaku & Ahmed, Bossman & Agyei, Ellen Animah, 2022. "Natural resource dependence and the Dutch disease: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Aissa Djedaiet & Hicham Ayad, "undated". "The double whammy of COVID-19 and oil price collapse: Spillover effects on inflation and exchange rates," Review of Socio - Economic Perspectives 202206, Reviewsep.
    5. Asiamah, Oliver & Agyei, Samuel Kwaku & Bossman, Ahmed & Agyei, Ellen Animah & Asucam, Joseph & Arku-Asare, Michael, 2022. "Natural resource dependence and institutional quality: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    6. Yang, Mo & Li, Yan & Dong, Dayong, 2023. "Strategic information disclosure and the cost of equity capital: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    7. Bossman, Ahmed & Umar, Zaghum & Agyei, Samuel Kwaku & Junior, Peterson Owusu, 2022. "A new ICEEMDAN-based transfer entropy quantifying information flow between real estate and policy uncertainty," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(3), pages 189-205.
    8. Samuel Kwaku Agyei & Godwin Adolf Idan, 2022. "Trade Openness, Institutions, and Inclusive Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    9. Bossman, Ahmed & Umar, Zaghum & Teplova, Tamara, 2022. "Modelling the asymmetric effect of COVID-19 on REIT returns: A quantile-on-quantile regression analysis," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).

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