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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Rural Food Security in High Income Countries: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

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  • Katherine Kent

    (School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown 2560, Australia
    School of Health Sciences, University Tasmania Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia)

  • Laura Alston

    (Faculty of Health Deakin Rural Health, Deakin University, Warrnambool 3280, Australia
    Institute for Health Transformation, The Global Obesity Centre Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia)

  • Sandra Murray

    (School of Health Sciences, University Tasmania Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia)

  • Bonnie Honeychurch

    (School of Health Sciences, University Tasmania Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia)

  • Denis Visentin

    (School of Health Sciences, University Tasmania Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia)

Abstract

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, rural-dwelling people in high-income countries were known to have greater challenges accessing healthy food than their urban counterparts. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted food supplies across the world, and public health restrictions have changed the way people shop for food, potentially exacerbating food insecurity. This systematic literature review aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aspects of food insecurity in rural populations residing in high-income countries. Five electronic databases were searched, identifying 22 articles that assessed food insecurity prevalence or data on food availability, access, utilization and the stability of the food supply in rural populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten studies examined the prevalence of food insecurity in rural populations, with the reported prevalence ranging from 15% to 95%. Where rural/urban comparisons were presented, most studies ( n = 5; 71%) reported that food insecurity was significantly higher in rural regions. Five studies examined the availability of food and eight studies examined access to food, identifying that rural populations often had lower food availability and access to food during the pandemic. In contrast, two studies identified positive effects such as more gardening and increased online access to food. Rural populations experienced multiple changes to food utilization, such as reduced diet quality and food safety observed in eight studies, but this was not shown to be different from urban populations. Additionally, the food supply in rural regions was perceived to be affected in two studies. The results of this review may be used to inform region-specific mitigation strategies to decrease the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic and future global events on food security. However, the lack of consistency in study outcomes in research on rural populations limits the identification of priority areas for intervention at a global-scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Katherine Kent & Laura Alston & Sandra Murray & Bonnie Honeychurch & Denis Visentin, 2022. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Rural Food Security in High Income Countries: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-29, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3235-:d:767583
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jill E. Hobbs, 2021. "Food supply chain resilience and the COVID‐19 pandemic: What have we learned?," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 69(2), pages 189-196, June.
    2. B. James Deaton & Brady J. Deaton, 2020. "Food security and Canada's agricultural system challenged by COVID‐19," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 68(2), pages 143-149, June.
    3. Lisa Mullins & Sylvain Charlebois & Erica Finch & Janet Music, 2021. "Home Food Gardening in Canada in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-12, March.
    4. Jill Whelan & Lynne Millar & Colin Bell & Cherie Russell & Felicity Grainger & Steven Allender & Penelope Love, 2018. "You Can’t Find Healthy Food in the Bush: Poor Accessibility, Availability and Adequacy of Food in Rural Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-15, October.
    5. Makenzie L. Barr & Kendra OoNorasak & Kristin Hughes & Lauren Batey & Kaela Jackson & Haley Marshall & Tammy Stephenson, 2021. "Exploring Perceived Importance of a Novel Emergency Food Program during COVID-19 and Program Recipient Characteristics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-12, October.
    6. Fei Men & Valerie Tarasuk, 2021. "Food Insecurity amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Food Charity, Government Assistance, and Employment," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 47(2), pages 202-230, June.
    7. Valerie Mueller & Karen A. Grépin & Atonu Rabbani & Bianca Navia & Anne S. W. Ngunjiri & Nicole Wu, 2022. "Food insecurity and COVID‐19 risk in low‐ and middle‐income countries," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(1), pages 92-109, March.
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    1. Martina Zámková & Stanislav Rojík & Martin Prokop & Simona Činčalová & Radek Stolín, 2022. "Czech Consumers’ Preference for Organic Products in Online Grocery Stores during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Marius-Ionuț Gordan & Elena Peț & Gabriela Popescu & Ioan Brad & Anda Ioana Milin & Tabita Cornelia Adamov & Ramona Ciolac & Anka Roxana Pascariu & Tiberiu Iancu, 2022. "Factors Influencing the Accommodation Prices of Romanian Rural Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Mohammad Abdul Malek & Hoa Thi Truong & Tetsushi Sonobe, 2025. "COVID-19, food insecurity and panic buying behavior: Evidence from rural Bangladesh," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 17(1), pages 101-125, February.

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