IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0316489.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Determinants of agricultural employment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A spatial analysis of Brazilian municipalities

Author

Listed:
  • Patrícia Batistella
  • Luan Marca
  • Fernanda Castilhos França de Vasconcellos
  • Eduardo Rodrigues Sanguinet
  • Augusto Mussi Alvim
  • Adelar Fochezatto

Abstract

The impact of COVID-19 has extended beyond the health toll it has taken on populations. The global economy has experienced significant downturns, with unemployment rates reaching unprecedented highs for this century. Nonetheless, the agricultural sector has been uniquely affected by the pandemic, particularly given its crucial role in food supply. This study sought to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural employment in Brazilian municipalities. To achieve this, we employed a dataset spanning the period before and during the pandemic (2018–2021). Spatial econometrics was utilized to identify potential spatial factors linked to this occurrence. Notably, the findings reveal that the transfer policies implemented by the Brazilian Federal Government have had a positive impact on agricultural employment in Brazilian municipalities, challenging the common assumption that such measures might discourage job-seeking efforts. Moreover, the results suggest that the agricultural sector has managed to absorb individuals displaced from other sectors of the economy, demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of economic challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrícia Batistella & Luan Marca & Fernanda Castilhos França de Vasconcellos & Eduardo Rodrigues Sanguinet & Augusto Mussi Alvim & Adelar Fochezatto, 2025. "Determinants of agricultural employment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A spatial analysis of Brazilian municipalities," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(1), pages 1-25, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0316489
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316489
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0316489
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0316489&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0316489?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joe Piacentini & Harley Frazis & Peter B. Meyer & Michael Schultz & Leo Sveikauskas, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Labor Markets and Inequality," Economic Working Papers 551, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    2. Lauren Chenarides & Mark Manfredo & Timothy J. Richards, 2021. "COVID‐19 and Food Supply Chains," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 270-279, March.
    3. Neves, Mateus de Carvalho Reis & Freitas, Carlos Otávio & Silva, Felipe de Figueiredo & Costa, Davi Rogério de Moura & Braga, Marcelo José, 2020. "Does Access to Rural Credit Help Decrease Income Inequality in Brazil?," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(3), pages 440-460, August.
    4. Huasheng Song & Min Zhang, 2017. "Spatial Spillovers of Regional Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Provinces," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(9), pages 2104-2122, September.
    5. Arita, Shawn & Grant, Jason & Sydow, Sharon & Beckman, Jayson, 2022. "Has global agricultural trade been resilient under coronavirus (COVID-19)? Findings from an econometric assessment of 2020," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    6. Alfredo Cartone & Domenica Panzera & Paolo Postiglione, 2022. "Regional economic disparities, spatial dependence and proximity structures," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(5), pages 1034-1050, October.
    7. Anselin, Luc, 2002. "Under the hood : Issues in the specification and interpretation of spatial regression models," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 247-267, November.
    8. Assunção, Juliano & Chein, Flávia, 2016. "Climate change and agricultural productivity in Brazil: future perspectives," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(5), pages 581-602, October.
    9. Luciene Gomes & Silvio J. C. Simões & Eloi Lennon Dalla Nora & Eráclito Rodrigues de Sousa-Neto & Maria Cristina Forti & Jean Pierre H. B. Ometto, 2019. "Agricultural Expansion in the Brazilian Cerrado: Increased Soil and Nutrient Losses and Decreased Agricultural Productivity," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-26, January.
    10. Sandy Dall'erba & Julie Le Gallo, 2008. "Regional convergence and the impact of European structural funds over 1989–1999: A spatial econometric analysis," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 87(2), pages 219-244, June.
    11. Valeria Borsellino & Sina Ahmadi Kaliji & Emanuele Schimmenti, 2020. "COVID-19 Drives Consumer Behaviour and Agro-Food Markets towards Healthier and More Sustainable Patterns," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-26, October.
    12. Shibata, Ippei, 2021. "The distributional impact of recessions: The global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic recession," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    13. Farid Farrokhi & Heitor S. Pellegrina, 2023. "Trade, Technology, and Agricultural Productivity," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 131(9), pages 2509-2555.
    14. Castro, Nicole Rennó & Barros, Geraldo Sant’Ana de Camargo & Almeida, Alexandre Nunes & Gilio, Leandro & Morais, Ana Carolina de Paula, 2020. "The Brazilian agribusiness labor market: measurement, characterization and analysis of income differentials," Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural (RESR), Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural, vol. 58(01), January.
    15. Ferreira Gonzaga, Jenifer & Vilpoux, Olivier François & Gomes Pereira, Matheus Wemerson, 2019. "Factors influencing technological practices in the Brazilian agrarian reform," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 150-162.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carlos San Juan Mesonada & Carlos Sunyer Manteiga, 2021. "European Structural Funds and Resilient and Recovery Facility Governance," EconPol Working Paper 67, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    2. Salima Bouayad Agha & Nadine Turpin & Lionel Vedrine, 2010. "Fostering the potential endogenous development of European regions: a spatial dynamic panel data analysis of the Cohesion Policy on regional convergence over the period 1980-2005," Working Papers halshs-00812077, HAL.
    3. Carter, Colin A. & Steinbach, Sandro & Zhuang, Xiting, 2022. "Global Container Trade Disruptions and U.S. Agricultural Exports," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322364, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Maria ABREU & Henri L.F. DE GROOT & Raymond J.G.M. FLORAX, 2005. "Space And Growth: A Survey Of Empirical Evidence And Methods," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 21, pages 13-44.
    5. Nicola Pontarollo, 2013. "Structural change, productivity growth and Structural Funds in European regions," ERSA conference papers ersa13p747, European Regional Science Association.
    6. Márcio Poletti Laurini, 2017. "A spatial error model with continuous random effects and an application to growth convergence," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 371-398, October.
    7. bouayad-agha-Hamouche, salima & turpin, nadine & védrine, lionel, 2012. "Fostering the potential endogenous development of European regions: a spatial dynamic panel data analysis of the Cohesion Policy," MPRA Paper 65470, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Martina Vukašina & Ines Kersan-Škabiæ & Edvard Orliæ, 2022. "Impact of European structural and investment funds absorption on the regional development in the EU–12 (new member states)," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 17(4), pages 857-880, December.
    9. Haoying Wang & Guohui Wu, 2022. "Modeling discrete choices with large fine-scale spatial data: opportunities and challenges," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 325-351, July.
    10. Liv Osland & Inge Thorsen, 2013. "Spatial Impacts, Local Labour Market Characteristics and Housing Prices," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(10), pages 2063-2083, August.
    11. repec:rri:wpaper:200711 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Olga Demidova & Tatiana Bukina & Natalia Sverchkova, 2015. "Dependence of spatial effects on the level of regional aggregation, weights matrix, and estimation method," ERSA conference papers ersa15p322, European Regional Science Association.
    13. Montmartin, Benjamin & Herrera, Marcos & Massard, Nadine, 2018. "The impact of the French policy mix on business R&D: How geography matters," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10), pages 2010-2027.
    14. Huang, Wei, 2019. "Forest condition change, tenure reform, and government-funded eco-environmental programs in Northeast China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 67-74.
    15. K.P. Gluschenko (glu@nsu.ru ), 2010. "Income inequality in Russian regions: comparative analysis," Journal "Region: Economics and Sociology", Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering of Siberian Branch of RAS, vol. 4.
    16. Nik Stoop & Marijke Verpoorten & Peter van der Windt, 2018. "More Legislation, More Violence? The Impact of Dodd-Frank in the DRC," SALDRU Working Papers 231, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    17. repec:asg:wpaper:1048 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Vanda Almeida & Salvador Barrios & Michael Christl & Silvia Poli & Alberto Tumino & Wouter Wielen, 2021. "The impact of COVID-19 on households´ income in the EU," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 19(3), pages 413-431, September.
    19. Jan Fidrmuc & Martin Hulényi & Olga Zajkowska, 2019. "The Elusive Quest for the Holy Grail of an Impact of EU Funds on Regional Growth," CESifo Working Paper Series 7989, CESifo.
    20. Lin, Joanne Yuh-Jye & Jenelius, Erik & Cebecauer, Matej & Rubensson, Isak & Chen, Cynthia, 2023. "The equity of public transport crowding exposure," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    21. Athira, A. & Ramesh, Vishnu K., 2023. "COVID-19 and corporate tax avoidance: International evidence," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    22. Richards, Timothy J. & Acharya, Ram N. & Kagan, Albert, 2008. "Spatial competition and market power in banking," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 60(5), pages 436-454.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0316489. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.