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COVID-19 and the food system: setback or opportunity for gender equality?

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  • Catherine Ragasa

    (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI))

  • Isabel Lambrecht

    (International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI))

Abstract

Agriculture and the food sector are critical to food and nutrition security because they not only produce food but also contribute to economic empowerment by employing a large share of female and male workers, especially in developing countries. Food systems at all levels―globally, domestically, locally, and in the home― are expected to be highly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Women and men work as food producers, processors, and traders and will likely be impacted differently. Shocks or crises can exacerbate or reduce gender gaps, and so can policy responses to mitigate the impact of these crises or shocks. We offer some perspectives and available country examples on how the COVID-19 crisis and responses to the crisis could be a setback or offer opportunities for gender equality in the food system.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine Ragasa & Isabel Lambrecht, 2020. "COVID-19 and the food system: setback or opportunity for gender equality?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(4), pages 877-880, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:12:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s12571-020-01089-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-020-01089-w
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    Cited by:

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    3. Gatto, Marcel, 2021. "Heterogenous Effects of COVID-19 on Rural Livelihoods in Bangladesh: Evidence from a Panel Study," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315875, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
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    5. Catherine Ragasa & Isabel Lambrecht & Kristi Mahrt & Zin Wai Aung & Michael Wang, 2021. "Immediate impacts of COVID‐19 on female and male farmers in central Myanmar: Phone‐based household survey evidence," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(3), pages 505-523, May.
    6. Tarek Ben Hassen & Hamid El Bilali & Mohammad S. Allahyari & Islam Mohamed Kamel & Hanen Ben Ismail & Hajer Debbabi & Khaled Sassi, 2022. "Gendered Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Behaviors in North Africa: Cases of Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-13, February.
    7. Dixon, John M. & Weerahewa, Jeevika & Hellin, Jon & Rola-Rubzen, Maria Fay & Huang, Jikun & Kumar, Shalander & Das, Anup & Qureshi, Muhammad Ejaz & Krupnik, Timothy J. & Shideed, Kamil & Jat, Mangi L., 2021. "Response and resilience of Asian agrifood systems to COVID-19: An assessment across twenty-five countries and four regional farming and food systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    8. Kalbarczyk, Anna & Aberman, Noora-Lisa & van Asperen, Bregje S.M. & Morgan, Rosemary & Bhutta, Zulfiqar & Carducci, Bianca & Heidkamp, Rebecca & Osendarp, Saskia & Kumar, Neha & Lartey, Anna & Malapit, 2022. "COVID-19, nutrition, and gender: An evidence-informed approach to gender-responsive policies and programs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).

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