IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/jintdv/v35y2023i6p1099-1120.html

Inside Zambia's ‘new normal:’ COVID‐19 policy responses and implications for peri‐urban food security and livelihoods

Author

Listed:
  • Simon Manda

Abstract

This paper explores COVID‐19 policy responses and experiences of their impact on food systems and livelihoods, and other factors shaping vulnerability among peri‐urban small‐scale farmers in Zambia. We draw on household surveys and case studies, multi‐level interviews and group discussions to make sense of ‘new normal’ policy (in)action and its (in) effectiveness in shaping peri‐urban production, market linkages and livelihoods during the pandemic. Results show COVID‐19 policy responses affected peri‐urban production supply and demand for food and inputs. The ‘new normal’ policy responses aimed at striking a balance between health concerns and economic development as a pathway to recovery have not been followed by systematic peri‐urban agriculture support, leading to failure to stimulate production and drive urban market linkages, including supermarkets. Findings bring nuance to fragilities in national food systems and the need for long‐term and transformative interventions that can strengthen peri‐urban agriculture and livelihoods beyond the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Manda, 2023. "Inside Zambia's ‘new normal:’ COVID‐19 policy responses and implications for peri‐urban food security and livelihoods," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(6), pages 1099-1120, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:35:y:2023:i:6:p:1099-1120
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.3720
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.3720
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/jid.3720?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. Alison Blay-Palmer & Guido Santini & Marielle Dubbeling & Henk Renting & Makiko Taguchi & Thierry Giordano, 2018. "Validating the City Region Food System Approach: Enacting Inclusive, Transformational City Region Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-23, May.
    2. Andrew Dorward & Simon Anderson & Yolanda Nava Bernal & Ernesto Sánchez Vera & Jonathan Rushton & James Pattison & Rodrigo Paz, 2009. "Hanging in, stepping up and stepping out: livelihood aspirations and strategies of the poor," Development in Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 240-247, April.
    3. Nolte, Kerstin & Sipangule, Kacana & Wendt, Niels, 2022. "Agricultural households in times of crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic, livelihoods and land-use decisions," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 266633, Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
    4. Simon Manda, 2022. "Sugarcane Commercialization and Gender Experiences in the Zambian “Sweetest Town”," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 254-284, October.
    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. Simon Manda & Caroline Miti, 2024. "Does value chain inclusiveness increase smallholder resilience during pandemics? Lessons from the Zambia's sugar‐belt," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(2), pages 773-794, March.
    2. Yi Gu & Jinyu Sun & Jianming Cai & Yanwen Xie & Jiahao Guo, 2024. "Urban Planning Perspective on Food Resilience Assessment and Practice in the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-27, October.
    3. Yuchen Du & Junfeng Chen & Yi Xie, 2023. "The Impacts of the Asian Elephants Damage on Farmer’s Livelihood Strategies in Pu’er and Xishuangbanna in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, March.
    4. Alexandra Doernberg & Annette Piorr & Ingo Zasada & Dirk Wascher & Ulrich Schmutz, 2022. "Sustainability assessment of short food supply chains (SFSC): developing and testing a rapid assessment tool in one African and three European city regions," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 885-904, September.
    5. Katrin Martens & Sebastian Rogga & Jana Zscheischler & Bernd Pölling & Andreas Obersteg & Annette Piorr, 2022. "Classifying New Hybrid Cooperation Models for Short Food-Supply Chains—Providing a Concept for Assessing Sustainability Transformation in the Urban-Rural Nexus," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-24, April.
    6. Alison Blay-Palmer & Molly D. Anderson & Anna-Liisa Aunio & Patricia Ballamingie & Rachel Carey & Samuel Gudu & Kent Mullinix & Maureen Murphy & Chatura Pulasinghage & Andrew Spring & David Szanto & E, 2026. "Building capacities in regional food systems: mapping change towards transformation," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 43(2), pages 1-18, June.
    7. Alison Blay-Palmer & Guido Santini & Jess Halliday & Roman Malec & Joy Carey & Léo Keller & Jia Ni & Makiko Taguchi & René van Veenhuizen, 2021. "City Region Food Systems: Building Resilience to COVID-19 and Other Shocks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Roberta Sonnino & Helen Coulson, 2021. "Unpacking the new urban food agenda: The changing dynamics of global governance in the urban age," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(5), pages 1032-1049, April.
    9. Ana Zazo-Moratalla & Alejandro Orellana-McBride, 2025. "How to Assess Urban Food Resilience? Moving Towards Food Security in Chilean Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-18, September.
    10. Jonas L. Appelt & Latsamy Siengsounthone & Sengaloun Phonekeo & Dirk Essink & Peter H. Verburg & Jasper van Vliet, 2025. "Trade‐offs and synergies between dimensions of well‐being among smallholder farmers in Savannakhet province, Lao PDR," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 1441-1457, February.
    11. Alesandros Glaros & Robert Newell, 2025. "The State of Local Food Systems and Integrated Planning and Policy Research: An Application of the Climate, Biodiversity, Health, and Justice Nexus," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, March.
    12. Chunyun Li & Sarosh Kuruvilla, 2023. "Corporate codes of conduct and labour turnover in global apparel supply chains," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 61(3), pages 481-505, September.
    13. Sylvain Efio & Etotépé A. Sogbohossou & Yves Z. Magnon & Bertrand Hamaide & Rigobert C. Tossou & Brice A. Sinsin, 2024. "Vulnerability of Agricultural Households to Human–Wildlife Conflicts around Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Northern Benin," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, September.
    14. Simon Berner & Hartmut Derler & René Rehorska & Stephan Pabst & Ulrike Seebacher, 2019. "Roadmapping to Enhance Local Food Supply: Case Study of a City-Region in Austria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-16, July.
    15. Qureshi, Salman & Tarashkar, Mahsa & Matloobi, Mansour & Wang, Zhifang & Rahimi, Akbar, 2022. "Understanding the dynamics of urban horticulture by socially-oriented practices and populace perception: Seeking future outlook through a comprehensive review," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    16. Saisai Wu & Lang Qin & Chen Shen & Xiangyang Zhou & Jianzhai Wu, 2022. "Food Retail Network Spatial Matching and Urban Planning Policy Implications: The Case of Beijing, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, May.
    17. Guillermo Zambrano & Lina M. Tennhardt & Moritz Egger & Karen Ramírez & Adriana Santos & Byron Moyano & Michael Curran, 2024. "Differing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on farmers and intermediaries: insights into the Ecuadorian cocoa value chain," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, December.
    18. Kerstin Schreiber & Bernard Soubry & Carley Dove-McFalls & Graham K. MacDonald, 2023. "Untangling the role of social relationships for overcoming challenges in local food systems: a case study of farmers in Québec, Canada," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(1), pages 141-156, March.
    19. Julian Z. Xie & Kathrin M. Demmler & Ann Trevenen-Jones & Kelly D. Brownell, 2022. "Urban Public Food Procurement in Kiambu and Machakos Counties as a Driver of Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainability: A Literature Review and Case Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-28, March.
    20. Diana Alfonso-Bécares & Mario Giampietro & Esteve Corbera & Tarik Serrano-Tovar, 2024. "Advancing the understanding of forest conservation dynamics through livelihood and landscape change scenarios: a case study in Chiapas, Mexico," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(12), pages 29957-29979, December.

    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:wly:jintdv:v:35:y:2023:i:6:p:1099-1120. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/5102/home .

    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.