EFFECT OF CAPABILITY AND PERCEIVED IMPACTS OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON FOOD SECURITY RESILIENCE IN SAVELUGU MUNICIPALITY AND NANTON DISTRICT

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had tremendous impacts on all sectors of theeconomy, including health, education, and agriculture. Among these impactsare global price hikes on food and non-food commodities. Farm household capability is said to play a major role in ensuring that individuals developsome resilience towards the effects of the pandemic. In this study, factoranalysis, 2SLS and RIMA methodology are used to assess the perceived impacts of the pandemic on livelihood activities and measure the effects of farm household capability on coping strategies and food security resilience. The study used primary data based on farm households in Savelugu Municipality and Nanton District in the Northern region of Ghana. A sample of 400 respondents was used for the study from 16 communities and 25 farming households in each community through the use of a semi-structured questionnaire. The results reveal that most of the farm households either agreed or strongly agreed that the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted their livelihood activities, for that matter their welfare. On the Min-Max scale, ranging from 0 (no impact) to 1 (very severe impact), sample households scored 0.641, meaning, the pandemic had a severe impact on livelihood and livelihood activities. Farm household capability increases the ability to cope with the negative impacts of the pandemic and enhances their food security resilience. In addition, the perceived impact of the pandemic, marital status, age, gender, extension services, and years of farming drive farm household food security resilience. Government and local leaders should ensure that basic life-sustaining conditions are provided for rural farmers to help fight the negative impacts of pandemics. Stakeholders should consider the capability of farmers during crises by ensuring that rights and opportunities are not infringed upon, providing room for people to be and do what can help improve their living standards.