A survey on the impact of Covid19 on Animal production and marketing

Abstract

The world witnessed numerous epidemics and pandemics that have affected thousands to millions of lives. As a new pandemic, COVID-19, causes severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2) which started in China in December 2019 and has rapidly spread around the world. As of June 22, 2020, more than 9 million cases of COVID-19 occurring in at least 188 countries and territories were reported. Fortunately, as global attention has been given to COVID19 as a public health crisis. Discussion of the economic impacts is largely focused on the loss of jobs or incomes due to the global shutdown of nonessential businesses, but less attention has been given to the impact of travel restrictions and market closures on subsistence-level farmers, including livestock producers, and their ability to meet their household needs while protecting their livelihoods.Therefore, this situation’s effect on animal production and marketing and its’ relevant economic impact on livestock, if not addressed, will either bring short or long-term effects and will negatively affect households’ and the country’s economies the objectives of survey was to establish the impact of COVID- 19 on Animal production and Marketing arising from demand of animal products and services,determine the effects of the COVID- 19 restrictions on different animal enterprises in the Teso region and compare the financial effects of COVID-19 on the different animal enterprises and districts in Teso region. The study showed that majority of study participants are males (73.6%), married (80.8%), andbusiness persons in animal products (77.6%). Most study participants had secondary level of education (43.3%), and a many where from Kaberamaido (32.8%) and also in this period, generally treatments were very low (52.8%), majority of participants were from open-air markets and were affected by the lockdown (94.4%). Most of the farmers in the poultry industry reported closed markets (29/31). The study also showed that screening of humans against covid19 at livestock markets was not being done during the lockdown (117/125), professional hand washing facilities where not installed at most business shops/centers (54.4%), and no customer hand washing facilities were required from customers (52.0). Most enterprises recorded recommendable drop in prices of livestock products of 50% from the normal prices and increase in waste products.