Reimagining Agriculture through COVID-19
As the world grapples with the devastating consequences of the spread of the novel coronavirus, nations are faced with multiple questions that go well beyond the direct impact of contracting the disease. We are dealing with a massive loss of livelihoods, unemployment, hunger, and a decline in the overall health status of citizens including the sharp rise in mental health ailments. In India, agricultural distress is stark and ever-increasing. The lockdown announced to check the spread of the virus has had a detrimental impact on the agricultural economy even though the government had announced certain measures to protect farmers with most agricultural activities included in the essential list. However, disruptions in the food supply chain have significantly impacted farmers across the nation, with small and marginal farmers forced to bear the maximum shock. Farmers have been struggling to harvest and trade perishables for many reasons including a shortage of workforce, transportation, and limited market operations (Pandav, 2020).