Analyzing the Impact of COVID-19 on Agricultural Cooperatives in Rwanda: Coping Strategies of the Dukunde Umurimo Cooperative
Keywords:
Agricultural Cooperatives, COVID-19 pandemic, Dukunde Umurimo, Coping strategies, ResilienceAbstract
This study aims to unravel the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Rwanda's agricultural cooperatives, concentrating on the nuanced dynamics within the Dukunde Umurimo cooperative. Its primary focus lies in assessing the extent of Covid-19's influence on the cooperative's members, exploring their adopted coping mechanisms, identifying post-pandemic challenges, and proposing strategies to alleviate these identified challenges. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative research designs, the study encompassed 755 members of Dukunde Umurimo Cooperative, with a sample of 88 derived through the Yamane formula utilizing simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Data collection involved interviews, questionnaires, and documentation techniques. Utilizing descriptive statistics—frequency and percentage analysis—and comparative methods, the research evaluated cooperative productivity across pre-Covid, during, and post-Covid periods. Findings revealed a notable decrease in income and sales quantities during the Covid-19 period, followed by a significant post-pandemic increase. Concurrently, reductions in production, sales, and demand emerged as prominent challenges faced by Dukunde Umurimo cooperative members. Based on these findings, recommendations include strengthening resilience through diversification, and enhance the insurance risks management for the agricultural produce.
Downloads
References
Adebayo, A., Aromolaran, A., & Muyanga, M. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Agricultural Value Chains in Nigeria. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Adeloye, K. A., Torimiro, D. O., & Olufemi, D. S. (2023). Coping strategies in mitigating covid-19 pandemic’s effect on farming household income in Osun state, Nigeria. Agropecuária Catarinense, 36 (1), 67-72.
Anang, B. T., Mensah-Bonsu, A., & Boateng, V. F. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on the performance of agricultural cooperatives in Ghana. African Journal of Economic Review, 9(1), 120–135.
Aragie, E., Diao, X., Robinson, S., Rosenbach, G., Spielman, D. J., & Thurlow, J. (2021). Assessing the economywide impacts of COVID-19 on Rwanda’s economy, agri-food system, and poverty: a social accounting matrix (SAM) multiplier approach (Vol. 1). Intl Food Policy Res Inst.
Arumugam, S., ÖZKAN, B., Jayaraman, A., & Mockaisamy, P. (2021). Impacts of Covid-19 pandemic on global agriculture, livelihoods and food systems. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 27(3), 239-246.
Ayanlade, A., & Radeny, M. (2020). COVID-19 and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa: implications of lockdown during agricultural planting seasons. npj Science of Food, 4(1), 13.
Azim Premji University. (2020). Covid-19 livelihoods survey: Early findings from phone surveys. Bangalore: Azim Premji University.
Bakalis, S, Valdramidis, V P, Argyropoulos, et al. (2020). Perspectives from CO+RE: how COVID-19 changed our food systems and food security paradigms. Current Research in Food Science, 3: 166–172.
Béné, C., Godfrey-Wood, R., Newsham, A., & Davies, M. (2012). Resilience: New utopia or new tyranny? IDS Working Paper 405. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2040-0209.2012.00405.x
Berkes, F., Colding, J., & Folke, C. (2002). Navigating Social-Ecological Systems: Building Resilience for Complexity and Change. Cambridge University Press.
Bitzer, V., Kruijssen, F., Mugisha, J., Waswa, L., Aliso, J., & Nakazzi, B. (2024). Vulnerability and resilience among farmers and market actors in local agri-food value chains in the face of COVID-19 disruptions: Findings from Uganda and Kenya. Food Security, 16(1), 185-200.
Bizoza, A., & Sibomana, S. (2020). Indicative socio-economic impacts of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in Eastern Africa: Case of Rwanda. Available at SSRN 3586622.
Dushimimana, D., Vasanthakalaam, H., & Karangwa, A. (2023). Assessment of maize production system during the COVID-19 pandemic in Rwanda: Case study of Kigali City Region. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 23(6), 23737-23762.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). (2020a). Policy responses to keep input markets flowing in times of COVID-19 Available online at: http://www.fao.org/3/ca8979en/CA8979EN.pdf Accessed on February 12, 2024
FAO. (2020b). Coping strategies of dairy cooperatives and loss and waste reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of India and Japan. Available Online at: https://www.fao.org/3/cb4186en/cb4186en.pdfAccessed on February 12, 2024
FAO. (2021a). Agricultural livelihoods and food security in the context of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe. Monitoring report – May 2021. Rome. (also available at https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4333en).
FAO. (2021b). Agricultural livelihoods and food security in the context of COVID-19 in Sierra Leone. Monitoring report – May 2021. (also available at https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4396en).
FAO. (2021c). République démocratique du Congo. Moyens d’existence agricoles et sécurité alimentaire dans le cadre de la covid-19: rapport de suivi, mai 2021. Rome. (also available at https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4881fr).
FAO. (2021d). Niger. Moyens d’existence agricoles et sécurité alimentaire dans le cadre de la covid-19: rapport de suivi, mai 2021. Rome. (also available at https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4622fr).
FAO. (2021e). Crop Prospects and Food Situation – Quarterly Global Report No. 1. Rome. Available online at https://doi.org/10.4060/cb3672en
FAO. (2021f). Agricultural livelihoods and food security in the context of COVID-19: Results from household surveys in 11 countries with high pre-existing levels of food insecurity – Cross-country monitoring report, Rome. (also available at http://www.fao.org/3/cb4747en/cb4747en.pdf).
Folke, C. (2006). Resilience: The emergence of a perspective for social–ecological systems analyses. Global Environmental Change, 16(3), 253–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2006.04.002
Francesconi, N., Wouterse, F., & Birungi Namuyiga, D. (2021). Agricultural cooperatives and COVID-19 in southeast africa. The role of managerial capital for rural resilience. Sustainability, 13 (3), 1046.
Gregorio, G. B., & Ancog, R. C. (2020). Assessing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Agricultural Production in Southeast Asia: Toward Transformative Change in Agricultural Food Systems. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, 17(1), 1–13.
Gregorioa, G. B., & Ancog, R. C. (2020). Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural production in Southeast Asia: toward transformative change in agricultural food systems. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, 17(1), 1-13.
Gummagolmath, K.C., Lakshmi, S.B., and Swamy, S.B. (2021). Coping with Covid-19- “Strategies for Agriculture Sector”. Available online at: https://www.manage.gov.in/publications/eBooks/Coping%20with%20Covid-19%20&%20Strategies.pdf Accessed on February 12, 2024
Hammond, J., Siegal, K., Milner, D., Elimu, E., Vail, T., Cathala, P., ... & van Wijk, M. (2022). Perceived effects of COVID-19 restrictions on smallholder farmers: Evidence from seven lower-and middle-income countries. Agricultural Systems, 198, 103367.
Harvard Medical School (2020). Treatments for COVID-19: What helps, what doesn’t, and What’s in the Pipeline. Available online at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/treatments-for-covid-19
Hossain, S. T. (2018). Impacts of COVID-19 on the agri-food sector: food security policies of Asian productivity organization members.
Jaacks, L. M., Veluguri, D., Serupally, R., Roy, A., Prabhakaran, P., & Ramanjaneyulu, G. V. (2021). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural production, livelihoods, and food security in India: baseline results of a phone survey. Food security, 13(5), 1323-1339.
JICA. (2022). Rwanda. Available online at: https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/1000047818_02.pdf . Accessed on February 12, 2024.
Karunarathna, N., Siriwardhane, D., & Jayarathne, A. (2023). Exploring the measurements of COVID-19-induced supply chain disruptions and their implications on the economic vulnerability of small-scale farmers. International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Operations Management.
Kayiira, D. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on Agriculture and Food Security in the East African Community.
Kpadé, C. P., Bélanger, M. C., Laplante, C., Lambert, C., & Bocoum, I. (2023). Food insecurity, coping strategies, and resilience of agricultural cooperative members during COVID-19 in West Africa. Agriculture & Food Security, 12(1), 38.
Kumari, S., Jeble, S., Venkatesh, V. G., Nagarajan, C., & Shi, Y. (2023). Antecedents of agriculture supply chain performance during COVID 19: an emerging economy perspective. Operations Management Research, 16, 489–510. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12063-022-00295-3
Mahler, D. G., Laknerr, C., Aguilar, R. A. C., & Wu, H. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on global poverty: Why Sub-Saharan Africa might be the region hardest hit. Available online at: https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/impact-covid-19-coronavirus-global-poverty-why-sub-saharan-africa-might-be-region-hardest
Mishra, A., Bruno, E., & Zilberman, D. (2021). Compound natural and human disasters: Managing drought and COVID-19 to sustain global agriculture and food sectors. Science of the Total Environment, 754, 142210.
Mthembu, B. E., Mkhize, X., & Arthur, G. D. (2022). Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural food production among smallholder farmers in Northern Drakensberg areas of Bergville, South Africa. Agronomy, 12(2), 531.
Njehia, H. (2023). Covid 19 Induced Supply Chain Disruptions and Business Resilience of Food and Beverage Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi County, Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance. Cambridge University Press.
Organic Without Borders. (2020). The Resilience of Smallholder Farmers in Times of Crisis. Available online at organicwithoutboundaries.bio/2020/04/09/the-resilience-of-smallholder-farmers-in-times-of-crisis/. Accessed on February 12, 2024.
Ostrom, E. (2005). Understanding Institutional Diversity. Princeton University Press.
Oxfam Rwanda. (2020). Rapid Impact Assessment of Covid-19 on the Horticulture Value Chain & Business Continuity in Rwanda. Available Online at: https://oi-files-cng-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/heca.oxfam.org/s3fs-public/file_attachments/OXFAM%20HVC%20REPORT%20Very%20final_20201007[1].pdf Accessed on February 12, 2024
Qu, Gailiu, Yuqing Lou, Siyu Wu, Xin Deng, and Jie Feng. 2022. "Impact of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia on Agricultural Products Prices: A Case Study of Chengdu" Agriculture 12, no. 10: 1688. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101688
Rathnayake, S., Gray, D., Reid, J. and Ramilan, T. (2022). The impacts of the COVID-19 shock on sustainability and farmer livelihoods in Sri Lanka. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, Vol. 4, 100131, doi: 10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100131.
Roshana, M.R. and Hassan, N. (2020). 19. Challenges and opportunities of covid-19 outbreak on Sri Lanka. in Sri Sairam Group of Institutions, pp. 116-124, available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344714158_Challenges_and_Opportunities_of_Covid-19_Outbreak_on_Sri_Lankan_Agri-Food_Sector/references
Rwanda Women Network. (2020). Impact of Covid-19 on Women Workers in the Horticulture Sector in Rwanda. Availble online at: https://hivos.org/assets/2021/02/Hivos-Covid19-W@W_R1.pdf Accessed on February 12, 2024
Rwigema, P.C (2021). Impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the education sector. The case of Rwanda. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 8(1), 150-169.
Sharma, S., Zhang, M., Gao, J., Zhang, H., & Kota, S. H. (2020). Effect of restricted emissions during COVID-19 on air quality in India. Science of the total environment, 728, 138878.
Sumner, A., Hoy, C., & Ortiz-Juarez, E. (2020). Estimates of the impact of COVID-19 on global poverty (No. 2020/43). WIDER working paper.
Uğur, A., & Buruklar, T. (2021). Effects of Covid-19 pandemic on agri-food production and farmers. Food Science and Technology, 42.
United Nations Development Programme. (2020). COVID‐19 pandemic. Humanity needs leadership and solidarity to defeat the coronavirus.
Walker, B., Holling, C. S., Carpenter, S. R., & Kinzig, A. (2004). Resilience, adaptability and transformability in social–ecological systems. Ecology and Society, 9(2), 5. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-00650-090205
WHO (2020a). COVID-19 Strategy Update. Available online at: https://www.who.int/publications-detail/covid-19-strategy-update—14-april-2020
WHO. (2020b) First Case of COVID-19 confirmed in Rwanda. Available online at: https://www.afro.who.int/news/first-case-covid-19-confirmed-rwanda
World Bank. (2021). Food Security and COVID-19: Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington DC: World Bank.
Zhang, W., Persoz, L., Hakiza, S., Biru, L., & Girmatsion, L. (2022). Impact of COVID-19 on food security in Ethiopia. Epidemiologia, 3(2), 161-178.
Zharare, S. and Mashingaidze, N. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on Agribusinesses for Investors. UKAID CASA Programme & Dev Pact. Available online at: https://www.casaprogramme.com/wp-content/uploads/Impact-of-COVID-19-Executive-Summary.pdf Accessed on February 12, 2024.
Published on: 22-06-2025
Also Available On
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Aime Christian CYUZUZO, Jayakumar Rufus, Hilda Vasanthakaalam
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors contributing to this journal retain the copyright of their articles but agree to publish their articles under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, for any purpose, even commercially, under the condition that appropriate credit is given, that a link to the license is provided, and that they indicate if changes were made. They may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses them or their use.
