Socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the dairy value chain in western Nepal

• Research Project Location: Nepal
  
• Timeframe: 2024 - 2025
• Funding: USAID

Introduction

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected people involved in the dairy value chain in Nepal? By understanding socioeconomic effects and how this sector adapted or not, we can help this sector recover and prepare for future challenges. 

Project Goal & Objectives

The project's overarching goal is to assess the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dairy value chain in Nepal. Specific objectives are to:

• Understand differences across districts and farm categories
• Determine appropriate interventions to cope with the adverse impacts of the pandemic
• Empower youth, women, and others involved in the dairy value chain

Background

In Nepal, dairy livestock are important for supporting household nutrition and prosperity. Yet responses to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic are not well documented. Little is known about access to feed, fodder, veterinary services, and market information. Moreover, individual farmers, dairy co-operatives, regional milk-collectors and chilling centers, large dairy entrepreneurs, dairy input suppliers, and end consumers are adapting to these current highly volatile conditions.

How have these changes impacted the health and socioeconomic condition of children, local youth, women, and marginalized groups? Also, information on differential effects of the pandemic on the dairy farmers in the mid-hills and terai and on locally based small-holder dairy farmers (shorter value chain) and larger-scale commercial dairy farmers (longer value chain) are lacking.

Approach

We will conduct a detailed value chain analysis of the dairy sector and assess the impacts of COVID-19 on each node of the value chain. Both qualitative and quantitative data will be collected for the study. The study will mainly be based on primary data collected from the study sites through surveys.

Figure: Graphical representation of formal and informal/local dairy value chains in Nepal.

Principal Investigator (PI) and lead institution

Co-PI and collaborator institutions

• Ujjal Tiwari, Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Nepal
• Praseed Thapa, AFU, Nepal
• Subhash Chandra Chaudhary, FORWARD, Nepal
• Albert De Vries, University of Florida
• Vijaya Raj Joshi, University of Florida

Resources