The objective of this study was to understand the impacts of COVID-19 crisis in agriculture and food systems in Nepal and assess the effectiveness of measures to deal with this crisis. The study draws policy implications, especially for farming systems resilience and the achievement of SDGs 1 and 2. The findings are based on (i) three panel discussions over six months with policy makers and experts working at grassroots to understand and manage the crisis, (ii) key informants' interviews, and (iii) an extensive literature review. Results revealed that the lockdown and transport restrictions have had severe consequences, raising questions on the achievement of SDGs 1 and 2, especially in the already vulnerable regions dependent on food-aid. This crisis has also exposed the strengths and limitations of both subsistence and commercial farming systems in terms of resiliency, offering important lessons for policy makers. Traditional subsistence farming appears to be somewhat resilient, with a potential to contribute to key pillars of food security, especially access and stability, though with limited contributions to food availability because of low productivity. On the other hand, commercial farming - limited to the periphery of market centres, cities, and emerging towns and in the accessible areas - was more impacted due to the lack of resilient supply networks to reach even the local market. Lower resiliency of commercial farming was also evident because of its growing dependence on inputs (mainly seeds and fertilizer) on distant markets located in foreign countries. The observation of crisis over eight months unleashed by the pandemic clearly revealed that wage labourers, indigenous people, and women from marginalized groups and regions already vulnerable in food security and malnutrition suffered more due to COVID-19 as they lost both external support and the coping mechanisms. The findings have implications for policies to improve both subsistence and commercial farming systems – in particular the former by improving the productivity through quality inputs and by diversifying, promoting and protecting the indigenous food system, while the latter through sustainable intensification by building reliant supply network linking farming with markets and guarantying the supply of inputs.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19 对尼泊尔农业和粮食系统的影响：对可持续发展目标的影响

本研究的目的是了解 COVID-19 危机对尼泊尔农业和粮食系统的影响，并评估应对这场危机的措施的有效性。该研究得出了政策影响，特别是对农业系统的复原力和实现可持续发展目标 1 和 2 的影响。研究结果基于 (i) 六个月内与决策者和专家在基层开展的三场小组讨论，以了解和管理危机，（ ii) 关键知情人的访谈，以及 (iii) 广泛的文献综述。结果显示，封锁和运输限制产生了严重后果，对实现可持续发展目标 1 和 2 提出了质疑，尤其是在依赖粮食援助的脆弱地区。这场危机还暴露了自给和商业农业系统在弹性方面的优势和局限性，为决策者提供了重要的经验教训。传统的自给农业似乎具有一定的弹性，有可能为粮食安全的关键支柱做出贡献，尤其是获取和稳定，但由于生产力低下，对粮食供应的贡献有限。另一方面，由于缺乏弹性供应网络甚至无法到达当地市场，商业农业——仅限于市场中心、城市和新兴城镇的外围以及交通便利的地区——受到的影响更大。商业农业的弹性较低也很明显，因为它越来越依赖位于国外的遥远市场的投入物（主要是种子和肥料）。对大流行引发的长达八个月的危机的观察清楚地表明，来自边缘化群体和已经在粮食安全和营养不良方面处于弱势的地区的雇佣劳动者、土著人民和妇女因 COVID-19 而遭受更多痛苦，因为她们失去了外部支持和应对措施。机制。研究结果对改善自给和商业农业系统的政策具有影响——尤其是前者通过高质量投入和多样化、促进和保护本地粮食系统来提高生产力，而后者通过建立依赖的供应网络连接来实现可持续集约化市场耕作，保障投入品供应。来自边缘化群体和已经在粮食安全和营养不良方面处于弱势的地区的妇女由于失去了外部支持和应对机制而遭受了更多的 COVID-19。研究结果对改善自给和商业农业系统的政策具有影响——尤其是前者通过高质量投入和多样化、促进和保护本地粮食系统来提高生产力，而后者通过建立依赖的供应网络连接来实现可持续集约化市场耕作，保障投入品供应。来自边缘化群体和已经在粮食安全和营养不良方面处于弱势的地区的妇女由于失去了外部支持和应对机制而遭受了更多的 COVID-19。研究结果对改善自给和商业农业系统的政策具有影响——尤其是前者通过高质量投入和多样化、促进和保护本地粮食系统来提高生产力，而后者通过建立依赖的供应网络连接来实现可持续集约化农业与市场并保证投入物的供应。