Search

As a result of COVID-19 spread, Bangladesh implemented a range of measures including general holidays, lockdown, no lockdown, and strict lockdown which resulted in the dramatic ups and downs of the price level of the products. This study aimed to examine the influence of COVID-19 on poultry products (meat and eggs) in Bangladesh using Gazipur-an intensive poultry growing area - as a case study. Monthly market price data of poultry meat and eggs, and primary panel data from the same respondents using a random sampling technique through a structured questionnaire-based interview, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and Key Informant Interview (KII) were collected. The results reveal that after the incidence of COVID-19, the price of poultry products at farmgate, wholesale and retail levels dropped drastically for the first three months (February to April 2020). Following that, the market price of farm (broiler) chicken and eggs increased by 40% and more than 30%, respectively. On the other hand, the price of local ( deshi ) chicken increased by 15%, which was already high on the market. However, in the early phase of COVID-19, many smallholder poultry farmers and hatchery owners were forced to shut down due to less demand/no demand of the product along with high feed cost and inadequate support from external sources. The government should provide financial support with low or no-interest rate to the smallholder growers in order to enhance their resilience against shocks like COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, etc., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries globally, where the livelihood of agro-based dependent people became vulnerable due to different natural hazards, especially in the southern coastal part. This study investigates the influence of climate change on household vulnerability and income diversity, data collected from the climate-vulnerable coastal areas of Bangladesh. Both panel data regression and structural equation model were employed to examine the vulnerability status, whereas income diversity was measured through diversity index and "Type-66" livelihood strategy. Results reveal that sources of income have diversified over time. However, the study also reveals that climate change-especially the increase in salinity has affected crop production, resulting in increased income vulnerability of small and marginal farmers who are highly reliant on farm income. Moreover, findings reveal that climate change has influenced households to diversify into low-income sources that do not help to overcome their income vulnerability. Therefore, a cooperative land management system, establishment of embankment, training, and skill development programs are needed to generate feasible alternative income sources to improve the livelihood of coastal people., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)