COVID-19 impacts and adaptation in aquatic food supply chains in Myanmar - One year into the pandemic

In 2020, we conducted a bi-weekly phone survey with 143 fish supply chain actors in Myanmar to assess impacts of COVID-19 on the availability and price of aquatic foods and production inputs. In 2021, we conducted a follow-up survey and re-surveyed 105 participants regarding their activity between the months of March and May. The sample comprised of the following: feed mills (2), feed sellers (pellet) (5), feed sellers (non-pellet) (1), fish hatcheries (10), fish farmers (30), fishers (25), fish processors (6), traders (11), and retailers (15). The first reported case of COVID-19 in Myanmar was in March 2020, followed by a lockdown “stay at home” strategy was adopted in April through July 2020. The data in 2020 was collected during this first lockdown. A surge in cases resulted in another lockdown in September through April 2021. Data in 2021 was collected at the end of this long lockdown period. A second wave of COVID peaked in July 2021, attributed to the Delta variant. This approach allowed for a comparative assessment of the impacts experienced by businesses and adaptations they made in response, one year on from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citation

Bianca Haas, Kinh Maung Soe, Kyi Thar Myint, Ei Ei Phyo, Kyaw Moe Oo, Kyaw Win Khaing, Aung Than Oo, Yin Yin Phyu, Christine Wai, Sai Noot, Yu Maung, Saadiah Ghazali, Goutam Dhar, Alexandra Pounds. 2021. COVID-19 impacts and adaptation in aquatic food supply chains in Assam – One year into the pandemic. Penang, Malaysia: WorldFish.