Understanding the impact and mitigation strategies of the COVID-19 outbreak on the agricultural sector in Northeastern Ontario

了解 COVID-19 爆发对安大略省东北部农业部门的影响和缓解策略

• 批准号: 550711-2020
• 负责人: Craig, Robin
• 金额: $ 5.46万
• 依托单位: Collège Boréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=696118
• 关键词: Understanding; impact; mitigation; strategies; COVID

The federal and provincial governments have listed agriculture and food production as essential businesses and services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes businesses that produce food and beverages, and agricultural products from farming, harvesting, aquaculture, hunting and fishing. In Northeastern Ontario, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in heightened consumer demand for fresh, high quality, nutrient dense, safe food, with a marked public interest for locally grown and produced foods. However, meeting this demand is proving difficult and revealing weaknesses in the food systems. Agri-businesses face numerous challenges due to the pandemic including labour shortages, supply chain disruptions, insufficient infrastructure for storage, and limited retail marketplaces such as farmers markets that are currently suspended due to physical distancing concerns. Despite these challenges, many agri-businesses are finding innovative ways to facilitate consumer access to their products, and in some cases even expand their markets. Some of these strategies include leveraging social media, enhancing local food initiatives, and launching online stores and e-platforms. The objective of this applied research collaboration between Collège Boréal, The Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN herein) and reThink Green is to rapidly identify the emerging needs of Northeastern Ontario agri-businesses so that each organization can quickly position their respective services and interventions (academic, research, advocacy, community initiatives, marketing and business development) to 1) enhance supports for production, distribution, and marketing activities during the pandemic; and 2) provide evidence-informed recommendations and business strategies for agri-businesses and policy-makers to ensure economic stability and food security in the post-pandemic period.

联邦和省政府已将农业和粮食生产列为基本业务， 于2019冠状病毒病大流行期间提供服务。这包括生产食品和饮料的企业， 农产品来自耕种、收获、水产养殖、狩猎和捕鱼。在安大略东北部， COVID-19疫情导致消费者对新鲜、高品质、营养丰富、安全 食品，对当地种植和生产的食品具有明显的公共利益。然而，满足这一需求是 证明困难并揭示粮食系统的弱点。农业企业面临诸多挑战， 包括劳动力短缺、供应链中断、储存基础设施不足，以及 有限的零售市场，如农贸市场，目前由于物理距离而暂停 性问题尽管存在这些挑战，许多农业企业正在寻找创新的方式来促进消费者 在某些情况下，甚至扩大他们的市场。其中一些策略包括 利用社交媒体，加强当地食品倡议，并推出在线商店和电子平台。的 Boréal学院与农村农业创新网络之间的这项应用研究合作的目标 (RAIN重新思考绿色是为了快速确定东北部安大略的新兴需求 农业综合企业，以便每个组织能够迅速定位各自的服务和干预措施 （学术、研究、宣传、社区倡议、营销和业务发展），以1）加强 在疫情期间为生产、分销和营销活动提供支持;以及2）提供 为农业综合企业和政策制定者提供循证建议和业务战略，以确保 经济稳定和粮食安全。