The Effect of COVID-19 on Farmers in India

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020, the pandemic has caused more than 1 million deaths and overwhelmed healthcare systems around the world. It has been particularly devastating for developing countries, which are now expected to have markedly increased poverty. This project will provide insights into how Covid-19 has affected mental health and production among farmers in India. We will focus on the impact of Covid-19 on: i) agriculture in terms of production and income expectations, aspirations and actual changes in agricultural income and efforts, and on: ii) the mental health and well-being of farmers. Although the proportion of studies of Covid-19 is increasing, the majority focus on high-income countries. There is virtually no research that, using large amounts of data, studies the effects of Covid-19 on farmers' mental health and production. This project will use representative data from the Indian state of Odisha, collected both before (with funding) and after Covid-19, including 20 weeks after the outbreak of the pandemic. By studying these issues, we intend not only to understand the short-term and long-term consequences of pandemics on mental health and agricultural production, but also to identify ways in which these can be counteracted in the future. Understanding and managing the negative effects of Covid-19 will be crucial in preventing far-reaching consequences for the well-being and poverty of people and societies in the future. collected both before (with funding) and after Covid-19, including 20 weeks after the outbreak of the pandemic. By studying these issues, we intend not only to understand the short-term and long-term consequences of pandemics on mental health and agricultural production, but also to identify ways in which these can be counteracted in the future. Understanding and managing the negative effects of Covid-19 will be crucial in preventing far-reaching consequences for the well-being and poverty of people and societies in the future. collected both before (with funding) and after Covid-19, including 20 weeks after the outbreak of the pandemic. By studying these issues, we intend not only to understand the short-term and long-term consequences of pandemics on mental health and agricultural production, but also to identify ways in which these can be counteracted in the future. Understanding and managing the negative effects of Covid-19 will be crucial in preventing far-reaching consequences for the well-being and poverty of people and societies in the future.