Qualitative assessment of COVID-19 impacts on aquatic food value chains in Bangladesh. May-Sept 2020. (Program report.)

This qualitative study focuses on the pandemic's impact on the aquatic food value chains that make up a large part of the Bangladesh' food system and specifically aims to explore in greater depth the pathways by which aquatic food supply chain actors in Bangladesh are affected by COVID-19. It details the pandemic's effects on (i) input suppliers and the increases in input costs, decreases in input availability and accessibility, decline in seed and feed demand, sales volumes and safe prices, financial losses and lower production;(ii) producers and decreases in input affordability, availability, and accessibility, low sales prices and volumes, decreased harvests and impacts on livelihoods;(iii) retailers and wholesalers;(iv) consumer behaviour and social capital, debt, government and non-governmental support. Telephone interviews were conducted with participants of various actor types from all eight divisions of Bangladesh.