Impacts of COVID-19 on agriculture and food systems in Pacific Island countries (PICs): Evidence from communities in Fiji and Solomon Islands

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Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

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Paper Summary

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Island Time, Farming Time: How COVID lockdowns boosted gardens but shrunk food variety in the Pacific

COVID-19 lockdowns and related interventions in Fiji and the Solomon Islands led to increased household food production from home gardens, but dietary diversity decreased. Households shifted towards traditional food systems and relied on cultural practices like bartering and resource sharing to cope with economic hardships.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Weaknesses

Difficulty isolating specific COVID-19 impacts

The study acknowledges pre-existing challenges in Pacific Island Countries (PICs) such as declining agricultural production, hunger, malnutrition, and reliance on imported foods. These pre-existing challenges make it difficult to isolate the specific impacts of COVID-19 and related interventions.

Limited quantitative data

The study relies heavily on qualitative data from focus group discussions and interviews. While valuable, qualitative data can be subjective and may not be generalizable to the broader population.

Limited measure of dietary quality

The dietary diversity score (DDS) is a useful but limited measure of dietary quality. It doesn't capture information on nutrient intake or food preparation methods, which are also important factors in nutrition.

Lack of long-term perspective

The study focuses on short-term impacts of COVID-19, but the long-term effects on food systems and livelihoods are still unknown. More research is needed on the long-term effects of COVID-19 and related policies.

Rating Explanation

This is a strong study with a clear research question, relevant data collection methods, and a well-reasoned discussion of the findings. The limitations are acknowledged and do not detract significantly from the overall quality of the research.

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