The collapse of Australia’s of largest cold-chain refrigeration transport company will be an inconvenience. But it will only be a disaster if shoppers make it so.
As with so many staples and foods in the past two years – lettuce, milk and eggs to name a few – the problem is a temporary imbalance between supply and demand. Here’s what’s happening with potatoes.
Food supply chains had already taken a serious hit by panic-purchasing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The B.C. floods remind us how effective supply chain management planning can help avert crises.
There are many hard lessons learned from the pandemic; one is that our food system needs a serious reboot. Luckily, we need only look to nature’s cycles for clues on how to fix it.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has further destabilized global food chains supplies. Technological innovations like blockchain can help address these challenges.
South Africa’s food system is dominated by big firms, leaving small businesses to supply localised and under-served markets, and provide rural employment. It needs to be inclusive and diverse.
After years of food scandals caused by supply chain issues, there are hopes in some quarters that coronavirus could be the key to widespread adoption of blockchains.
Food is essential to survival. It is also essential to identity. During times of national crisis like the coronavirus pandemic and in the historical landscape, food issues become prominent.
After the brief shock of food insecurity in the form of empty supermarket shelves, we might start thinking about having a Plan B and C based on local food sources and shorter supply chains.
The demands of social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic will make it increasingly difficult for migrant agricultural workers to meet their basic needs.
Chartering flights during travel bans and national lockdowns is a dangerous reminder of how exploitative labour overrides political and public health responsibility.
Africa’s industries are not growing at the same pace as its cities, leaving the informal economy as the main source of income for many. COVID-19 lockdowns have cut this umbilical cord.