Abstract:
Measures adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and economic shocks caused by the pandemic have affected food networks globally, including wild meat trade networks that support the livelihoods and food security of millions of people around the world. In this article, we examine how COVID-related shocks have affected the vulnerability and coping strategies of different actors along wild meat trade networks. Informed by 1,876 questionnaires carried out with wild meat hunters, traders, vendors, and consumers in Cameroon, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Guyana, the article presents qualitative evidence as to how COVID-19 impacted different segments of society involved in wild meat trade networks. Our findings largely align with McNamara et al. (2020) and Kamogne Tagne et al.\'s (2022) causal model hypothesising how the impacts of the pandemic could lead to a change in local incentives for wild meat hunting in sub-Saharan African countries. Like McNamara et al. (2020) and Kamogne Tagne et al. (2022), we find that the pandemic reduced wild meat availability for wild meat actors in urban areas while increasing reliance on wild meat for subsistence purposes in rural areas. However, we find some impact pathways to be more relevant than others, and also incorporate additional impact pathways into the existing causal model. Based on our findings, we argue that wild meat serves as an important safety net in response to shocks for some actors in wild meat trade networks. We conclude by advocating for policies and development interventions that seek to improve the safety and sustainability of wild meat trade networks and protect access to wild meat as an environmental coping strategy during times of crisis.
摘要:
为防止COVID-19的传播和大流行造成的经济冲击而采取的措施影响了全球的食品网络,包括支持世界各地数百万人生计和粮食安全的野生肉类贸易网络。在这篇文章中,我们研究了与COVID相关的冲击如何影响野生肉类贸易网络中不同行为者的脆弱性和应对策略。通过对野生肉类猎人进行的1876份问卷,贸易商,供应商,和喀麦隆的消费者,哥伦比亚,刚果民主共和国(DRC)还有圭亚那,本文提供了关于COVID-19如何影响参与野生肉类贸易网络的社会不同阶层的定性证据。我们的发现在很大程度上与McNamara等人一致。(2020)和KamogneTagne等人。(2022)的因果模型假设大流行的影响如何导致撒哈拉以南非洲国家野生肉类狩猎的当地动机发生变化。像麦克纳马拉等人一样。(2020)和KamogneTagne等人。(2022),我们发现,大流行减少了城市地区野生肉类行为者的野生肉类供应,同时增加了农村地区对野生肉类维持生计的依赖。然而,我们发现一些影响途径比其他途径更相关,并将其他影响路径纳入现有的因果模型。根据我们的发现,我们认为,野生肉类是应对野生肉类贸易网络中一些参与者的冲击的重要安全网。最后,我们倡导政策和发展干预措施,以寻求改善野生肉类贸易网络的安全性和可持续性,并保护野生肉类的获取,作为危机时期的环境应对策略。