Gendered Impacts of COVID-19 on Income, Coping Strategies and Food Stockpiling: The Case of Ethiopia
Date
2022-10
Authors
Kebede, Sindu W.
Maruta, Admasu A.
Geda, Nigatu R.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Economic Research Consortium
Abstract
The novel coronavirus pandemic emerged since late 2019 and continues to spread
rapidly throughout the globe. In Ethiopia, the first Coronavirus case was reported
on March 13, 2020, and the number of cases has continued to increase afterwards. A
covariate shock like COVID-19 influence livelihoods in general and income of various
segments of the population in particular. This study examines heterogeneous impacts
of COVID-19 on households’ income, households’ coping strategies and consumers’ food
stockpiling behavior using gender differentiated approach and taking Ethiopia as a case.
Data from two-round phone surveys of individuals was used. In the first round of the
survey, 1,037 respondents were interviewed from April 2020 in urban and rural areas of
Ethiopia. A follow-up telephone survey was conducted in October 2021 on a sub-set of
sampled respondents from the first round of the survey. In the second round telephone
survey, 453 interviews were conducted urban and peri-urban areas of Ethiopia.
Findings from the study indicated that COVID-19 and its containment measures have
substantially impacted income of male-headed households compared to female-headed
households. About 50% and 44% of male-headed and female-headed households,
respectively, were affected by income reduction induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both male and female respondents reported saving as the most commonly used coping
strategy against income decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a lower
percentage of females used savings as the primary coping strategy than males. This
result could be strongly linked with the existing gender disparity in financial inclusion
in Ethiopia. In addition, variations are observed across male and female respondents.
About 25% of male-headed and female-headed households have stockpiled food items
since the release of the news about the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the pandemic has
widened the difference in hours spent on reproductive and domestic activities among
male-headed and female-headed households. While the number of hours spent per day
on reproductive activities for men increased only from 1.63 before the pandemic to 1.8
during the pandemic, for women, the reported increase is from 3.8 to 4.4 hours per day.
This is a significant increase for women respondents as compared to men respondents.
Hence, it is important to initiate revolutionary change for equality by addressing
issues related to reproductive and domestic activities, such as, monetization and
recognition of these activities. It is evident that, in the home, women perform the bulk
of reproductive activities (e.g., childcare and caring for the sick) and domestic activities
(e.g., house cleaning and cooking). Although these jobs are unpaid and invisible, they
are fundamental aspects of daily life in particular and the entire economy in general.