Socioeconomic impact of Covid-19 on the agricultural and agroforestry systems of Irrigation District 005, Chihuahua

Abstract

In 2019, a virus of unknown etiology appeared in Wuhan, China, causing acute pneumonia in the human population, spreading rapidly in the world; therefore, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. The research aimed to evaluate the socioeconomic impact that the Covid-19 pandemic had on the producers of the agricultural and agroforestry systems of the Irrigation District 005 Delicias, Chihuahua, Mexico. Data collection was through direct and electronic surveys via Google forms to agricultural and pecan (Carya illinoinensis) producers as an agroforestry system. Chi-squared, absolute frequency, relative frequency, and significance level analyses were performed. The results indicated that 49% considered that their productive activity was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; 28.1% indicated that there were problems in obtaining labor because people who came from outside the state did not show up to work; 20.8% indicated that the carriers increased their prices and stopped their activities for short periods; 37.5% indicated that the price of inputs increased by more than 30% from their usual price; 35.4% indicated a decrease in production because fewer inputs were applied to the soil; 48.4% mentioned that sales decreased by 5% to 10%. Compared to the impact on other agroforestry systems in different parts of Latin America, Irrigation District 005 was impacted socially and economically in terms of labor shortages, transportation problems, price increases, and input shortages.