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Journal of the Selva Andina Biosphere

versión impresa ISSN 2308-3867versión On-line ISSN 2308-3859

J. Selva Andina Biosph. vol.9 no.1 La Paz  2021

https://doi.org/10.36610/j.jsab.2021.090100064 

Scientific Letter

Paradigms of the agricultural system in times of COVID-19

Luis Edgar Blanco-Capia1  * 
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6591-4530

1Universidad Técnica de Oruro. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Naturales. Departamento de Agricultura. Ciudadela Universitaria, avenida Dehene entre Román Koslowki. Oruro, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia.


Mr. Editor.

Until the end of the 20th century, world agriculture underwent a transition towards a new technological paradigm, very different from that of the green revolution, based on the current “bio” revolutions, in which human beings have transformed biodiversity by placing it at their service1. In this context, the agriculture of the XXI century begins to live a new revolution, broader, deeper than the previous ones: an organizational revolution, of knowledge management and convergences between the different technologies. We live in a world with increasingly scarce resources, not only due to extraction, use but also due to the contamination and destruction of different ecosystems in the environment1. Thus, the food industry, in general, seeks to adapt its reality, aspects such as the supply chain, the value chain, and consumer preferences, with possible entrepreneurial opportunities2.

As of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has definitely taken the world by surprise, be it due to the speed of expansion, the high rate of morbidity and mortality, or other health factors3. Determining that all countries are vulnerable, mainly to suffer food insecurity4, particularly those in development1. On the other hand, the rural productive projects try to maintain themselves, but without economic development5. This complicated health period brings with it not only a health crisis but also a social one, which requires a change in the economic model1. Causing a decrease in economic activity, a fall in prices of primary products, the interruption of global value chains6, which represent potentially catastrophic financial, ecological, and social impacts7. Being somewhat clear, that all analysts agree "the world will not be the same as before the pandemic"3, that is, we live and will live in a world full of uncertainties.

The agricultural sector in Bolivia, as in many countries, is a strategic sector for its economy, it provides basic products for food, raw materials, and inputs for the transformation of food products, likewise, some products through exports generate foreign exchange8. However, it faces various environmental threats and in recent years, biological threats, which have caused economic damage to agricultural production, specifically during the 2019-2020 agricultural cycle, agro-productive systems were indirectly affected by conflicts post-election social (November - December 2019) and the Covid-198 health crisis, which increased poverty and aggravated inequalities1, since it affected the provision of agricultural inputs, the collection, marketing, distribution, and consumption, due to the fact that the main crops such as potatoes, corn, barley, quinoa, corn among others were in the middle of the harvest process, the commercialization of fruits such as prickly pear, peach, grape, avocado, among others, were in full commercialization8. As a result of the delicate situation, the food industry will have to adjust to the new reality2. Consequently, there is an urgent need to guide policies, programs, and projects to strengthen the country's agro-productive systems, improve the food transport system, support technical assistance, incorporate alliances with international cooperation8, seek strategies of an online model to engage the consumer9.

Finally, this new paradigm also develops at a time when science and technology are beginning to seek new convergences with systemic approaches. It is time to reflect, change the model and paradigm1, planning structural policies in the food industry that allow the implementation of digital solutions, with the aim of promoting productive development10. Therefore, in the context of the pandemic, it should be taken as an unprecedented opportunity to rethink the way our food systems work7. Therefore, more resilient systems must be generated and risk management improved7,10, providing support to producers, so that they continue with the supply, considering biosecurity measures throughout the production chain4, from the generation of mate-rial premium to the consumer in fresh or processed products, in short, seek economic reactivation.

REFERENCES

1. Rojo-Gutiérrez MA, Bonilla DM. COVID-19: La necesidad de un cambio de paradigma económico y social. Cienc 2020;9(2):77-88. DOI: http://doi.org/10.33210/ca.v9i2.288Links ]

2. Fuentes-Pérez EM. La industria alimentaria frente a la nueva normalidad post COVID-19. Cienc 2020;9(2):45-50. DOI: http://doi.org/10.33210/ca.v9i2.290Links ]

3. Foladori G, Delgado-Wise R. Para comprender el impacto disruptivo de la covid-19, un análisis desde la crítica de la economía política. Migr Desarro 2020;18(34):161-78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35533/myd.1834.gf.rdwLinks ]

4. Moreno-Salazar-Calderón KAB, Lanchipa-Ale TM, Luque-Zúñiga BG. Seguridad alimentaria en tiempos de COVID-19: Una visión desde la cadena productiva de recursos hidrobiológicos. Estudios del Desarrollo Social 2021;9(1):e21. [ Links ]

5. Torres Díaz SI, Guerrero Torres HJ. Efectos económicos de la pandemia de Covid-19 y desarrollo de las asociaciones productivas rurales de Los Ríos. J of Sci and Res 2020;5(1):1-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4725556Links ]

6. América Latina y el Caribe ante la pandemia del COVID-19: Efectos económicos y sociales [Internet]. Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe. 2020 citado 5 de marzo de 2021]. Recuperado a partir de: https://repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/handle/11362/45337/6/S2000264_es.pdfLinks ]

7. Luiselli Fernández C. La pandemia del Covid-19: los sistemas y la seguridad alimentaria en América Latina. Economía UNAM 2020;17(51):168-79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22201/fe.24488143e.2020.51.555Links ]

8. Mendoza Luzcuber OJ, Pérez Albrecht R, Estrada MA, Condori Miranda P. Diagnóstico efectos COVID-19 en la producción agropecuaria y seguridad alimentaria [Internet]. La Paz: Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura; 2020 [citado 20 de mayo de 2021]. Recuperado a partir de: https://www.ruralytierras.gob.bo/uploads/d_covid.pdfLinks ]

9. Ortega-Vivanco M. Efectos del Covid-19 en el comportamiento del consumidor: Caso Ecuador. Retos 2020;10(20):233-47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17163/ret.n20.2020.03Links ]

10. Agudelo M, Chomali E, Suniaga J, Núñez G, Jordán V, Rojas F, et al. Las oportunidades de la digitalización en América Latina frente al COVID-19 [Internet]. Corporación Andina de Fomento. 2020 [citado 18 de abril de 2021]. Recuperado a partir de: https://repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/handle/11362/45360/4/OportDigitalizaCovid-19_es.pdfLinks ]

ID of article:

5106/JSAB/2021

Conflicts of interest

6Declaro no tener ningún conflicto de intereses, ni haber recibido ningún tipo de financiación pública y/o privada para la realización del presente manuscrito.

Ethical considerations

7Declaro no mantener ningún conflicto ético con el contenido del presente documento.

Editor's Note:

8 Journal of the Selva Andina Biophere (JSAB) remains neutral with respect to jurisdictional claims published on maps and institutional affiliations.

Received: March 01, 2021; Revised: March 01, 2021; Accepted: April 01, 2021

*Contact address: Luis Edgar Blanco-Capia Oruro Technical University. Faculty of Agrarian and Natural Sciences. Agriculture department. University Citadel, Dehene avenue between Román Koslowki. Oruro, Plurinational State of Bolivia Telephone: +591 2 52 64677. Tel Fax +591 2 52 61645. Mobile: +591 718 84968. E-mail: luis.blanco.capia@gmail.com

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