During the lockdown, people stay at home unless there's an emergency. Market places are shut down. Kitchen markets and super-shops are open for a short span. Evidently, the lockdown has compelled people to buy less.

During this unusual phase, two behavioural trends are noteworthy. Consumers are trying to be minimalistic in choosing their priority items. They are less attentive in buying perishable agricultural produces. Households are also sceptical of eating fresh vegetables when they are repeatedly told to wash vegetables to avoid health hazards. However, the vegetables and local fruits that are grown to reach the table have very little shelf-life and are becoming a headache for farmers. How far consumers are concerned about those colourful sources of nutrition that could strengthen their immune system?

The supplies of perishable items in the capital, dietary behaviour, and access to the market of harvestable vegetables have put producers and consumers at risk from economic and nutrition point of views. PART II has conducted a rapid assessment with NEXEL Research LTD to highlight the constraints which could be supportive for market actors as well as policymakers. This assessment covered the majority's perceptions of changing dietary patterns during this pandemic and how this will have a negative impact on the immune system and the challenges marginal vegetable producers are dealing with.

As part of the research, a couple of questions were asked to dwellers of Dhaka city. An electronic version of the questionnaire was sent to the city dwellers using web-based platform. City dwellers from 27 areas came back with their answers. The average age of the respondents is 39 years of which 54.5 percent are female. It is obvious that the participants are all able to use the internet and modern communication tools thus representing the educated middle class.

While they have reduced buying vegetables, 45.5 percent of respondents identified this as due to the unavailability of fresh vegetables in the market, 37.5 percent of the respondents said that they are not finding their preferred items through existing sources.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 51.8 of Bangladesh's people are in agriculture work. 60 percent of these functional farmers are sharecroppers. While sustainability in farming is a major challenge in a fragile market like ours, farmers have been coping with this fragility with their sweat and efficiency by diversifying the crop yields.

Fresh vegetables and indigenous fruits such as banana, papaya, guava, watermelon, mango, and litchi are becoming increasingly popular in agriculture. Especially in the field of vegetable cultivation, the nature of Bangladesh's land is very favourable in size. In the past few years, there has been a significant diversity in the cultivation of vegetables, farmers are getting good prices from summer tomato or capsicum which are high-valued crops. International Food and Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) shows in research (Desirable Dietary Pattern and Actual Food Intake) that during 2011-12 to 2015 average Bangladeshis have increased fruits and vegetable intake (fruits 35 g from 10 g, leafy vegetable 41 g from 38 g) in both the cases desirable daily intake should be 100 g. While this change in diet was making us optimistic, the corona will inevitably interrupt this trend.

The findings from the rapid assessment are quite alarming. During this crisis, when half of the city dwellers are unable to buy their preferred fresh vegetables, at that very moment farmers are worried about getting into the market with huge harvestable crops in the field. The assessment team interviewed the farmers randomly from four major vegetable growing regions: Jessore, Bogra-Sirajganj, Narshingdi, and Manikganj over the phone through a set of questionnaires.

The calls were made to the farmers, where the primary list was prepared from different farmers' groups. The average volume of sales from vegetables of these farmers from last season was Tk 76,000. The telephone interview was conducted on April 13 and 14. These farmers were asked about the crops that need to be harvested during the next four weeks in a row (weekly forecast). It is found that on average a single farmer has 415 kgs of the pointed gourd (potol), 16 kgs red amaranths, 117 kgs of bottle gourd, 305 kgs of bitter gourd, 340 kgs of eggplant, and 200 kgs of tomatoes on the field. Many of them have sponge gourd, okra, drumstick, pumpkin. However, on average they have more than 2,500 kgs of different harvestable vegetables on the farm.

An important part of this assessment is the use of a new tool in qualitative research methodology. On April 15 a panel discussion was conducted to validate the data derived from the quantitative assessment. The panel consisted of farmers who participated in the data collection process (Rofikul Islam, Jessore) and outside the process of the aforementioned region (Shoriful, Rajshahi). A nutrition expert (Dr Shaiqa Siraj, Country Director, Nutrition International) joined as one of the panellists to provide her professional views.

This panel discussion was broadcasted live on Facebook for about an hour to make it inclusive and validate the findings and the trends. This initiative proved to be very effective when participants and Facebook users expressed their concern about the issues of farmers. It brought the farmers and consumers in a platform where clarifications were given by the nutrition expert about the consumption of vegetables during this amid risk of contamination. Dr Saiqa reminded us that WHO guidelines say that vegetables should be washed with soapy water at least for 30 seconds. She remarked that the way Bangladeshi cuisines are prepared (temperature) is perfectly safe. Dr Saiqa categorically mentioned that seasonal vegetables and fruits are essential to fight against any outbreak during that season.

Two important issues came up in the live broadcast. Due to the disruption of the supply chain, regional intermediaries and whole sellers (aaratdar) are being encouraged to sell the purchased vegetables to the local retailers. By doing so, small farmers who sell their commodities in the local market are facing another level of competition. The other factor is many city dwellers have returned to their area on the eve of lockdown. In that case, some level of demand creation is observed in the local market. However, that volume is not equal to the size of the national supply chain. Both of these findings were not revealed during the data collection process.  During the panel discussion, many consumers expressed their concerns about what will happen to the long awaiting seasonal fruits like watermelon, litchis, mango if this situation prevails.   

The assessment, conducted within a short period, confirms a couple of hypotheses. Fresh vegetables and fruits are the most dependable option for nutrition and immunity. The farmers of Bangladesh are ready with the supplies. There is no risk if these fresh vegetables and fruits are consumed if proper hygiene is maintained. For that consumers must rethink. Reaching these perishable items to the consumers' table is not too difficult. Many innovative entrepreneurs have begun to work out alternative ways during social distancing.

Outside the established vendors, new actors (online vendors) are overcoming this challenge through innovation. To reduce the health risks, eat fresh vegetables and reduce the economic risks for farmers.

Nazbul H Khan, founder and CEO, PART II.