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Ensuring Food Supply and Security During Localised Lockdowns: An Information and Technology-Based Approach

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Abstract

A pandemic crisis inevitably puts great pressure on different aspects of societal and commercial infrastructure. Paths for information and goods designed and optimised for stable conditions may fail to meet the needs of emergency situations, whether suddenly imposed or planned. This chapter discusses the effects of the 2020 pandemic on food supply chains. These issues are considered as problems of information sharing and systemic behaviour with implications for both people and technology. Based on work in Wolverhampton, UK, the effect of the 2020 lockdown period on local businesses and charities is considered. In response to these observations, the design and development of Lupe, a prototype application to support the distribution and trading of food during periods of lockdown, is described. The aim of the system is to integrate the needs of consumers, businesses, and third sector organisations. The use of blockchain technology in the Lupe system to provide appropriate functionality and security for data is explored. Initial evaluations of the prototype by stakeholders are also included.

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Rarely have studies focused on the second- and third-order effects of pandemics. Limiting the disruption of critical infrastructures during a pandemic is important for the survival and health of society (i.e., electricity, water, and food) as most medical and public health responses to a pandemic depend on these infrastructures. The studies that have looked at this issue have highlighted alarming gaps in preparedness. This study used a system dynamics model to demonstrate the likely effects of a pandemic on the USA’s food system. The model reveals that a severe pandemic with greater than a 25 % reduction in labor availability can create significant and widespread food shortages. The Ebola epidemic that began in 2014 has caused severe food shortages in West Africa, which are similar to the effects that this model predicts in the USA. The likely effects of the reduction in the amount of available food are difficult to specifically predict; however, it is likely to have severe negative consequences on society. The resilience of the food system must be improved against this hazard and others.
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