WASH, foodways, markets, women and COVID-19 in Vanuatu

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has shocked global and regional economies. Although at this stage the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) have recorded only a smaller number of COVID-19 cases, many countries have declared a state of public health emergency and implemented numerous mitigation measure, such as border closures, lockdowns, curfews, social distancing measures, hygiene promotion campaigns and, in some cases, restrictions on the movement of people and goods. Many PICs have a narrow economic base and have suffered from a decline in overall economic activity, disruptions to supply chains, and job losses (DFAT, 2020). The pandemic is exacerbating pre-existing inequalities, particularly gender inequality (CARE, 2020; UN Women, 2020), and exposing vulnerabilities in social, political, economic, and biodiversity systems. Dampened economic activity, in particular, has serious repercussions for the developmental outcomes of PICs and their ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Lockdowns and disruptions have revealed the fragility of people’s access to essential goods and services, especially health systems, safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, and food systems. In all these areas, critical weaknesses, inequalities, and inequities have come to light.

Food supply chains are of particular concern, proving vulnerable to various COVID-19 induced challenges. In the short food supply chains that dominate many PICs food systems, vulnerabilities have developed due to temporary closures and restrictions imposed on informal markets, as well as a drop in demand due to economic conditions.  Numerous restrictions have been imposed on key markets in some PICs, such as Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. Such measures stem from the risks posed by markets due to their high density, often poor WASH service availability, and low capacity to enforce hygiene and social distancing.

Markets are a key driver of economic prosperity in PICs  that provide a much needed source of income for the most vulnerable members of society – workers in the informal economy generally and women more specifically.  Markets are important reservoirs of resilience and sustainable economic practices, enhancing self-reliance and supporting not just economic but social and cultural well-being by nourishing rural (island) and urban (town) linkages. Importantly, markets are a crucial source of food security (especially in urban and peri-urban locales) and remain the principal means by which many people in urban and peri-urban areas  obtain their food (World Vision, 2018). Elsewhere in the world, informal market restrictions and closures due to COVID-19 are disrupting the availability of affordable and nutritional food (IPES, 2020), and there is concern that this may occur in PICs (United Nations, 2020).

In addition to the informal market sector, other critical agricultural domains include rural cooperatives  and the cattle industry, both of which are important revenue sources at household, community and national levels. These combined arenas – informal markets, cooperatives, cattle farming, and short food supply chains – make-up the most salient features of Vanuatu’s foodways. However, the WASH situation in these contexts remain little understood. Moreover, real challenges surround the question of how best to effectively address WASH in these settings and also how to balance roles and responsibilities between the public, business, and government. Given that washing hands with soap and clean water is one of the first lines of defence against COVID-19 addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, including those with inadequate access to water, is essential in effectively preventing COVID-19. Filling current WASH gaps in these areas is an important first step.