When borders close: Social networks, resilience and food security among informal cross-border fish traders on the Ghana-Togo border

IF 2.2 Q3 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Maïlys Rouillé, Ragnhild Overå, Amy Atter
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Cross-border fish trade contributes to regional food security and is a source of income for informal traders. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the activities of cross-border traders were severely affected. Lockdowns and border closures limited the movement of people and goods, hindering regional trade. The study builds on a survey using semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews conducted in Ghana in 2021 and examines the impacts of the Ghana-Togo border closure on informal cross-border female fish traders’ livelihoods and food security. The findings demonstrate that despite traders’ great efforts to keep their businesses afloat, the border closure affected the traders’ mobility, trade routes, trade volumes, and incomes, which in turn negatively affected the variety and quality of their households’ diets. However, the study also documents how traders were able to implement different strategies to cope with the difficult situation by activating and extending trust-based social networks crucial for trade. The authors therefore conclude that the social embeddedness of fish traders’ informal economic activities was decisive for the resilience of the cross-border trade system during the pandemic, which at least to some degree mitigated the negative effects on traders’ livelihoods and food security.

Abstract Image

当边界关闭时:加纳-多哥边境非正规跨境鱼商的社会网络、复原力和粮食安全
跨境水产品贸易有助于地区粮食安全,也是非正规贸易商的收入来源。在 COVID-19 大流行期间,跨境贸易商的活动受到严重影响。封锁和关闭边境限制了人员和货物的流动,阻碍了地区贸易。本研究以 2021 年在加纳进行的半结构式问卷调查和深入访谈为基础,探讨了加纳-多哥边境关闭对非正式跨境女性鱼商的生计和粮食安全的影响。研究结果表明,尽管贸易商为维持生意付出了巨大努力,但边境关闭影响了贸易商的流动性、贸易路线、贸易量和收入,进而对其家庭饮食的种类和质量产生了负面影响。不过,研究也记录了贸易商如何通过激活和扩展对贸易至关重要的基于信任的社会网络,实施不同的策略来应对困难局面。因此,作者得出结论认为,鱼商非正规经济活动的社会嵌入性对大流行病期间跨境贸易体系的复原力起到了决定性作用,至少在一定程度上减轻了对鱼商生计和粮食安全的负面影响。
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来源期刊
Maritime Studies
Maritime Studies ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES-
CiteScore
4.90
自引率
11.80%
发文量
37
期刊介绍: Maritime Studies is an international peer-reviewed journal on the social dimensions of coastal and marine issues throughout the world. The journal is a venue for theoretical and empirical research relevant to a wide range of academic social science disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, geography, history and political science. Space is especially given to develop academic concepts and debate. We invite original research papers, reviews and viewpoints and welcome proposals for special issues that make a distinctive contribution to contemporary discussion around maritime and coastal use, development and governance. The journal provides a rigorous but constructive review process and rapid publication, and is accessible to new researchers, including postgraduate students and early career academics.
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