ICT solutions to support local food supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Main Authors: Anuj Mittal, Jason Grimm
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thomas A. Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems 2020-11-01
• Series: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
• Subjects: Local Food; Farmers Market; COVID-19; Pandemic; Food Hub; Information and Communication Technology
• Online Access: https://foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/893

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted food supply chains operations across the globe. Due to health safety practices like social distancing, local food supply chains such as farmers markets and food hubs are unable to conduct normal operations. This paper describes two low-cost information and communica­tion technology (ICT) solutions developed for a farmers market and a food hub in Iowa to enable them to continue their operations during the pandemic while ensuring the safety of vulnerable consumers and essential workers. Other benefits of ICT for the long-term sustainability of local food systems are also discussed.