Addressing the Effects of COVID-19 on Rural Areas in Low and Middle Income Countries

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Background

Rural households face various challenges while adapting to existing and emerging risks. These risks can be interpreted as a set of unprecedented shocks, defined as adverse events that cost individuals and families in terms of lack of income, reduced consumption, and the sale of assets. One of these challenges is their increased vulnerability because of poor infrastructure. Adapting to risks becomes a major activity for many families who live in rural areas of developing countries. It also takes a significant share of their income.

Health shocks are the most common unprecedented shocks and the most pressing cause for families falling into poverty. When illness or injury impairs the health of a family member or causes the welfare of the family to be lost, the family experiences high levels of vulnerability. Health shocks have been defined as unpredictable diseases that undermine people's health status, and are one of the most important factors related to poverty in these regions. Health and economic shocks can place a heavy financial burden on families, who must not only bear the costs of medical treatment but also the lack of income from incapacity for work.

Understanding these risks and related coping strategies is crucial for policymakers. This is reflected in the 2014 Global Development Report entitled Risks and Opportunities, which examines how families can cope with the wide range of risks they face. Hence, gaining a better understanding of the risks, vulnerabilities, and coping mechanisms available to deal with the wide range of health and economic shocks faced by rural households is essential in order to prioritize and properly design social safety nets.

The purpose of this Research Topic is to present results about the situation of rural communities in developing countries after COVID-19 shock. The results should relate to the following topics:

• How rural communities perceive the health shock of COVID-19;

• The level of economic vulnerability of people in rural, low-income regions in the face of COVID-19 shock;

• Governing the COVID-19 shock - how the governments are supporting residents of rural areas;

• Coping with COVID-19 shock - how have the residents adapted economically to lockdowns and restrictions that have been put in place;

• What can be done to mitigate the effects of health shocks in these communities;

• How does the COVID-19 shock affect the coping of rural communities with other shocks;

• Who are winners and losers in the period of COVID-19 shock;

• Gender and COVID-19 shock;

• Resilience with COVID-19 shock;

• Role of IT in the management and coping with COVID-19 shock.

Keywords: COVID-19, rural, risk, policy, poverty

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