Produce What is Consumed or Consume What is Produced : Importance of Regional Self-Sufficiency (RSS) Model in Managing COVID-19 Pandemic

The novel human coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic coupled with the enforced lockdown to contain its spread has wrecked unequivocal havoc on the economy front in which the agriculture sector is no exception. Though the Union Government in India rightly kept agricultural activities out of the lockdown purview with relaxed norms, the supply-chain disruptions have had impacted both the delivery of inputs as well as the marketing of harvested produce. Limitations in mobility seem to be the major reason for the economic losses incurred due to the ongoing pandemic. With rising trend of urbanization, it is always possible for the producers and consumers to fall apart further. With neither the demand getting fulfilled nor the surplus being liquidated, farmers would be at the receiving end in such a scenario. In this connection, we have deliberated the importance of the Regional Self-Sufficiency (RSS) model wherein production and consumption needs are met within the region and only the surplus moves outside. This way, not only the demand fluctuations can be addressed but also the food scarcity woes can be minimized. Further, the strategies for implementing the RSS model have been also been elaborated and shown in a way to tilt the terms-of-trade in favour of agriculture