How can a Country Market support a local community during COVID-19?

As our local communities navigate through the current global crisis, it is clear that rural areas of Ireland are among those who bear especially serious social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We observe the measures, including the restriction of people’s movement, physical isolation and even complete lockdowns being recurrently taken to contain the spread of the virus.

Although necessary, these limitations have an enormous impact on the economic situation and well-being of local communities and businesses.

Small businesses in rural areas and local producers in the agricultural sector who depend on a constant income stream are in especially difficult positions. The challenges faced prior to the pandemic still remain, and now new challenges have emerged, further weakening sectors that already have been struggling.

In the light of limited opportunities for expanding to new markets and under the pressure of current restrictions, many small businesses struggle for survival. The knock-on effect caused by the demise of businesses in rural areas can have dramatic consequences for local economies, where small organisations, family firms and agricultural producers are often substantial players and employers.

Additionally, the social distancing impositions impact the communities on social and cultural levels. Personal interactions are becoming more limited than ever, as being in close proximity to people causes stress and concern of virus transmission.

Despite mobilising all available resources to support business and social spheres of life in rural areas, the government predicts that the consequences of the current pandemic for rural communities and economies are going to be severe, as many local businesses will be slow to open back up, some may never open back at all, and many social habits will have to change to respect the new regulations.

Therefore, it is the time for rural communities in Ireland to seek solutions on their individual levels that can ease the negative effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic on their way of living and local economy. Creating new local markets and trading opportunities for small businesses and local agricultural producers seems like a good example of the type of actions communities can take.

Creating new shopping habits involving application of social distancing measures and encouraging buyers to choose shops and producers closer to home is vital, on the one hand for the long-term survival of many small businesses, and on the other for containing the spread of the virus. Additionally, ensuring safe and responsible opportunities for social interactions helps to support the community spirit so traditional in small towns and villages, and now more than ever important, especially for those who are living isolated in these difficult times.