Inside Zambia's ‘new normal:’ COVID‐19 policy responses and implications for peri‐urban food security and livelihoods

This paper explores COVID‐19 policy responses and experiences of their impact on food systems and livelihoods, and other factors shaping vulnerability among peri‐urban small‐scale farmers in Zambia. We draw on household surveys and case studies, multi‐level interviews and group discussions to make sense of ‘new normal’ policy (in)action and its (in) effectiveness in shaping peri‐urban production, market linkages and livelihoods during the pandemic. Results show COVID‐19 policy responses affected peri‐urban production supply and demand for food and inputs. The ‘new normal’ policy responses aimed at striking a balance between health concerns and economic development as a pathway to recovery have not been followed by systematic peri‐urban agriculture support, leading to failure to stimulate production and drive urban market linkages, including supermarkets. Findings bring nuance to fragilities in national food systems and the need for long‐term and transformative interventions that can strengthen peri‐urban agriculture and livelihoods beyond the pandemic.