How COVID-19 Influences the Food Supply Chain: An Empirical Investigation of Developing Countries

A supply chain is a network of organizations that due to globalization are all deeply connected. If there is a disruption to one of those organizations, it can destroy the system, which will ultimately influence the economy and especially the population. It has been found that COVID-19 has negatively affected most nations around the globe. Developing countries have suffered the most due to a lack of resources. After an extensive literature review, it can be concluded that the greatest challenges were experienced in the food supply chain; industries were halted, but people needed enough food to survive. This study aimed to verify the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and food supply chain of Iraq. Six hypotheses were developed and data were collected from the Iraqi food supply chain. The data were cleaned and then analyzed through SmartPLS. It was found that COVID-19 has caused a high rate of inflation and decreased the human development index rate. Although several countries have lowered their interest rate, the advantages of this have failed to reach ordinary people. This study will help the government and managers in the food supply chain industry in their decision-making processes. The study will also support researchers in developing new theories in this regard.