Economic Impact of the Ebola Crisis on Select Liberian Markets
While the main focus of the Ebola virus disease crisis in Liberia has been around prevention, treatment, and public health, the economic impact of Ebola is also affecting the lives of the majority of Liberians. Households have less access to basic goods on the market because of reduced incomes, which is resulting in a change in eating habits; the supply of goods is constrained due to border and market closures, as well as transportation problems; and challenges in the agricultural sector may affect farmers’ ability to have a normal harvest in the upcoming planting seasons.
Some of these issues may have immediate remedies, while others will require medium to long-term interventions. If attention is not paid to the economic impact of the crisis, the situation will continue to deteriorate over the coming months.
To better understand the impacts of the Ebola crisis on households and markets in Liberia, Mercy Corps conducted an assessment in several counties October 3-13, 2014. The findings from this assessment show additional areas of need across the country and Mercy Corps is now using this information to help Liberian families, as well as lay the groundwork for early recovery in a region which has been devastated by the Ebola virus.
