Resilience. The COVID-19 Crisis and Agricultural and Forestry Value Chains – Lessons Learnt

This study addresses the question of how resilient biomass-based value chains are in Austria and how this resilience can be strengthened and improved. To answer this question, three objectives are pursued: first, lessons are drawn from the COVID-19 crisis that affect the agriculture and forestry sector, the food value chain (including gastronomy, catering, mass catering), and the forestry and timber cluster in Austria. Second, knowledge gaps will be filled that were already visible before the COVID-19 crisis and whose urgency is now evident. Third, proposals for measures will be developed to make the agriculture, forestry and food sector more resilient and at the same time support the adaptation processes necessary for the transformation. The results will contribute to a better scientific understanding of the impacts of a pandemic and lead to concrete recommendations.