| 1. |
- Abouhatab, Assem, et al.
(författare)
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Urbanization, livestock systems and food security in developing countries: A systematic review of the literature
- 2019
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 11, s. 279-299
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study systematically reviews the peer-reviewed literature on livestock production and food security in urbanizing environments of developing countries to synthesize the existing evidence and identify priorities for future research. Specifically, a systematic literature review was undertaken using PubMed, ISI Web of Science and Scopus databases over the period 1980-2017, resulting in a final number of 72 articles meeting our selection criteria. The results revealed a fragmentation in the literature, which draws from a very small number of studies, and is positioned in widely varied research areas, environments, livestock systems and consumption patterns. With such heterogeneity, drawing generalizations from the literature may be unreachable. Furthermore, the literature is largely qualitative in nature, with very few comprehensive models to capture and integrate empirical evidence. Food security was typically found to be narrowly defined, focusing primarily on interlinks with livestock supply. Considerably less attention has been given to other relevant dimensions of food security, such as accessibility, utilization and stability. Another important finding of relevance to food security is a need to address the missing middle in livestock value chains since the literature has customarily concentrated extensively on the two ends of the livestock value chain, i.e., on production and consumption, while widely ignoring other elements and actors along the value chain. A further focus on the interrelationships between livestock production, food security and urbanization in developing countries through a holistic and interdisciplinary approach is recommended. Particularly, future research aiming to understand livestock systems in the context of rapid urbanization should put more emphasis on addressing the full continuum of the livestock value chain and the four dimensions that drive food security in developing countries and how they possibly interrelate.
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| 2. |
- Abu Hatab, Assem, et al.
(författare)
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COVID-19 risk perception and food security in the MENA region: evidence from a multi-wave household survey
- 2024
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Ingår i: Food Security. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The COVID-19 pandemic had disruptive consequences for MENA countries’ agri-food value chains that exacerbated poverty and jeopardized food security. This study examines the relationship between individuals’ perception of contracting COVID-19 and their experience of food insecurity, using longitudinal data from the Combined COVID-19 MENA Monitor Household survey. It also investigates the underlying mechanisms of COVID-19 concerns and explores coping strategies employed by households to identify vulnerabilities in food security. The results provide compelling evidence of a strong association between individuals’ concern about the virus and various dimensions of food security, particularly reduced purchasing power and decreased meal frequency. Notably, this association follows an inverted U-shaped curve, with food insecurity initially increasing as worry grows, but declining after individuals contract the virus. High levels of concern were also linked to significant income decreases and worsening economic conditions. Moreover, individuals with higher concerns were more likely to rely on specific coping strategies, particularly spending savings and obtaining funds from relatives or friends. These findings underscore the need for government interventions during disease outbreaks and economic downturns to focus on alleviating individuals’ worry and fear to facilitate informed decision-making that minimizes food insecurity consequences. Additionally, the findings emphasize the need to strengthen social protection systems during public health and economic challenges to ensure food security for vulnerable populations.
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| 3. |
- Abu Hatab, Assem, et al.
(författare)
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COVID-19 risk perception and food security in the MENA region: evidence from a multi-wave household survey
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Food security. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The COVID-19 pandemic had disruptive consequences for MENA countries’ agri-food value chains that exacerbated poverty and jeopardized food security. This study examines the relationship between individuals’ perception of contracting COVID-19 and their experience of food insecurity, using longitudinal data from the Combined COVID-19 MENA Monitor Household survey. It also investigates the underlying mechanisms of COVID-19 concerns and explores coping strategies employed by households to identify vulnerabilities in food security. The results provide compelling evidence of a strong association between individuals’ concern about the virus and various dimensions of food security, particularly reduced purchasing power and decreased meal frequency. Notably, this association follows an inverted U-shaped curve, with food insecurity initially increasing as worry grows, but declining after individuals contract the virus. High levels of concern were also linked to significant income decreases and worsening economic conditions. Moreover, individuals with higher concerns were more likely to rely on specific coping strategies, particularly spending savings and obtaining funds from relatives or friends. These findings underscore the need for government interventions during disease outbreaks and economic downturns to focus on alleviating individuals’ worry and fear to facilitate informed decision-making that minimizes food insecurity consequences. Additionally, the findings emphasize the need to strengthen social protection systems during public health and economic challenges to ensure food security for vulnerable populations.
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| 4. |
- Abu Hatab, Assem, et al.
(författare)
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COVID-19 risk perception and food security in the MENA region: evidence from a multi-wave household survey
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Nature. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 16, s. 989-1008
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The COVID-19 pandemic had disruptive consequences for MENA countries’ agri-food value chains that exacerbated poverty and jeopardized food security. This study examines the relationship between individuals’ perception of contracting COVID-19 and their experience of food insecurity, using longitudinal data from the Combined COVID-19 MENA Monitor Household survey. It also investigates the underlying mechanisms of COVID-19 concerns and explores coping strategies employed by households to identify vulnerabilities in food security. The results provide compelling evidence of a strong association between individuals’ concern about the virus and various dimensions of food security, particularly reduced purchasing power and decreased meal frequency. Notably, this association follows an inverted U-shaped curve, with food insecurity initially increasing as worry grows, but declining after individuals contract the virus. High levels of concern were also linked to significant income decreases and worsening economic conditions. Moreover, individuals with higher concerns were more likely to rely on specific coping strategies, particularly spending savings and obtaining funds from relatives or friends. These findings underscore the need for government interventions during disease outbreaks and economic downturns to focus on alleviating individuals’ worry and fear to facilitate informed decision-making that minimizes food insecurity consequences. Additionally, the findings emphasize the need to strengthen social protection systems during public health and economic challenges to ensure food security for vulnerable populations.
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| 5. |
- Bostedt, Göran, 1966-, et al.
(författare)
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Agroforestry Extension and Dietary Diversity : An Analysis of the Importance of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in West Pokot, Kenya
- 2016
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 8:1, s. 271-284
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Worldwide, the challenges of nomadic, pastoralist systems are causing their slow but steady disappearance in favour of sedentary agropastoralism. This paper draws upon an existing household data set from a survey collected and organized by the Swedish non-governmental organization (NGO) Vi Agroforestry, directed at a livestock-based, agro-pastoralist area in West Pokot County, western Kenya. The study focuses on the question of food diversity and malnutrition and the role of agroforestry extension services, i.e. knowledge spread, transfer and development. Our basic hypothesis is that certain fruit and vegetable related food groups are under-consumed in West Pokot, especially in the dryland areas. The results of the study shows that agroforestry, combined with advice through extension efforts can imply a transition path for pastoralists which involves improved dietary diversity, especially concerning food groups that include roots, tubers, fruits and leafy vegetables. From the results certain restrictions that hinder this transition become clear. An important but often overlooked factor is lack of information and knowledge as a determinant of household behavior in developing countries. NGOs such as Vi Agroforestry can play an important role in overcoming this restriction by providing extension services. Developing countries in general are not information-rich environments, a fact that is especially the case for poor citizens living in rural areas. The paper illustrates that careful attention to the information and knowledge available to households is necessary when designing development cooperation.
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| 6. |
- Daum, Thomas, 1990, et al.
(författare)
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The forgotten agriculture-nutrition link: farm technologies and human energy requirements
- 2022
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 14, s. 395-409
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the quest to reduce global under- and malnutrition, which are particularly high among smallholder farmers, agriculture-nutrition linkages are receiving increasing attention. Researchers have analyzed the link between the quantity and diversity of food that farmers produce and nutritional outcomes but paid limited attention to a third agriculture-nutrition link: the link between how food is produced and nutritional outcomes. This neglect persists despite the majority of smallholder farmers relying on hand tools for farming, which implies heavy physical work and, thus, high energy requirements. To address this research gap, this study compares the energy requirements of farm households in rural Zambia that are characterized by three different levels of mechanization: hand tools, animal drought power, and tractors. 1638 days of detailed time-use and nutrition data were collected from 186 male and female adults and boys and girls during different seasons (land preparation, weeding, and harvesting/processing) using an innovative picture-based smartphone app called “Timetracker”. This data served to calculate different proxies for physical activity and energy requirements using “Ainsworth’s Compendium of Physical Activities”. The results suggest that detailed time-use data offers great potentials to study physical activity and energy requirements. The findings show strong linkages between farm technologies, physical activity levels, and energy requirements, suggesting that this agriculture-nutrition link deserves more scientific and political attention to reduce under- and malnutrition among smallholder farmers.
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| 7. |
- Daum, Thomas, 1990, et al.
(författare)
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The neglected governance challenges of agricultural mechanisation in Africa – insights from Ghana
- 2017
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 9, s. 959-979
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- After decades of neglect, agricultural mechanisation is back on the development agenda in Africa. Taking the mechanisation efforts of Ghana as an example, this paper analyses the governance challenges involved in government and private sector efforts to promote mechanisation in smallholder-based farming systems. To identify these governance challenges, this paper develops a conceptual framework that combines the agricultural innovation system approach with the concepts of New Institutional Economics. Two qualitative empirical methods were used to apply the framework: the Net-Map technique, which is a participatory mapping tool, and expert / key informant interviews. The results show that next to well-known problems such as market failures concerning access to spare-parts supplies and credit, mechanisation is constrained by missing institutions, particularly those that would be required to ensure adequate skill development of tractor-operators and technicians. In addition, exchange rate fluctuations and impeding customs practices prevent stronger private sector involvement in mechanisation. Governance challenges such as political interest and elite capture were found to limit the effectiveness of government imports of tractors and machinery. The findings suggest that instead of focusing on the supply of subsidised machinery, the government could be more effective by investing in institutional development to strengthen the agricultural innovation system for mechanisation and to support emerging private sector initiatives.
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| 8. |
- Djurle, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Addressing biohazards to food security in primary production
- 2022
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 14, s. 1475-1497
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- This review addresses ways to prepare for and to mitigate effects of biohazards on primary production of crops and livestock. These biohazards can be natural or intentional introductions of pathogens, and they can cause major economic damage to farmers, the agricultural industry, society, and international trade. Agroterrorism is the intentional introduction of animal or plant pathogens into agricultural production systems with the intention to cause socioeconomic harm and generate public fear. Although few acts of agroterrorism are reported, the threat of agroterrorism in Europe is real. New concerns about threats arise from the rapid advancements in biotechnology and emerging technologies. FORSA, an analytical framework for risk and vulnerability analysis, was used to review how to prepare for and mitigate the possible effects of natural or intentional biohazards in agricultural production. Analyzing the effects of a biohazard event involves multiple scientific disciplines. A comprehensive analysis of biohazards therefore requires a systems approach. The preparedness and ability to manage events are strengthened by bolstered farm biosecurity, increased monitoring and laboratory capacity, improved inter-agency communication and resource allocation. The focus of this review is on Europe, but the insights gained have worldwide applications. The analytical framework used here is compared to other frameworks. With climate change, Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine, the supply chains are challenged, and we foresee increasing food prices associated with social tensions. Our food supply chain becomes more fragile with more unknowns, thereby increasing the needs for risk and vulnerability analyses, of which FORSA is one example.
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| 9. |
- Djurle, Annika
(författare)
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Crop health and its global impacts on the components of food security
- 2017
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 9, s. 311-327
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The literature on the importance of plant pathogens sometimes emphasizes their possible role in historical food shortages and even in famines. Aside from such major crises, plant pathogens should also be seen as important reducers of crop performances, with impacts on system sustainability, from the ecological, agronomical, social, and economic standpoints - all contributing ultimately to affecting food security. These views need reconciliation in order to produce a clearer picture of the multidimensional effects of plant disease epidemics. Such a picture is needed for disease management today, but would also be useful for future policies. This article attempts to develop a framework that would enable assessment of the impacts of plant diseases, referred collectively to as crop health, on food security via its components. We have combined three different existing definitions of food security in order to develop a framework consisting of the following six components: (1) Availability. Primary production; (2) Availability. Import - Stockpiles; (3) Access. Physical and supply chain; (4) Access. Economic; (5) Stability of food availability; (6) Utility-Safety-Quality-Nutritive value. In this framework, components of food security are combined with three attributes of production situations: the nature of the considered crop (i.e. food- or non-food), the structure of farms (i.e. subsistence or commercial), and the structure of markets (i.e. weakly organized and local, to strongly organized and globalized). The resulting matrix: [Food security components] x [Attributes of production situations] provides a framework where the impacts of chronic, acute, and emerging plant disease epidemics on food security can be examined. We propose that, given the number of components and interactions at play, a systems modelling approach is required to address the functioning of food systems exposed to plant disease risks. This approach would have application in both the management of the current attrition of crop performances by plant diseases, and also of possible disease-induced shocks. Such an approach would also enable quantifying shifts in disease vulnerability of production situations, and therefore, of food systems, as a result of climate change, globalization, and evolving crop health.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Galli, Francesca, et al.
(författare)
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Addressing food poverty in systems : governance of food assistance in three European countries
- 2018
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 10:6, s. 1353-1370
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Emergency food poverty relief is one of the possible entry points to understanding food poverty in affluent societies, whereas the visibility of food poverty relief initiatives has evolved, together with large-scale food recovery organizations and networks aiming at reducing and valorising surplus in food systems. There is a substantial diversity of actors and resources involved, resulting in differently shaped initiatives and programs. It can be described as a continuum encompassing third sector initiatives, large and small businesses, and institutional intervention programs: by bringing together institutions, companies, organisations and civil society, public-private food assistance addresses food poverty in a way that is not viable by any of these actors alone and by adopting context specific governance arrangements. This paper contributes to this debate with the analysis of governance relations in food assistance initiatives across different European countries (Italy, The Netherlands and Ireland). By approaching food assistance from a systems perspective, we further the understanding of these initiatives and their modes of governance. The case studies offer a mapping of food assistance by identifying functions and outcomes, actors and resources involved, and the links the initiatives have to those elements, thus highlighting where collaborative food poverty reduction takes place that goes beyond traditional boundaries. Food assistance initiatives are a civil initiated response shaped by and complementing the social welfare and food systems in which they are embedded. The interpretation of food assistance functions leads to challenging the boundaries of food assistance and potentially triggering innovative approaches to improving food and nutrition security. Discussions show that while they have managed to find innovative and collaborative governance solutions to address the very immediate issues rather effectively, they do not negate the need for food system transformation to address the ultimate reasons for food poverty.
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| 12. |
- Ha, Thi Thanh Mai
(författare)
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Consumers' perceptions of food fraud in selected Southeast Asian countries: a cross sectional study
- 2024
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Ingår i: Food Security. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 16, s. 65–77-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Southeast Asia is projected to be the fourth largest economy in 2050, where agriculture and food are key sectors contributing to the regional's GDP. However, ensuring food safety and traceability remains a challenge in the region and this offers ripe opportunity for fraudsters to take advantage of the system. This study aims to provide an overview of consumers' concern about food fraud in selected countries in Southeast Asia. A cross-sectional online survey was implemented in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, yielding 1393 valid responses. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) was conducted first to reduce the large dataset containing nominal variables. After that, ordered logistic regression was performed to predict food fraud concern, with independent variables being dimensions derived from MCA, total knowledge and experience, and demographic characteristics. We found that respondents from Vietnam and Malaysia were significantly more worried about food fraud compared to other countries. Concerns about food fraud were influenced by increased demand for food fraud control, perceived risks of different types of food fraud, information sources from media and personal networks, information sources from credible organisations, and self-experience of food fraud. Practical and policy recommendations for the region were suggested. This is the first empirical study on consumers' concern about food fraud in Southeast Asia. The study embodies the UK Global Food Security and UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 2 ethos of providing the growing global population with access to safe food.
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| 13. |
- Kassie, Menale, et al.
(författare)
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Gendered food security in rural Malawi : Why is women’s food security status lower?
- 2015
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 7:6, s. 1299-1320
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gendered food security gaps between female- and male-headed households (FHHs and MHHs) can be decomposed into two sets of components: those explained by observable differences in levels of resource use, and those due to unobserved differences affecting the returns to the resources used. Employing exogenous switching ordered probit and binary probit regression models, this paper examines the gendered food security gap and its causes in rural Malawi. We conducted a counterfactual analysis and found that the food security of FHHs would improve significantly if they had the same levels of resource use as MHHs. However, even if FHHs had the same levels of resource use as MHHs, the gendered food security gap would not be closed because of the differences in the returns to those resources. Such differences in returns to resources explain 40 % (45 %) of the observed gendered chronic (transitory) food insecurity gap and 54 % (19 %) of the food break-even (surplus) gap. Further analysis suggests that the intensity with which sustainable agricultural practices have been adopted has a greater impact on the food security of FHHs than on MHHs.
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| 14. |
- Keys, Patrick W., et al.
(författare)
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Green water and African sustainability
- 2018
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 10:3, s. 537-548
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sub-Saharan Africa faces an enormous challenge in meeting the basic needs of a population that will nearly triple between now and the end of the twenty-first century. Managing water effectively, sustainably, and equitably will be a critical component for meeting this challenge, especially in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We focus on green water (i.e. the water that comprises evaporation and precipitation flows), rather than blue water (i.e. the liquid water flowing in rivers, lakes, and aquifers), since green water is primarily used for food production. We examine three key insights into green water management at their relevant spatial and temporal scales: farm-based food production using the vapor shift (annual, local); landscape and ecosystem interventions (multi-year, national/regional), and moisture recycling (decadal, regional/continental). As such, these insights are organized into a spatial and temporal framework, which helps to clarify how feedbacks within and among these different scales create opportunities for intervention. Our key finding is that green water management at the landscape-scale constitutes the best entry point for providing leverage at both smaller and larger scales, in terms of time, space, and policy. We conclude by highlighting the urgent need for much more resilient, cross-scale green water systems that can accommodate the impending, nonstationary changes related to climate change. This urgency is further underlined by the very short time horizon for achieving the SDGs by 2030.
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| 15. |
- Lana, Marcos
(författare)
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Is dry soil planting an adaptation strategy for maize cultivation in semi-arid Tanzania?
- 2018
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 10, s. 897-910
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Agriculture has the greatest potential to lift the African continent out of poverty and alleviate hunger. Among the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania has an abundance of natural resources and major agricultural potential. However, one of the most important constraints facing Tanzania's agricultural sector is the dependence on unreliable and irregular weather, including rainfall. A strategy to cope with climate uncertainty in semi-arid regions is to proceed with the sowing of the crop before the onset of the rainy season. The advantage is that when the rains start, seeds are already in the soil and can begin immediately the process of germination. The objective of this paper was to assess the effectiveness of dry-soil planting for maize as an adaptation strategy in the context of a changing climate in Dodoma, a semi-arid region in Tanzania. For this assessment, the DSSAT crop model was used in combination with climate scenarios based on representative concentration pathways. A probability of crop failure of more than 80% can be expected when sowing occurs during the planting window (of 21 days) starting on 1st November. The next planting window we assessed, starting on 23rd November (which was still before the onset of rain), presented significantly lower probabilities of crop failure, indicating that sowing before the onset of the rainy season is a suitable adaptation strategy. Results also indicated that, despite not reaching the highest maize grain yields, fields prepared for dry-soil planting still produced adequate yields. The cultivation of several fields using the dry planting method is a strategy farmers can use to cope with low rainfall conditions, since it increases the chances of harvesting at least some of the cultivated fields. We conclude that dry-soil planting is a feasible and valid technique, even in scenarios of climate change, in order to provide acceptable maize yields in semi-arid Tanzania.
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| 16. |
- Lana, Marcos
(författare)
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Key factors influencing food security of smallholder farmers in Tanzania and the role of cassava as a strategic crop
- 2018
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 10, s. 911-924
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Due to beneficial characteristics of cassava such as robustness and versatility for multiple uses, it can have a major role in contributing to local food security. The objective of this study was to find out whether and how the cultivation of cassava benefits smallholder farmers in the regions of Dodoma and Morogoro, Tanzania. In addition, the study assessed the main factors that support or threaten food security of smallholder farmer households in the survey region and analysed whether cassava cultivation could counteract them. We applied a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data were provided by a comprehensive household survey of the Trans-SEC project, and qualitative data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews. To approach the complexity of our chosen food security definition, three approaches for household food security measurement were applied. These covered the components of food availability, food access, and food utilization. Additionally, dependent variables for regression models were constructed and a multivariate analysis was run. The results show that cassava contributes to food security in the households, but achieving food security through cassava cultivation was constrained by several factors, including pests, missing markets, poor processing, social perception and lack of knowledge. Besides these, other factors affecting food security in the study area were found, uncovering some roots of local food insecurity and serving as a basis for further research and action on how to enhance food security.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Linder, Tomas
(författare)
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Making the case for edible microorganisms as an integral part of a more sustainable and resilient food production system
- 2019
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 11, s. 265-278
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Edible microbial biomass derived from bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi or microalgae is a promising alternative to conventional sources of food and feed. Microorganisms are a good source of protein, vitamins and, in some cases, also contain beneficial lipids. The ability of microorganisms to use simple organic substrates for growth permits industrial-scale cultivation of edible microbial biomass in geographical locations that would not compete with agricultural production. Only a handful of microbial products are currently available for human consumption. The use of microbial biomass for animal feed is limited by access to low-cost growth substrates and competition from conventional feed sources such as soy and fishmeal. At a time when the global food production system is threatened by the effects of climate change, the production of edible microorganisms has the potential to circumvent many of the current environmental boundaries of food production as well as reducing its environmental impact. Photosynthetic microorganisms such as cyanobacteria and microalgae can be cultivated for food and feed independently of arable land. In addition, recent technological developments in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) capture, extraction and catalytic conversion into simple organic compounds can be used for cultivation of edible microbial biomass for food and feed in a manner that is wholly independent of photosynthesis. The future possibilities, challenges and risks of scaled-up production of edible microbial biomass in relation to the global food system and the environment are discussed.
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| 19. |
- Milestad, Rebecka, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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The Hogdalen urban farm : a real case assessment of sustainability attributes
- 2020
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 12, s. 1461-1475
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- While urban indoor farming is a fairly new phenomenon, there is a growing interest from producers, authorities and consumers alike. However, many assumptions are made, and expectations held, about urban indoor farming from a sustainability, food production and food provisioning point of view. These assumptions and expectations need to be tested and assessed. This study assessed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a number of social aspects of a newly established indoor urban farm in Stockholm. The farm was the result of a project created by commercial, civil society and municipal actors with the aim to make use of unused urban space, create jobs and produce food. While lettuce grown on the indoor farm emitted more GHG than lettuce cultivated outdoors in Sweden, it was more climate friendly than imported lettuce in our comparison. Furthermore, the indoor farm created value for the actors involved and for the city district, albeit on a small scale. Many of the positive environmental and social features owed to the small scale of the indoor farm and the context in which it developed. Thus, when evaluating production systems like this one, we need to be cautious and refrain from extrapolating the results.
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| 20. |
- Mutua, Florence, et al.
(författare)
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Availability and use of mycotoxin binders in selected urban and Peri-urban areas of Kenya
- 2019
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 11:2, s. 359-369
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aflatoxins are carcinogenic, toxic and immunosuppressive substances produced by some species of the fungal genus, Aspergillus. Consumption of aflatoxins can have serious health effects. Widespread in the tropical and sub-tropical world, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is found in many staple foods and feeds; after ingestion it is metabolized to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), which transfers to milk. One option for reducing aflatoxin concentration in cow milk is addition of mycotoxin binders to animal feeds, but little is known about this practice in the smallholder dairy systems in developing countries. We undertook a study to investigate the availability and use of mycotoxin binders in selected urban and peri-urban areas of Kenya. Data were collected using key informant interviews with government officials and one-to-one questionnaire-guided interviews with agrovet outlets (shops that sell animal health products (such as antibiotics) and crop inputs (such as fertilizers) and feed processors. Nine different mycotoxin binder types were reported. They were sold by 8% (4/49) of agrovets and 33% (3/9) of feed processors. The binders were purchased by farmers formulating their own feeds and by feed processors. Our review of regulations found that incorporating binders into animal feeds is not mandatory and there are no specific standards governing their use in Kenya. Feed processors are expected to respect the maximum allowable limit of 5g/kg for AFB1 in complete feeds. Gaps in the local feed supplies that may potentially lead to increased risks of aflatoxin exposure through milk are discussed. This study provides key data on the availability and local use of mycotoxin binders, which were previously lacking. However, there is a need for continued research on their effectiveness in the local smallholder context, in order to promote their appropriate use.
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| 21. |
- Natalini, Davide, et al.
(författare)
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Global food security and food riots : an agent-based modelling approach
- 2019
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 11:5, s. 1153-1173
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Due to negative consequences of climate change for agriculture and food production shocks affecting different areas of the world, the past two decades saw the conditions of global food security increasingly worsen. This has resulted in negative consequences for the world economy, partly causing international food price spikes and social upheavals. In this paper we present statistical findings along with a preliminary version of an original agent-based model called the Dawe Global Security Model that simulates the global food market and the political fragility of countries. The model simulates the effects of food insecurity on international food prices and how these, coupled with national political fragility and international food trade can, in turn, increase the probability of food riots in countries. The agents in the model are the 213 countries of the world whose characteristics reflect empirical data and the international trade of food is also simulated based on real trade partnerships and data. The model has been informed, calibrated and validated using real data and the results of these procedures are presented in the paper. To further test the model we also present the model’s forecasts for the near future in terms of food prices and incidence of food riots. The Dawe Global Security Model can be used to test scenarios on the evolution of shocks to global food production and analyse consequences for food riots. Further developments of the model can include national responses to food crises to investigate how countries can influence the spread of global food crises.
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| 22. |
- Nyokabi, Ndungu S., et al.
(författare)
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Exploring the adoption of food safety measures in smallholder dairy systems in Ethiopia : implications for food safety and public health
- 2024
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 16:2, s. 423-435
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Milk is highly perishable and can be a conduit for the transmission of zoonotic foodborne pathogens. This cross-sectional survey involving 159 farming households and 18 participant observations in participating farms was undertaken in Addis Ababa and surrounding areas in Oromia, Ethiopia to assess the adoption of food safety measures in smallholder farms. Adoption of food safety measures at the farm level influences milk quality and safety across the entire milk value chain, from "grass to glass". This study considered the adoption of 36 different food safety measures (FSM) including animal health, milking hygiene, hygienic milk storage, and hygienic milking premises. A weighted food safety index (FSI, ranging from 0 to 100) was calculated for each household based on FSM adopted. Ordinary Least Squares linear regression was used to quantify the factors of FSM adoption by smallholder farmers. The overall food safety index ranged between 59.97-60.75. A majority of farmers may be classified as moderate adopters of FSM (index ranging between 30-70%). Farm and farmers' characteristics such as herd size, farmer's education level, farmer's expertise in dairying, and participation of the farm in the formal milk value- chain, were shown to positively influence the level of adoption of FSM. Low farm-level adoption of FSM has food safety and public health implications as it can lead to milk contamination and, therefore, expose consumers to foodborne diseases. There is an imperative for policymakers to design and implement policies and intervention strategies that lead to increased farmer training related to livestock production and awareness of the important role that FSM adoption can play in improving food safety and public health.
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| 23. |
- Ortiz Rios, Rodomiro Octavio
(författare)
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An integrated agro-ecosystem and livelihood systems approach for the poor and vulnerable in dry areas
- 2013
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 5, s. 751-767
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- More than 400 million people in the developing world depend on dryland agriculture for their livelihoods. Dryland agriculture involves a complex combination of productive components: staple crops, vegetables, livestock, trees and fish interacting principally with rangeland, cultivated areas and watercourses. Managing risk and enhancing productivity through diversification and sustainable intensification is critical to securing and improving rural livelihoods. The main biophysical constraints are natural resource limitations and degradation, particularly water scarcity and encroaching desertification. Social and economic limitations, such as poor access to markets and inputs, weak governance and lack of information about alternative production technologies also limit the options available to farmers. Past efforts to address these constraints by focusing on individual components have either not been successful or are now facing a declining rate of impact, indicating the need for new integrated approaches to research for development of dryland systems. This article outlines the characteristics of such an approach, integrating agro-ecosystem and livelihoods approaches and presents a range of empirical examples of its application in dryland contexts. The authors draw attention to new insights about the design of research required to accelerate impact by integrating across disciplines and scales.
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| 24. |
- Riggi, Laura
(författare)
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Observations of entomophagy across Benin - practices and potentials
- 2016
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 8, s. 139-149
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Food security is a critical issue for many lowincome countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Appropriately identifying and utilising local resources can provide sustainable solutions to food security problems. Insects, which are traditionally consumed in many regions of the world, represent one such resource. Insects can be nutritionally rich and therefore could be used to address issues of malnutrition. A first step towards utilising insects as a resource is identifying which ones are traditionally consumed.We present data collected between 2005 and 2012 on insects eaten by communities across Benin, West Africa. A combination of literature research, field collections, community focus groups and targeted interviews were employed. Data on four ethnic groups is presented: the Anii, Fon, Nagot and Waama. Twenty-nine arthropods species are eaten across Benin. The predominant orders are Orthoptera (48 %) and Coleoptera (41 %). New families of edible arthropods in West Africa include: Bradyporidae (Orthoptera), Coreidae (Hemiptera), Dytiscidae (Coleoptera), Ixodidae (Acari). Insect collection is an ancestral tradition in all the described communities: however, there are considerable differences in preferences and collection methods among ethnic groups. Currently there is little valorisation of insects as a food product in Benin, in contrast to neighbouring countries. In light of considerable malnutrition in Benin among young children, promoting this tradition and implementing small scale captive rearing of selected species could improve food security.
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| 25. |
- Sundström, Jens, et al.
(författare)
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Future threats to agricultural food production posed by environmental degradation, climate change, and animal and plant diseases – a risk analysis in three economic and climate settings
- 2014
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 6, s. 201-215
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Global food security is one of the most pressing issues for humanity, and agricultural production is critical for achieving this. The existing analyses of specific threats to agricultural food production seldom bring out the contrasts associated with different levels of economic development and different climatic zones. We therefore investigated the same biophysical threats in three modelled types of countries with different economic and climatic conditions. The threats analysed were environmental degradation, climate change and diseases and pests of animals and plants. These threats were analysed with a methodology enabling the associated risks to be compared. The timeframe was 2012-2050 and the analysis was based on three underlying assumptions for 2050: the world population will have increased to 9 billion people, there will be a larger middle class in the world and climate change will be causing more extreme weather events, higher temperatures and altered precipitation. It is suggested that the risks, presented by the biophysical threats analysed, differ among the three modelled types of countries and that climate zone, public stewardship and economic strength are major determinants of these differences. These determinants are far from evenly spread among the world's major food producers, which implies that diversification of risk monitoring and international assessment of agricultural production is critical for assuring global food security in 2050.
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| 26. |
- Uwamahoro, Florence, et al.
(författare)
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Potato bacterial wilt in Rwanda: occurrence, risk factors, farmers' knowledge and attitudes
- 2018
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 10, s. 1221-1235
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Potato is an important food commodity and efforts to increase its productivity should focus on addressing production limiting factors. Potato bacterial wilt (PBW) caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the major constraints to potato production in Rwanda and no single method effectively controls the disease. Development of a sustainable management approach requires understanding of PBW distribution, risk factors, farmers' knowledge and management attitudes. Therefore, we surveyed PBW disease and interviewed farmers in eight districts of Rwanda during March-April 2015. We detected PBW in all the surveyed districts and it was ranked as the major potato disease constraint. Among districts, disease incidence and severity varied from 5 to 24% and 3 to 13%, respectively, and was significantly higher in minor compared to major potato growing districts. Low PBW incidence and severity were associated with high altitude and low planting density, intercropping, crop rotation and avoidance of sharing farm tools. In all districts, farmers had little knowledge about PBW detection and spread, and the farmers' awareness of PBW management was often inconsistent with their practices. This incomplete knowledge about PBW was likely caused by inadequate extension services since most information about PBW was acquired from fellow farmers, parents or other relatives. Thus raising awareness of PBW and integrated disease management, including practices that are associated with low PBW, could limit the impact of this disease and help to secure food and income for potato growing farmers in Rwanda.
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| 27. |
- Wright, Caleb, et al.
(författare)
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The global challenge of clean cooking systems
- 2020
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 12:6, s. 1219-1240
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cooking is an essential and energy-intensive activity. Populations in industrialized countries enjoy nearly universal access to electricity and gas for clean cooking, while about 2.5 billion people in low- and middle-income countries use solid fuels such as wood, charcoal, coal, crop residue and dung for their daily cooking. These traditional solid fuel cooking systems negatively affect the health and reduce the opportunities of cookstove users, who are disproportionately women and children. Solid fuel cooking also presents a number of detrimental environmental impacts, such as ambient air pollution and forest degradation in some regions. Access to cleaner cooking fuels such as gas and electricity is expanding, but is constrained by the higher costs and logistical challenges of such systems. This review investigates the technologies and systems that are currently used to cook food, with a focus on low-income populations. It identifies key challenges that hinder a global transition to clean and sustainable cooking. Finally, it reflects on the recent success of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) along with other fossil fuel-based cooking systems, and discusses a potential transition to renewable energy-based cooking.
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| 28. |
- Yuen, Jonathan
(författare)
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Pathogens which threaten food security: Phytophthora infestans, the potato late blight pathogen
- 2021
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Ingår i: Food Security. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1876-4517 .- 1876-4525. ; 13, s. 247-253
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Potato late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is a critical disease of potato and other solanaceous crops, such as tomato. The history of late blight is, in some ways, the history of modern plant pathology. It received much attention in the mid 1800's by causing the Irish potato famine, and the pathogen played a prominent role in the development of the concept of plant disease and plant pathogens. The pathosystem has also been important in the development of pesticides that are active against plant pathogens, and has also been a model system in understanding concepts ranging from cellular processes, such as how resistance to plant pathogens functions, to large scale processes, such as implementation of regional plant disease warning systems. P.infestans has a secured a place in modern potato production, both in developed and less-developed countries.
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| 29. |
- Isgren, Ellinor, 1987, et al.
(författare)
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Are agricultural extension systems ready to scale up ecological intensification in East Africa? A literature review with particular attention to the Push-Pull Technology (PPT)
- 2023
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Ingår i: Food Security. - 1876-4517. ; 15, s. 1399-1420
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Agricultural extension, or advisory services, have a key role to play in supporting farmers' learning and adoption of new practices and technologies. This paper analyses gaps and needs which require addressing in order for extension systems to more effectively contribute to the upscaling of ecological intensification approaches in East African smallholder agriculture. Our starting point is the push-pull technology (PPT), a promising approach. PPT originated in East Africa and is being continuously improved through cycles of interdisciplinary and participatory experimentation. Despite well-documented benefits to farmers and the environment, more institutional support from agricultural extension systems (AES) is needed for PPT to realise significant impact on poverty reduction, food security, and sustainability. Departing from this assessment, we review literature on AES in five East African countries. After clarifying the AES characteristics that ecological intensification requires, emphasising the capacity to embrace complexity, we identify four thematic areas that are in urgent need of attention: first, widely recognised problems with access and inclusiveness have seen welcome innovation but remain substantial. Second, information and communication technologies provide many benefits and new possibilities, but expectations must be tempered. Third, pluralistic AES present coordination challenges that risk undermining and misdirecting extension. Finally, the political-economic underpinnings of extension require critical scrutiny and strategic interventions. While many challenges threaten extension effectiveness broadly, we highlight implications for ecological intensification approaches like PPT. Our insights thus speak to the broader question of how to design and implement extension for sustainable agricultural development in East Africa.
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