Search

Agricultural mechanization is important to increase farm incomes through greater farm labour productivity, but could also have adverse social consequences, for instance, by marginalizing the role of women in agriculture. The study aims to gain better indulgent of how mechanization of the smallholder farming affects the role of and benefits for women from agricultural work using case of mungbean in Pakistan. Mungbean is an important summer pulse in Pakistan, but average yield is very low at about 1 t/ha. Mungbean production is partially mechanized in all parts of the country, but harvesting and weeding are done using manual labour, most of it provided by women. Primary data come from interviews with 106 persons in two villages; one in which mechanical harvesting had been adopted and one comparable village where it had not been introduced. The data collection methods were mostly qualitative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensification of agricultural land use in developing countries is coincident with increased use of synthetic pesticides, which could lead to misuse and overuse. For measures to reduce risk from pesticides to be effective, it is necessary to understand farmers’ rationale for pesticide use. This study was undertaken to analyze the relationship between pesticide use and farmers’ risk behavior and knowledge of pesticide risk. Data were gathered from 200 Thai farmers growing hot (chili) pepper (Capsicum annuumL) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL). Pesticide risk knowledge was measured using a pesticide risk beliefs inventory. Risk behavior was measured with farmers making pesticide use decisions under hypothetical situations. Farmers were highly risk averse because they preferred to incur a high cost of pesticides to quickly eliminate pest problems. Regression analysis indicated that pesticide use is positively associated with lower levels of pesticide knowledge and higher levels of risk aversion. Enhancing farmer knowledge about pesticide risk can make an immediate contribution to lowering pesticide use. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract Tomato is an important crop in Bangladesh and India, contributing to livelihoods and nutrition, but it is heavily affected by pests and diseases. This study analyzes pest and disease damage and farmers’ crop protection methods and quantified the potential economic gains of alternatives to chemical pesticides. Data come from a questionnaire survey of 744 tomato-producing farmers in India (Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka) and Bangladesh (Jashore). Farmers reported an average tomato yield loss from pests and diseases of 11.0 t/ha, of which Phthorimaea absoluta caused 2.1 t/ha. Farmers relied heavily on chemical pesticides, but also applied other methods. Better knowledge of pesticide health risks and beneficial insects and more use of alternative pest control methods were associated with lower pesticide use. Using an economic surplus model, we estimate ex-ante that the promotion of integrated pest management for the control of P. absoluta could generate economic gains of USD 264 million in Bangladesh and India over a 20-year period while insect resistant varieties could generate economic gains of more than USD 8.6 billion over this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planetary health brings together intrinsically linked issues of human health and natural systems. This paper reviews evidence of how agrobiodiversity underpins dietary diversity for current human populations in the context of fruits and vegetables, and ways to maintain and improve these for future generations. Both the conservation and sustainable use of fruit and vegetable biodiversity and the consumption of diverse diets are sub-optimal, and in many contexts getting worse. Agrobiodiversity and nutrition are linked through food availability, access, conservation and consumption, with potential win-wins but notable trade-offs for policy and action through time, place, agrobiodiversity use, and equity. We pinpoint research gaps and call for inclusive deliberation for action. • Conservation of fruit and vegetable biodiversity and consumption of diverse diets are sub-optimal. • Agrobiodiversity and nutrition are linked through food availability, access, conservation, and consumption. • There are potential win-wins and trade-offs for policy and action, building on food systems. • More research is needed, particularly in the context of fruit and vegetable biodiversity and diets in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple recent global nutrition initiatives have recommended actions to transform food systems to improve food environments and food choice. This study aimed to identify actions recommended by these initiatives and understand their similarities and differences. Twelve global nutrition initiatives were reviewed, collectively spanning 13 action themes and accompanying strategies. Action themes were analyzed according to primary focus on either food environments and their food system drivers or food choice. Representation of the 13 actions varied across initiatives. Some actions overlapped; others were infrequently represented. Strategies targeting food environments and their food system drivers were more frequently recommended than strategies targeting food choice for 11 of the 13 action themes. Although these global initiatives share a mission to improve nutrition through food systems and food environments, less attention has been allocated to individual food choice and sustainability. • We analyzed the recommended actions of 12 global nutrition initiatives. • Global nutrition initiatives overlap in recommendations for a healthier food system. • Strategies aimed to modify food environments more than food choice for most actions. • Attention is needed to create demand for healthy diets by improving food choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is a lack of evidence for impact of home garden interventions in Africa. • We analyzed the impact of a home garden project in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. • Results show only weak effects on household vegetable production. • Results show no significant effect on vegetable consumption in the month of the survey. • There is a need to better understand barriers to home garden interventions in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest per capita consumption of vegetables of all regions in the world. As low vegetable consumption is associated with poor human health, there is need for effective policies and interventions to increase it. Home garden interventions have proven effective in several countries in Asia, but evidence from large trials is scant in Africa. Using data from a home garden promotion project in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, this study tests the hypothesis that home garden interventions, offered to rural households with women 14–35 years of age and/or with children under five years of age, increase household production and consumption of vegetables. Three randomized controlled trials collected pre- and post-intervention data (2 years apart) for 1,255 intervention and control households. We report intent-to-treat effects and the treatment effect on the treated and analyze distributional effects using quantile regression. For Tanzania, the results show a 20% increase in households producing vegetables and an additional two months of vegetable harvesting, but no such significant effects were found for Kenya and Uganda. We find no significant effects on diets. Lack of impact may be explained from the fact that many participating households were already producing vegetables (reducing the scope for impact) and a low participation rate of selected households in training events. These results stand in contrast to the positive impacts of home garden interventions in Asia. The results suggest a need to better understand barriers to home garden interventions in the three countries and a need for more careful design, local adaptation and targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School gardens have become a widely used approach to influence children's food knowledge, preferences and choices in low- and high-income countries alike. However, evidence indicates that such programs are more effective at influencing food knowledge and preferences than actual food choices. Such finding may occur because school gardens insufficiently influence the food behavior of parents and because healthy food items are not always available in children's homes. We tested this hypothesis using a one-year cluster randomized controlled trial in Nepal with 15 treatment and 15 control schools and a matched sample of 779 schoolchildren (aged 8–12) and their caregivers. Data were collected before and after the intervention during the 2018–2019 school year. In addition, children's food consumption was monitored using a monthly food logbook. Average treatment effects were quantified with a double-difference estimator. For caregivers, the intervention led to a 26% increase in their food and nutrition knowledge (p < 0.001), a 5% increase in their agricultural knowledge (p = 0.022), a 10% increase in their liking for vegetables (p < 0.001), and a 15% increase in home garden productivity (p = 0.073). For children, the intervention had no discernible effect on food and nutrition knowledge (p = 0.666) but led to a 6% increase in their liking for vegetables (p = 0.070), healthy food practices (p < 0.001), and vegetable consumption (October–December +15%; p = 0.084; January–March +26%; p = 0.017; April–June +26%; p = 0.088). The results therefore indicate both schools and parents matter for nudging children toward healthier food choices. • Past studies showed limited effects of school gardens on children's food choices. • We test a novel design that trains children and caregivers in gardening and nutrition. • The cluster-RCT included 30 schools and 779 children/caregivers in Nepal. • Children's rate of vegetable consumption increased 15–26%, depending on season. • School gardens need to affect household-level food availability/preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper quantifies the extent of pesticide overuse in vegetable production systems in Southeast Asia. Pesticide overuse was defined as levels of use in excess of an economic (profit-maximizing) optimum. A production function with an exponential damage abatement term was estimated. Data come from a representative sample of 1000 farmers producing leaf mustard and yard-long bean in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. The results show that 100% of the sampled farmers in Vietnam, 73% in Cambodia and 59% in Laos overused pesticides. Pesticide expenditure in excess of the economic optimum was 96% for Vietnam, 92% for Cambodia, and 42% for Laos. Pesticide overuse was positively associated with men in charge of pest management decisions, farmers seeking advice from pesticide sellers and a strong belief that pesticides are effective. It was negatively associated with the use of non-chemical methods of pest control. These results imply that farmers in Southeast Asia are spraying excessively and inefficiently and could increase their profits by applying fewer pesticides. • We quantify pesticide overuse in vegetable production in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. • Production function with damage control term was estimated with data for 1000 farms. • 77% of farmers overused pesticides; 77% of pesticide expenditures are overuse. • Greater overuse was observed among male applicators. • Greater overuse was also observed where pesticide sellers advised farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]