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Organic agriculture can play a pivotal role in addressing different challenges (e.g. poverty, biodiversity loss, climate change). However, organic agriculture is ‘knowledge intensive’ and its development requires investments in research and innovation. This systematic review casts light on research on organic food and farming (OFF) in West Africa. It draws upon a search performed in April 2020 on the Web of Science. An overview of both bibliometrics and topics addressed in the analysed literature is provided. The analysed literature indicates that organic agriculture can support climate change mitigation and adaptation, conserve biodiversity and reduce environmental impacts. However, the comparative performance of organic farming is site-specific. Similarly, the organic-conventional yield gap depends, inter alia, on crops and cropping practices. Furthermore, different factors hinder the development of OFF in West Africa, which include agricultural policy, agronomic research, institutional environment and extension management, among others. The study concludes that organic agriculture is poorly developed in West Africa. Therefore, it is recommended that awareness on OFF should be raised, organic farmers supported and research on organic farming strengthened to fill the existing knowledge gap and unlock the sector potential.

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) – also called sorrel, Bissap or Karkadeh – is believed to be native to Africa. Research is needed to set a solid foundation for the development of roselle in the continent. Therefore, this article presents an analysis of the research landscape on roselle in Africa; it covers bibliographical metrics, the geography of the research, and the topics addressed in the scholarly literature about roselle. The systematic review drew upon 119 eligible articles identified through a search carried out on the Web of Science in March 2024. The research field is not well-established; the number of publications on roselle in Africa is limited, indicating an unstable and inconsistent interest. The research field is multidisciplinary but appears to focus more on biological sciences than social sciences and economics. The research geography is not balanced, with more than half of all studies on roselle in Africa conducted in just five countries, viz. Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Ghana, and Senegal. The content analysis suggests that roselle holds the potential to contribute to food and nutrition security and the well-being of the populations. It can not only contribute to agricultural development but also to addressing many challenges the continent faces. Research is needed to unlock its potential. Future research should pay more attention, inter alia, to the relationships between roselle and environmental issues (e.g. climate change), social and economic aspects (e.g. livelihoods), and agronomy (cf. fertilization, pest management, irrigation). Given that roselle is grown across Africa, collaboration among African countries should also be encouraged.

Pesticides in soils raise concerns about the biodiversity, food safety, and contamination of watercourses, contributing to unsustainable land management practices. Monitoring the residue levels in agricultural soils is essential, as this offers valuable insights into the current extent of soil contamination and potential environmental risks attributed to their application. This study aimed to address the occurrence of the currently used herbicides in soil under intensive crop production, comparing the results of monitoring at two depths (0–30 and 30–60 cm) in 2013 and 2023. The research concerned the main agricultural area in Vojvodina Province (Serbia) and evaluated the presence of 41 herbicides in 128 localities. Pesticides were found in all samples, finding even more than six different herbicides per sample. The significant concentrations of s-metolachlor, etofumesate, clomazone, diflufenican, pendimethalin, and terbuthylazine found can be attributed to application practices, as they are typically applied pre-emergence, either through direct soil treatment with or without incorporation. Moreover, the correlation between different depths, herbicide residues, and soil properties was not significant. The decrease in the herbicide residues found in 2023 compared to the residues found in 2013 can be attributed to the implementation of good agricultural practices, which promote sustainable agricultural strategies through controlled pesticide application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, food systems are undergoing major transformations to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are a lack of comprehensive reviews on this topic in developing countries. This work highlights food systems' transition towards sustainability, focusing on Morocco. It was carried out through searching, selecting, evaluating, and synthesizing existing relevant scholarly and gray literature. In Morocco, a meaningful transition towards sustainability is being guided and carried out on several levels, despite numerous challenges, e.g., inability to cope with the detrimental effects of climate change and escalating water scarcity constitute fundamental problems. However, there are conflicting views on the outcomes of food system transformation. Some studies showed that Morocco has increased its agri-food export and reduced poverty to less than 5% of the population over the past decade; the proportion of wasted and malnourished children has declined from 25 to 15% and 4 to 3%, respectively, and the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI) showed a score of 9.0. Other studies showed that North Africa has entered a food security crisis; specifically, food inflation has reached unprecedented levels in Morocco. This paper provides valuable insights for policymakers and planners to design evidence-based policies and strategies to boost sustainable development in Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) originates from Africa and the list of producers is topped by African countries, it is not clear whether research is developed enough to support crop promotion in the continent. Thus, this systematic review of 180 articles presents a comprehensive summary of research on Bambara groundnut (BGN) in Africa. The paper addresses bibliographical metrics, the geographic distribution of the research and themes covered (viz., food and nutrition security, climate resilience, and livelihoods). The analysis shows that BGN can help address different challenges in Africa, such as food and nutrition insecurity and poverty. However, it also highlights gaps in the research from geographical and thematic standpoints. Geographically speaking, the most important producers of BGN in Africa are not sufficiently covered in the research; instead, it is mainly carried out in Nigeria and South Africa. Thematically speaking, the gaps are related to economics and social sciences, the use of BGN in animal production, processing and marketing, irrigation, contribution to climate resilience and livelihoods, and health benefits. Collaborative research and knowledge sharing, including among producing countries and those leading the research field, are highly needed to unlock the potential of BGN and boost its contribution to sustainable development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neglected and underutilized crop species (NUCS/NUS) are claimed to contribute to sustainable development. However, many scholars argue that enabling policies and appropriate governance are needed to operationalize such a potential contribution. Therefore, this systematic review analyzes the literature dealing with the relationships between policy and governance aspects and the promotion of NUS in West Africa. It draws upon 45 eligible articles identified through a search conducted on the Web of Science in December 2023. The existing literature focuses on Nigeria and a few NUS, especially cassava. The addressed policy domains include biodiversity conservation; subsidies; seed systems; food security, self-sufficiency and sovereignty; trade and import substitution; food safety and health; climate change and energy; land use; research, innovation and development; and support and assistance systems. Meanwhile, the main governance domains are (1) inclusiveness and participation and (2) institutional capacity. The analysis suggests that NUS development is also affected by sectoral policy coherence and consistency as well as the policy–governance interplay. Future studies should widen the scope in terms of geographical coverage in West Africa and NUS addressed to allow for more comparisons. Furthermore, there is a need for further research to understand the synergies and trade-offs between sectoral policies affecting NUS promotion and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global food waste patterns through unanticipated shifts in composition and quantities. This review explores the impacts of COVID-19 on food waste generation and management approaches in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region during the recovery phase. This paper comprehensively explores food loss and waste in the NENA region. It presents a detailed analysis of pandemic-induced changes in household food waste behaviors, analyses the integration of circular economy principles in recovery strategies and policy implications, and outlines potential avenues for future research in this critical area. The key findings are threefold: First, this study reaffirms that food waste is a critical challenge in NENA, contributing to food insecurity, water scarcity, and environmental issues. Second, the pandemic catalyzed a dichotomy in consumer behaviors—panic buying initially increased waste, while hardship measures later encouraged sustainable waste reduction practices like meal planning and leftover use. Third, adopting a circular economy approach holds potential, yet its implementation remains limited in terms of curbing food waste and promoting sustainability in NENA. Overall, while the pandemic accentuated the urgency of tackling food waste, it also stimulated innovative policy thinking and strategic planning for building more resilient food systems. This paper concludes that leveraging pandemic-driven sustainability mindsets while addressing systemic drivers of waste will be key to mitigating food waste and its impacts moving forward. This paper offers timely insights into the evolving food waste management landscape in NENA, underscoring the need for integrated policies to navigate post-pandemic recovery effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different governments and international organizations have shown interest in agroecology as a promising pathway for transition to sustainable agriculture. However, the kinds of innovation needed for agro-ecological transition are subject to intense debate. The scale of this debate is itself an indicator of the complicated relation between innovation and sustainability in the agro-food arena and beyond. This review paper analyses the potential of agro-ecology in agricultural sustainability transitions. It also explores whether agro-ecological transition is a sustainable innovation (cf. ecological, green, open, social, responsible). Furthermore, the paper investigates the potential contribution of agro-ecological transition to sustainability, using the 3-D (Direction, Distribution and Diversity) model of the STEPS centre. Agroecology is one of the few approaches that can harmoniously combine innovation and sustainability in agriculture while promoting genuine transition to agro-food sustainability since it embraces all dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economic, social/cultural/ethical). Nevertheless, it can be taken for granted neither that all traditional practices can be classified as ‘agro-ecological’ nor that all farmer-led innovations can be included in the agro-ecological repertoire. Moreover, the relationship between the three aspirations of agroecology (science, movement and practice) needs further elaboration in order to maximise potential for agriculture transition.