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Do firstborn children have a height advantage? Empirical findings have found mostly that, yes, second or higher-order children often lag behind firstborns in height outcomes, especially in developing countries. However, empirical investigations of birth-order effects on child height overlook the potential impact that birth spacing can have. We provide an explanation for the negative birth-order effect on stunting outcomes for young Indian children and show it is driven by short preceding-birth spacing. We find that firstborn children are taller than children of higher birth order: The height-for-age gap for third (or higher)-order children is twice the gap for children second in birth order. However, this pattern is observed when spacing between later-born children and their immediate elder siblings is fewer than 3 y. Interestingly, the firstborn height advantage disappears when later-born children are born at least 3 y after their elder siblings. Thus, our findings indicate that spacing length between children explains differences in height, over birth order. Although India's family planning policy has resulted in a substantial reduction in total fertility, its achievement in spacing subsequent births has been less impressive. In showing that spacing can alleviate or aggravate birth-order effects on attained height, our study fills an evidence gap: Reducing fertility alone may not be sufficient in overcoming negative birth-order effects. To reduce the detrimental effects of birth order on child stunting, policy responses--and therefore research priorities--require a stronger focus on increasing the time period between births. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Current commercial technologies limit the variety of plant-based meat forms, creating an obstacle for widespread substitution for the diverse assortment of animal meats. Plant-based milks may have wider acceptance as a fluid dairy milk substitute, as this is a specific type of dairy product. Less is known about adoption of other plant-based dairy products (e.g., yogurt and cheese). • Plant-based meats have lower environmental impacts compared to animal meat across several environmental indicators. The degree to which plant-based milks have lower environmental impacts than dairy milk depends on the indicator, plant-based milk comparator, and the functional unit. • Plant-based analogs do not completely mimic the nutrient composition of animal-source foods. While analogs may have better fat profiles, they may lack comparable protein and micronutrient compositions that are highly bioavailable in animal-source foods. • Future research on plant-based analogs should consider under which contexts direct substitution of ASFs are viable and have benefits or harms. This includes generating evidence on the role of trade and impacts on consumer diet patterns and health, and on smallholder producers livelihoods and welfare. Interest in alternative protein sources to substitute for animal source protein-rich foods has emerged alongside calls for sustainable food systems to meet protein demands as the global population grows towards a projected 9.8 billion people by 2050. Food companies are capitalizing on sustainable diet recommendations that encourage consumption of plant-based foods and have heavily invested in new plant-based foods that mimic animal source foods, effectively expanding the "plant-based foods" category. At the same time, globally there are two opposing protein transitions taking place as lower-income populations shift from plant to animal protein sources and higher-income populations that overconsume animal protein sources are recommended to shift towards plant-based foods. Using a global food systems lens, this review article builds on existing literature to assess the extent to which plant-based meat and milk analogs can become part of sustainable diets across two competing protein transitions and to identify unresolved knowledge gaps. This articles first examines global meat and dairy consumption trends as well as the emergence of plant-based analogs and consumer perceptions. We then draw on the literature to compare the environmental footprints and nutrition compositions of plant-based meats and milks against their respective conventional equivalents. We find that, while there are promising environmental benefits to substituting meats and milk with certain plant-based analogs, the uptake of these products is likely stifled based on the small number of products they mimic (i.e., ground meat, meat emulsions, meat crumbles, and fluid milk). Further, plant-based analogs do not completely mimic the nutrient composition of animal source foods. Plant-based analogs may have improved compositions, such as improved fat profiles. However, analogs may lack comparable protein and micronutrients that are highly bioavailable in animal source foods. Care should be considered for plant-based analogs that inherently fall under the "plant- based food" category as they are vastly different from whole and minimally processed plant foods and the intended benefits of plant-based food consumption may not be generalizable. Future assessments of meat and milk analogs should consider under which contexts direct substitution of animal source foods are viable from a consumer standpoint and examine both environment and nutrition impacts that are important to the given population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish a statistically important relationship between household agricultural income and women’s BMI using a five-year panel dataset of rural households drawn from 18 villages across five Indian states. Using within household variation over time, we estimate both the extent to which short-term changes in agricultural income are associated with short-term changes in BMI, and the effect of agricultural income growth on BMI growth over a longer term. Over the longer term, and for the group of households that regularly farm, we find a 10 percentage point agricultural income growth to be associated with a 0.10 percentage point growth in BMI. Consistent with the literature, this effect is economically modest, but important considering that we do not find a corresponding effect for growth in non-agricultural income. We show that both the own-production and market purchase of food are associated with nutritional improvements. While women’s BMI is associated with an increase in the consumption of own-produced cereals, the market plays an important role in facilitating access to more nutritious foods like pulses. Lastly, we also find that effects of agricultural income are driven by younger women, in the age-group 15-25 years, who face a particularly strong nutritional disadvantage in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investing in nutrition sensitive sectors such as education can be an effective strategy for combatting malnutrition. In this paper we analyze the role that men's education plays in determining dietary diversity outcomes using primary data from 3600 households across four districts of India. Dietary diversity scores were calculated to reflect the quality of food intake, for households and women. Men's education level was considered as the primary driver of diet diversity. To establish a causal link between men's education and diet diversity, the education level of parents and siblings were used as instrumental variables. We find that men's education levels are associated with significantly higher diet diversity scores both for the household and for women. The role of men's education continues to be a significant determinant of diet quality after controlling for household and individual- level confounding factors including the education level of the woman. The results are consistent across different definitions of the diet diversity score and reference period. Methodologically we extend the evidence on the education–nutrition pathway from being associational to causal in nature. Results from this study point to the benefits of leveraging men's education as an effective pathway for improving nutritional outcomes within households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article shares views on the United Nations' (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) anti-poverty initiative. Topics discussed include the end of the timeframe for achieving the MDGs in 2015, the claims of UN that poverty and hunger have significantly decline globally, and how efforts to reduce poverty and hunger have been affected by the rapid growth of the global population. Also mentioned are international food aid initiatives and the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Since the 2008 food price crisis, food and nutrition security are back on the global development agenda, with particular emphasis on agricultural pathways toward improved nutrition. Parallel efforts are being promoted to improve the data and metrics for monitoring progress toward positive nutritional outcomes, especially for women and children. Despite the increased investment in tracking nutritional outcomes, these efforts are often made in silos, which create challenges for integrating nutritional data with other sectoral data, such as those related to agriculture. This paper proposes a minimum set of nutrition indicators to be included in nationally representative agricultural (and multitopic) household surveys. Building multisectoral convergence across existing surveys will allow us to better identify priority interventions and to monitor progress toward improved nutrition targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed retrospective of the Green Revolution, its achievement and limits in terms of agricultural productivity improvement, and its broader impact at social, environmental, and economic levels is provided. Lessons learned and the strategic insights are reviewed as the world is preparing a "redux" version of the Green Revolution with more integrative environmental and social impact combined with agricultural and economic development. Core policy directions for Green Revolution 2.0 that enhance the spread and sustainable adoption of productivity enhancing technologies are specified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special feature calls for forward thinking around paths of convergence for agriculture, health, and wealth. Such convergence aims for a richer integration of smallholder farmers into national and global agricultural and food systems, health systems, value chains, and markets. The articles identify analytical innovation, where disciplines intersect, and cross-sectoral action where single, linear, and siloed approaches have traditionally dominated. The issues addressed are framed by three main themes: (i) lessons related to agricultural and food market growth since the 1960s; (ii) experiences related to the integration of smallholder agriculture into national and global business agendas; and (iii) insights into convergence-building institutional design and policy, including a review of complexity science methods that can inform such processes. In this introductory article, we first discuss the perspectives generated for more impactful policy and action when these three themes converge. We then push thematic boundaries to elaborate a roadmap for a broader, solution-oriented, and transdisciplinary approach to science, policies, and actions. As the global urban population crosses the 50% mark, both smallholder and nonsmallholder agriculture are keys in forging rural-urban links, where both farm and nonfarm activities contribute to sustainable nutrition security. The roadmaps would harness the power of business to reduce hunger and poverty for millions of families, contribute to a better alignment between human biology and modern lifestyles, and stem the spread of noncommunicable chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rapid economic and income growth, urbanization, and globalization are leading to a dramatic shift of Asian diets away from staples and increasingly towards livestock and dairy products, vegetables and fruit, and fats and oils. While the diversification of diets away from the traditional dominance of rice with rising incomes is expected and observed, current food consumption patterns are showing signs of convergence towards a Western diet. The diet transition is characterized by increased consumption of: wheat; temperate fruit and vegetables and high protein and energy dense food. Globalization and the consequent global interconnectedness of the urban middle class, is the driving force behind the convergence of diets. The rapid spread of global supermarket chains and fast food restaurants is reinforcing the above trends. The growing demand for diet diversity cannot be met solely by the traditional food supply chain. It requires the modernisation of the food retail sector, and the vertical integration of the food supply chain, in effect linking the consumers’ plate to the farmers’ plow. As a consequence, Asian agriculture is on an irreversible path leading away from its traditional pre-occupation with cereal crop production, especially rice, towards a production system that is becoming increasingly commercialized and diversified. This paper describes the determinants and trends in the diversification and Westernization of Asian diets. Implications of the evolving demand trends for food supply and retail systems are presented. The paper discusses the prospects for small farmer participation in the emerging food supply system, with a particular emphasis on Asian rice production systems. Finally, the paper considers emerging challenges for food policy, small holder welfare, and agricultural research and development priorities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores linkages between food security and crisis in different contexts, outlining the policy and institutional conditions needed to manage food security during a crisis and to rebuild the resilience of food systems in periods of relative peace. The paper reviews experiences over the past decade of countries in protracted crisis and draws lessons for national and international policy. It assesses the different alternatives on offer in fragile countries to address, for example, the disruption of institutional mechanisms and the decreasing level of support offered by international donors with respect to longer-term expectations. It proposes a Twin Track Approach to enhance food security resilience through specific policies for protracted crises that link immediate hunger relief interventions with a long-term strategy for sustainable growth. Finally, the article analyses policy options and the implications for both short- and longer-term responses vis-à-vis the three dimensions of food security: availability; access; and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Women in agriculture allocate significant time to agriculture and household activities. • Rising time demands during peak season agriculture may affect women's nutrition. • Women's time trade-offs negatively affect consumption of various nutrients. • These associations vary by cropping pattern & land ownership. • Policies must recognize women's time constraints to improve their nutrition. Women in agriculture are involved in agricultural activities and are solely responsible for household-level unpaid work. They face severe time trade-offs between agricultural and household activities across crop seasons. Recent literature suggests that these time trade-offs may negatively impact their nutrition. However, there is no quantitative evidence exploring this relationship within an agricultural context. This paper addresses this research gap by analyzing the relationship between women's time trade-offs and their nutritional outcomes. Using a unique ten-month primary panel data of 960 women from India, our findings show that women are severely time-constrained, as they contribute significantly to agricultural as well as domestic work. Our results show that during peak seasons relative to lean seasons, women's time trade-offs (rising opportunity cost of time) are negatively associated with the intake of calories, proteins, iron,zinc and Vitamin A. We show that this negative relationship is manifested severely among women who are landless and cultivate paddy alone (food crop) or paddy and cotton (mixed crop). This study highlights the gendered role of agricultural activities in rural households and the need to recognize time as a scarce resource when implementing policies and programs involving women in agriculture. We contribute to the literature of agriculture-nutrition linkages by examining the the time use pathway in detail. Besides providing novel metrics, we discuss several policy implications to reduce women's time constraints and enhance their nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Non-dietary pathways can potentially address micronutrient outcomes for women. • Women's iron status improves with higher empowerment levels in agriculture. • Women's minimum dietary diversity score is unable to reflect iron status. • Detailed data on blood tests fills the gap for reliable iron estimates in India. In this paper we study the relationship between women's empowerment in agriculture and their iron deficiency status in Maharashtra, India. This is the first time the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) has been used in association with explicit measurement of medical biomarkers for women's iron deficiency status. Using primary data for 960 women we find that the log odds of a poor iron status in women decline as women's empowerment levels in agriculture improve. Further, this decline is seen in the presence of multiple dietary diversity measures (dietary diversity score, share of rice and wheat in the diet, total iron intake and iron intake from iron-rich food groups – all for 24-h and 30-day recalls) suggesting that in addition to dietary pathways women's empowerment can play a role in addressing micronutrient deficiencies like those of iron in a vulnerable sub-group of the population. It also reinforces the need to move away from the 'staple grain fundamentalism' that has characterized agricultural policy in India, towards more nutrition-sensitive food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study sought to identify household risk factors associated with aflatoxin contamination within and across diverse Indian food systems and to evaluate their utility in risk modeling. Samples (n = 595) of cereals, pulses, and oil seeds were collected from 160 households across four diverse districts of India and analyzed for aflatoxin B1 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Demographic information, food and cropping systems, food management behaviors, and storage environments were profiled for each household. An aflatoxin detection risk index was developed based on household-level features and validated using a repeated 5-fold cross-validation approach. Across districts, between 30–80% of households yielded at least one contaminated sample. Aflatoxin B1 detection rates and mean contamination levels were highest in groundnut and maize, respectively, and lower in other crops. Landholding had a positive univariate effect on household aflatoxin detection, while storage conditions, product source, and the number of protective behaviors used by households did not show significant effects. Presence of groundnut, post-harvest grain washing, use of sack-based storage systems, and cultivation status (farming or non-farming) were identified as the most contributive variables in stepwise logistic regression and were used to generate a household-level risk index. The index had moderate classification accuracy (68% sensitivity and 62% specificity) and significantly correlated with village-wise aflatoxin detection rates. Spatial analysis revealed utility of the index for identifying at-risk localities and households. This study identified several key features associated with aflatoxin contamination in Indian food systems and demonstrated that household characteristics are substantially predictive of aflatoxin risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins and other food safety and preservation challenges are prevalent in smallholder food systems, and communities often lack the knowledge and capacity required to effectively diagnose and address these concerns. Participatory research can facilitate innovation in resource-poor settings by fostering collective identity and leveraging endogenous systems of change, but there are limitations to the scalability and impact of this approach across contexts. Embedding participatory research within a farmer research network (FRN) has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of participatory research by enhancing the flow of knowledge between local and global innovation systems. This study proposes a framework for FRN-mediated participatory food safety research and reports on key findings from an application of this approach in six villages in Unnao District, Uttar Pradesh, India. A cohort of 184 households was organized into a FRN and engaged in a series of participatory research activities. Collective identity was developed within the FRN by reflecting on shared goals and establishing leadership. Participatory context characterization combined with multiple factor analysis (MFA) enabled formation of interest-based affinity groups, which explored potential solutions to a range of local problems. Affinity group deliberations led to the implementation of a FRN-wide hermetic grain storage intervention. Uptake of the technology was evaluated by monitoring continued usage, willingness-to-pay, price elasticity of demand, and retail sales across localities. Efficacy of the FRN approach for participatory food safety research was assessed by monitoring participation, motives, and experiential outcomes among members. Context characterization revealed distinct needs profiles influenced by the extent of home versus non-home time allocation and economic orientation. Household trials of hermetic sacks were effective in 99% (128/129) of participating households, with 83% continuing use in subsequent seasons. Willingness-to-pay analysis demonstrated substantial demand for hermetic sacks but high price elasticity across hypothetical price points. Despite demonstrable demand and positive reception, actual sales were low (<10 units) due to perceived high cost of the technology. Participation and experiential outcomes were generally positive, but the FRN was not successful in maintaining adequate, representative gender balance in its programming. This study documents a novel application of the FRN approach to participatory food safety research and constitutes substantial evidence for the potential for FRNs to catalyze local-global knowledge feedback loops. The model outlined is widely adaptable and could be used across contexts in India and elsewhere. [Display omitted] • The farmer research network (FRN) approach was applied tofood safety in village communities • FRN activities enabled capacity building and collective identity formulation • The FRN exhibited potential for mediating local-global knowledge flows • Farmers' food safety decision-making is complex and multi-dimensional • FRN participation led to positive experiential outcomes among members [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood stunting remains a public health concern in India. In Karnataka, the districts vary substantially in stunting prevalence. Using the NFHS-4 and AidData GEO datasets, we tested the hypothesis that 'wet' and 'dry' districts in Karnataka show different contributions to stunting. We found that for 30 environmental and health factors, Bengaluru appears to be distinct from the other districts. Using a mixed linear model approach, we found that for the entire state, and in both wet and dry districts, preceding birth interval, altitude-adjusted haemoglobin level and child age showed significant correlations with height for age (HFA). The wet districts showed an additional association between maternal age and child HFA. However, interaction effects also differed among the three conditions. Our results suggest that subtle variations should not be ignored when considering factors impacting child health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood stunting remains a prominent metric in the health and development of modern India. In Karnataka, India, districts vary substantially in stunting prevalence. Here we take a close look at the nature of childhood stunting in the state: its epidemiology, genetics, biology, nutritional basis, environmental contribution, policy and field-based understanding. We explore how these factors interact with one another, and suggest ways to target modifiable risk factors for stunting (e.g. nutrition, exposure to infectious diseases, sanitation), which may influence the impact of non-modifiable risk factors (e.g. congenital factors, climate). We suggest that programmes designed to reduce stunting prevalence should accommodate these complex interactions, which could translate to more substantial impact on child health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We show that the rise in rural obesity in India is closely associated with urbanization of its rural spaces. • These risks have increased disproportionately among lower socio-economic classes. • Those living near towns with a population of 50,000 & those living in more economically developed states are at greater risk. • Greater diet diversity alleviates the urban effect of the rural obesity pandemic. While obesity across rural India has doubled in the last decade, research explaining such an unprecedented change is sparse. This paper shows that the rise in the incidence of rural obesity is associated with the process of structural transformation, especially within rural spaces. As the distance to nearby towns from the villages has reduced, urban proximity not only leads to improved livelihoods but also a change in dietary practices and access to processed food. Combining the rural sample of India's latest National Family Health Survey (2015–16) with the estimates for town distance from the village clusters, we show that an additional kilometer of reduction in rural–urban distance increases the risk of obesity among women by 0.06 percent. Our estimates imply that for every kilometer of reduction in rural–urban proximity 3000 rural women become at-risk for obesity. Heterogeneity analysis shows that this burden is higher in towns with a population of over 50,000. We also find that the risk has increased disproportionately among the lower socio-economic classes. Similarly, states at a more mature stage of structural transformation face higher risk of obesity. Finally, we find that higher dietary diversity reduces the influence of urban growth on rural obesity. Our findings underscore the looming dual burden of malnutrition among developing countries and suggest that nutrition policies that promote diet diversity could be a panacea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Soil health (SH) of managed lands in India is affected by anthropogenic activities such as nutrient mining, excessive tillage, and monocropping, which reduce the productive capacity of soils. A comprehensive SH characterization was conducted in 27 catchments in six districts of Jharkhand, India. Each was stratified into four landscape positions: (i) uncultivated upland in tree vegetation, (ii) cultivated upland in garden or orchard use, and (iii) midland and (iv) lowland areas in rice-fallow fields, yielding 113 soil samples from 0 to 15 cm and 20 from 30 to 40 cm depths. Soil textural separates as well as 15 dynamic physical, biological, and chemical properties were assessed using the Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health framework. Nutrient analyses indicate low to very low P and K values, but high micronutrient levels. A district level ANOVA shows effects of inherent soil factors on the indicators. The influence of tillage, nutrient extraction as well as landscape hydrology on soil health indicators was apparent, notably showing uncultivated soils with higher overall SH. Puddle tillage affected the surface and subsurface soil, the latter showing reduced water holding capacity and less favorable biological indicators. Multivariate analyses showed directional separation of biological and chemical indicators in the first two principal components. A Best Subsets Regression analysis revealed organic matter, soil respiration and active carbon as the most predictive in determining overall SH scores (R2 adj = 0.87). In conclusion, a comprehensive soil health assessment using a spatial framework in Jharkhand, India identified multiple SH constraints related to farmer management, associated organic matter dynamics, and natural factors. Highlights • Soils in Jharkhand, India generally show physical, biological and chemical constraints related to crop production • P and K are low due to negative nutrient balances, although minor nutrients are generally sufficient • Cultivation practices, organic matter additions, and natural processes affect organic matter dynamics and soil health [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The scoping review assesses the taxonomy of aggregation models, identifies factors responsible for their re-emergence, analyzes their benefits to smallholders, and pinpoints the research gaps in the literature. • Many countries traditionally had cooperatives, but newer aggregation models have emerged in the last two decades as cooperatives faltered in adapting to market transformations. • The new aggregation models (such as farmer producer organizations, farmer groups, enterprises, and companies) focused on higher-value horticulture crops, livestock, dairy, and cash crops, in line with changing markets and demand. • While identified qualitative and quantitative studies showed that aggregation models improved access to factor markets for credit, technology, and extension services, joint selling remained relatively low. Aggregation models where small farms jointly access credit, inputs, information, and product markets are not new to global agricultural systems. For over a century, agricultural cooperatives worldwide have tried rectifying small farm disadvantages in market access. In the last two decades, newer aggregation models such as farmer producer organizations, farmer groups, enterprises, and companies have increased. This scoping review assesses the taxonomy of aggregation models, identifies factors responsible for their re-emergence, analyzes their benefits to smallholders, and pinpoints the research gaps in the literature. The review finds that in erstwhile socialist economies, cooperatives emerged as a means of voluntary aggregation following decollectivization from the 1980s onwards. In countries that traditionally had cooperatives, newer aggregation models emerged as cooperatives faltered in adapting to market transformations. The new aggregation models focused on higher-value horticulture crops, livestock, dairy, and cash crops, in line with changing markets and demand. While identified qualitative and quantitative studies showed that aggregation models improved access to factor markets for credit, technology, and extension services, joint selling remained relatively low. Although many studies reported household welfare gains; studies assessing the organizational performance of aggregation models were fewer in number. The review's limitations were that it mainly identifies studies in English (and some Spanish) and evaluated only successful aggregation models, pointing to a survivorship bias in the literature. Long-term studies of aggregation models utilizing panel data and robust design to infer causation and multiple case studies to uncover the heterogeneity of aggregation models are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrition is affected by numerous environmental and societal causes. This paper starts with a simple framework based on three domains: nutritional quality, economic viability, and environmental sustainability, and calls for an integrated approach in research to simultaneously account for all three. It highlights limitations in the current understanding of each domain, and how they influence one another. Five research topics are identified: measuring the three domains (nutritional quality, economic viability, environmental sustainability); modeling across disciplines; furthering the analysis of food systems in relation to the three domains; connecting climate change and variability to nutritional quality; and increasing attention to inequities among population groups in relation to the three domains. For an integrated approach to be developed, there is a need to identify and disseminate available metrics, modeling techniques, and tools to researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. This is a first step so that a systems approach that takes into account potential environmental and economic trade-offs becomes the norm in analyzing nutrition and food-security patterns. Such an approach will help fill critical knowledge gaps and will guide researchers seeking to define and address specific research questions in nutrition in their wider socioeconomic and environmental contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The causes of many vexing challenges facing 21st-century society are at the nexus of systems involved in agriculture, health and wealth production, consumption, and distribution. Using food as a test bed, and on the basis of emerging roadmaps that set achievable objectives over a 1- to 3-year horizon, we introduce this special feature with convergence thinking and practice at its core. Specifically, we discuss academic papers structured around four themes: (1) evidence for a need for convergence and underlying mechanisms at the individual and societal levels; (2) strategy for mainstreaming convergence as a driver of business engagement and innovation; (3) convergence in policy and governance; (4) convergence in metrics and methods. Academic papers under each theme are accompanied by a roadmap paper reporting on the current status of concrete transformative convergence-building projects associated with that theme. We believe that the insights provided by these papers have the potential to enable all actors throughout society to singly and collectively work to build supply and demand for nutritious food, in both traditional and modern food systems, while placing the burdens of malnutrition and ill health on their core strategic agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that 843 million people worldwide are hungry and a greater number suffer from nutrient deficiencies. Approximately one billion people have inadequate protein intake. The challenge of preventing hunger and malnutrition will become even greater as the global population grows from the current 7.2 billion people to 9.6 billion by 2050. With increases in income, population, and demand for more nutrient-dense foods, global meat production is projected to increase by 206 million tons per year during the next 35 years. These changes in population and dietary practices have led to a tremendous rise in the demand for food protein, especially animal-source protein. Consuming the required amounts of protein is fundamental to human growth and health. Protein needs can be met through intakes of animal and plant-source foods. Increased consumption of food proteins is associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions and overutilization of water. Consequently, concerns exist regarding impacts of agricultural production, processing and distribution of food protein on the environment, ecosystem, and sustainability. To address these challenging issues, the New York Academy of Sciences organized the conference 'Frontiers in Agricultural Sustainability: Studying the Protein Supply Chain to Improve Dietary Quality' to explore sustainable innovations in food science and programming aimed at producing the required quality and quantity of protein through improved supply chains worldwide. This report provides an extensive discussion of these issues and summaries of the presentations from the conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatiotemporal trends in aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), fumonisin B1 (FB1), and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation were analyzed in a range of food commodities (maize, groundnut, pearl millet, rice, and wheat) in village settings in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, India. Samples (n = 1549) were collected across six communities and six time points spanning a calendar year and were analyzed for mycotoxins using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. AFB1 and FB1 were common across surveyed villages, with moderate to high detection rates (45–75%) observed across commodities. AFB1 levels in maize and groundnuts and FB1 levels in maize and pearl millet frequently exceeded regulatory threshold levels of 15 μg/kg (AFB1) and 2 μg/g (FB1). DON was analyzed in wheat, with 3% of samples yielding detectable levels and none exceeding 1 μg/g. In rice, AFB1 levels were highest in the bran and husk and lower in the kernel. Commodity type significantly influenced AFB1 detection status, while commodity type, season, and visual quality influenced samples' legal status. Storage characteristics and household socioeconomic status indicators did not have significant effects on contamination. No significant effects of any variables on FB1 detection or legal status were observed. Data on mycotoxin contamination, combined with data on local dietary intake, were used to estimate spatiotemporal mycotoxin exposure profiles. Estimated seasonal per capita exposure levels for AFB1 (5.4–39.3 ng/kg body weight/day) and FB1 (~0–2.4 μg/kg body weight/day) exceeded provisional maximum tolerable daily intake levels (1 ng/kg body weight/day for AFB1 and 2 μg/kg body weight/day for FB1) in some seasons and locations. This study demonstrates substantial dietary mycotoxin exposure risk in Unnao food systems and serves as an evidentiary foundation for participatory food safety intervention in the region. • Aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1 are prevalent in the food systems, while deoxynivalenol is largely absent. • Mycotoxin contamination in Indian villages has distinct spatial and seasonal trends. • Food system composition and cropping calendars influence the distribution of mycotoxins. • Trends in contamination are associated with dietary intakes at levels that warrant public health intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of what the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) calls "indirect and direct drivers" of change in ecosystem services at a global level. The MA definition of a driver is any natural or human-induced factor that directly or indirectly causes a change in an ecosystem. A direct driver unequivocally influences ecosystem processes. An indirect driver operates more diffusely by altering one or more direct drivers. Global driving forces are categorized as demographic, economic, sociopolitical, cultural and religious, scientific and technological, and physical and biological. Drivers in all categories other than physical and biological are considered indirect. Important direct drivers include changes in climate, plant nutrient use, land conversion, and diseases and invasive species. This paper does not discuss natural drivers such as climate variability, extreme weather events, or volcanic eruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fundamental changes in the world food economy pose new challenges for all participants in the food system, particularly in developing countries. This article focuses on the implications of these changes for international co-operation in food and agriculture. Concentrating especially on the FAO, it reviews the responses in monitoring, advocacy, resource mobilisation, regulation and technical and policy assistance activities. It is argued that the emerging food policy agenda, while addressing new challenges, must nevertheless keep at its centre the fight against hunger and malnutrition. However, shifts in the location and nature of hunger require that new approaches be developed to address this persistent and unacceptable global problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the authors discusses the sustained agricultural methods to meet upto the food demand without harming the ecology. They are critical of the current farming systems and states that it should be analyzed to reduce the harmful effects of growing agricultural land. They emphasize on introducing a global network to keep a check on the impact of agricultural methods on environment.

A letter to the editor in response to the article "Selling out on nature" by Douglas J. McCauley in the vol. 443 of the 2006 issue is presented.