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Coral reefs support an incredible abundance and diversity of fish species, with reef-associated fisheries providing important sources of income, food, and dietary micronutrients to millions of people across the tropics. However, the rapid degradation of the world's coral reefs and the decline in their biodiversity may limit their capacity to supply nutritious and affordable seafood while meeting conservation goals for sustainability. Here, we conduct a global-scale analysis of how the nutritional quality of reef fish assemblages (nutritional contribution to the recommended daily intake of calcium, iron, and zinc contained in an average 100 g fish on the reef) relates to key environmental, socioeconomic, and ecological conditions, including two key metrics of fish biodiversity. Our global analysis of more than 1,600 tropical reefs reveals that fish trophic composition is a more important driver of micronutrient concentrations than socioeconomic and environmental conditions. Specifically, micronutrient density increases as the relative biomass of herbivores and detritivores increases at lower overall biomass or under high human pressure. This suggests that the provision of essential micronutrients can be maintained or even increase where fish biomass decreases, reinforcing the need for policies that ensure sustainable fishing, and that these micronutrients are retained locally for nutrition. Furthermore, we found a negative association between micronutrient density and two metrics of fish biodiversity, revealing an important nutrition-biodiversity trade-off. Protecting reefs with high levels of biodiversity maintains key ecosystem functions, whereas sustainable fisheries management in locations with high micronutrient density could sustain the essential supply of micronutrients to coastal human communities. • Fish trophic composition is the most important driver of micronutrient density • Micronutrient density is negatively associated with fish biomass and diversity • Sustainable management remains essential to support nutritious reef fisheries Maire et al. explore how the nutrient quality of reef fish communities changes with environmental, socioeconomic, and ecological conditions, including fish biodiversity. A nutrition-biodiversity trade-off can exist and implies a new target for fisheries management that maximizes nutritional harvest without compromising efforts to reverse biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food and nutrition insecurity exist at an alarming rate in the US educational system, ranging from 17% among K-12 students up to 58.8% among university students. Many Muslim American students face food and nutrition insecurity due, in part, to a lack of acknowledgment of student adherence to halal dietary guidelines and the availability of certified halal options at school. This has implications for health, learning, and social outcomes. In this perspective paper, we provide short-term, mid-term, and long-term recommendations to address food and nutrition insecurity among halal-observant students to advance healthy dietary patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic discourse on food justice and sustainable food consumption needs to be informed by empirical contributions and heterogenous conceptualisations from diverse parts of the world. This paper broadens the dialogue with a variety of voices and knowledges, rooting itself not only in the specific political and social context, but also the discursive and epistemic traditions of Brazil, which stand in dialogue with international discourses. Firstly, an analysis is offered of the multi‐stakeholder process that since the mid‐1990s shaped the discourse, theorisation and policy making on food justice and sustainable food consumption in Brazil. Emerging from this process were globally leading Brazilian policy initiatives such as Zero Hunger, the School Feeding Program, the progressive Food Guide, and co‐crafted concepts such as comida de verdade. The institutional architecture for this discourse, the National Food Council and regular conferences, were dismantled in 2019 after a change in government. Secondly, the paper presents data from 30 interviews with key stakeholders from civil society, policy, business, media and celebrity influencers, conducted at the time of the dissolution. Three key subdiscourses on sustainable food consumption emerge: access, with an emphasis on right to food; health; and re‐conhecimento, a term we use to articulate the confluence of multiple knowledges and consciousnesses, including an insistence on the cultural role of food. Throughout the interviews, co‐crafted concepts and phrases emerging from the multistakeholder process reverberated. The paper argues that the multi‐stakeholder process resulted not just in a coherent shared discourse, concepts and policy during a period of conducive policy environment, but also in collective resilience. The invisible edifice of shared ideas and commitments around this public issue is still intact and may be reactivated in future. In times of increased political polarisation, not just in Brazil, this is an important argument for investing in such long‐term multi‐stakeholder dialogue processes. This paper analyses the distinct multi‐stakeholder process which shaped the discourse, theorisation and policy making on food justice and sustainable food consumption in Brazil. It presents data from 30 interviews with key stakeholders, from which three sub‐discourses emerge: access; health; and re‐conhecimento. The paper argues that although the multi‐stakeholder forums crafting this discourse were dismantled in 2019 after a change in government, the process of co‐crafting has resulted in key concepts and a shared vision which demonstrate collective epistemic resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: A large body of literature has shown that forests provide nutritious foods in many low- and middle-income countries. Yet, there is limited evidence on the contributions from different types of forest and tree systems. Objectives: Here, we focus on individual trees and smaller forest patches outside established forest reserves as well as different forest management systems. Methods: We do so by combining novel high-resolution data on tree cover with 24-h dietary recall surveys from 465 women in Tanzania. Results: We show that people with more unclassified tree cover (i.e., individual trees and small forest patches) in their nearby surroundings have more adequate protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin A intakes. We also find that having a nearby forest under Participatory Forest Management (PFM) system is associated with higher adequacy levels of energy, iron, zinc and vitamin A. By contrast, tree cover within other types of forest (e.g., Government Forest Reserves and Government Forest Plantations) is not positively associated with people’s dietary quality. Conclusions: Our key finding is that having individual trees, smaller forest patches and/or forest under PFM in close proximity is more beneficial for people’s diets than other types of established forests. Our results highlight the nutritional importance of trees outside established forests and question the often-assumed benefits of forests if these are made inaccessible by social barriers (e.g., legislation). Finally, our results emphasize the need to distinguish between different forest management systems when studying forest-diet linkages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild food plants (WFPs) are important components of the diet and a source of income for local communities in semiarid regions, given that these populations are commonly characterized by high socioeconomic vulnerability and dependence on natural resources for subsistence. In periods of food scarcity and crop failure, WFPs emerge as strategic resources for ensuring food and nutrition security. However, these little-researched plants may also be affected by climate change. Here, our objective was to determine the spatiotemporal dynamics of WFPs in the Brazilian semiarid and evaluate their potential availability in future climate change scenarios. We constructed habitat suitability models for economically and nutritionally important WFPs used in this region and projected future scenarios (2041–2060). Furthermore, we determined the geographical distribution, species richness, and composition (on local and regional scales) of WFPs in current and future scenarios. Our results showed that WFPs exhibited varied responses to climate change. The more pessimistic the future scenario, the greater the negative effects. Most WFP species exhibited a reduction in climatically suitable areas in future scenarios, resulting in a shrinkage of geographical ranges, a reduction in species richness, and alterations in community composition. These changes could have important implications for economic development, subsistence, and food and nutrition security in the region. Our findings offer insights that can guide actions for adaptation and mitigating the effects of climate change and promoting species conservation not only in the Brazilian semiarid but also in other semiarid regions worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionOptimization techniques, such as linear programming, can be used to estimate the minimum cost of a nutrient-adequate food basket, to determine if individuals or households can afford nutritious diets. These cost estimates typically account for seasonal fluctuations but often overlook significant disruptions in the availability of affordable nutritious food that can severely impact food and nutrition security.MethodsThis paper proposes a tree-based method, the binary search tree, to assess the resilience of the cost estimate of the minimum-cost food basket. In particular, this method aims to identify indispensable foods in these baskets — those whose unavailability would lead to a substantial cost increase. The binary search tree operates by iteratively excluding essential food items while ensuring the construction of minimum-cost nutritious baskets. It considers all relevant combinations of foods up to a specified size and avoids unnecessary optimizations, thereby saving computation time. We describe how the resulting tree can be evaluated and condensed to capture only the necessary information for decision makers. The construction and evaluation of the binary search tree are independent of the (dietary) restrictions or type of optimization model (i.e., linear, non-linear or integer) included.ResultsIn general, the binary search tree can identify all (combinations of) foods whose exclusion leads to a significant cost increase of a nutritious food basket. Furthermore, it can detect possible substitute effects between foods and identify key limiting nutrients. A case study is presented in which the binary search tree is applied to data from Ebonyi, Nigeria, modeled using linear programming. We report all combinations of up to five foods that, when unavailable, can impact food and nutrition security in Ebonyi.ConclusionThe BST can provide insights into local food and nutrition security when facing drastic disruptions in access to nutritious foods by identifying indispensable foods. Its results can be used to inform and design interventions in the context of humanitarian operations.

AbstractAlthough the 2030 Agenda’s aim of "zero hunger and malnutrition" has achieved tremendous progress, the prevalence of food insecurity and malnutrition is constantly rising worldwide. Hence, determining the variables influencing the food and nutrition security of wheat farmers in Arsi Zone of Ethiopia’s was the aim of this study. A random sampling technique was used to collect primary data from 422 households spread over three districts. Household dietary diversity score and calorie acquisition score were used to measure the nutrition and food security status, respectively. The result of descriptive statistics revealed that 70.85% of the sample households were food secure while the remaining 29.15% were insecure. Likewise, it was found that 26.07%, 52.61%, and 21.33% of the sample households had low, medium, and high nutritional levels, respectively. The result of the binary logit model pointed out that livestock holding, frequency of extension contact, inorganic fertilizer, irrigation, and vegetation coverage were positively associated with the likelihood of food security whereas family size and distance from the market were negatively associated with it. The results of ordered logit showed that the level of education, participation in safety-net programs, total income, farm size, market information, and soil fertility had positive and significant effects on household nutritional status while the distances to the market and health center were negatively associated with it. Thus, strong attention should be given in improving land, and livestock productivity, family planning, farmers’ education, soil fertility of wheat farms, interactions with extension agents, and utilizing irrigation technologies.

This study aimed to investigate food insecurity in the academic community during the pandemic. Crosssectional study with collection from an online questionnaire between October 2020 and February 2021 with undergraduate and graduate students, technicaladministrative staff, and professors. The questionnaire contained socioeconomic variables and the validated Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. The average age of the participants was 27 years, most were female (65.7%) and 30.2% had an income between 1 and 3 minimum wages. Food insecurity was higher among undergraduates with 34.4% mild food insecurity, 10.6% moderate food insecurity, and 5.5% severe food insecurity. Logistic regressions showed that undergraduates and graduate students had the highest OR for food insecurity, with increased or reduced income and weight being associated with greater chances of food insecurity during the pandemic. Thus, the study demonstrated a significant presence of food insecurity in the academic community, especially among undergraduate and graduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia has demonstrated a commitment to tackling the high burden of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) challenges by developing and implementing various policies, strategies, and programs. Despite the efforts, the current FNS situation is of significant public health concern observed by various nutrition indices. The narrative review aimed to appraise multisectoral policy, strategic and programmatic initiatives aimed at addressing FNS challenges and identify entry points for enhancing coherent and integrated FNS approaches. The review involved broad literature research using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 1,086 articles and grey literature were identified. Out of this, 47 full-text articles and documents met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Evidence was synthesized in themes to characterize the successes and challenges of key FNS policies, strategies, and programs and identify potential areas of improvement to enhance multisectoral actions and address FNS challenges. Overall, Ethiopia has made considerable progress in enhancing FNS through the implementation of a range of FNS policies, strategies, and programs such as the National Nutrition Program (NNP), Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP), and Agricultural Growth Program (AGP) among others. These efforts have resulted in notable achievements, such as the reduction of the prevalence of undernourishment from 47.0% in 2000 to 24.9% in 2020 and the reduction of stunting among children under five years from 57.4% to 35.2% over the same period. Nonetheless, the pace of progress has been hindered by various contextual and programmatic challenges such as climatic shocks, poverty, high inflation, political instability, limited access to production resources, inadequate coverage of FNS interventions, inadequate financing, and inadequate multisectoral coherence and integration. A comprehensive and integrated multisectoral FNS approach focusing on enhancing commitment, planning, coordination, financing, capacity building, and accountability across sectors and levels is imperative. Strengthening coherence across various sectors, alongside the operationalization of robust multisectoral monitoring and evaluation systems highlighted in the National Food and Nutrition Strategy, constitutes the most suitable entry points for ensuring sustainable advancement in mitigating the prevailing FNS challenges in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the food environment and availability of foods in establishments in areas with and without Food and Nutrition Public Establishments (FNPE). The availability, variety and promotion of foods that compose Healthy Food Store Index (HFSI) were compared between establishments in both areas. The availability and variety of fruits and vegetables mean were higher among FNPE. The availability of ultra-processed foods was higher in convenience stores/bakeries. HFSI did not differ between areas. The fact that the index of availability of healthy foods did not differ between areas reflected the low impact of FNPE on food marketing dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The fall armyworm and larger grain borer are two of the main invasive cereal insect pests of cereal crops in Africa. These pests cause successive synergistic damage to maize in the field and after harvesting, resulting in huge food losses in Africa. The two invaders share invasive characteristics such as a high reproductive capacity, high thermal tolerance, pesticide resistance and the ability to feed on numerous hosts—traits that help them outcompete native species. Along with these characteristics, climate change, increased anthropogenic activities and factors such as the lack and/or poor tracking of natural enemies in the case of larger grain borer and an increase in mixed cropping under smallholder farming systems enabling host-switching in the case of the fall armyworm, have inevitably facilitated the continental spread of the two pests. Cumulative losses from the successive attack of the two insect pests suggest that 30–100% food losses are incurred when the two co-exist within the same environment. Improved management and containment of the fall armyworm and larger grain borer through the curtailment of plant material smuggling, improved phytosanitary regulations, public awareness and integrated pest management strategies can contribute towards improving food and nutrition security in Africa. Invasive alien species (IAS) are a major biosecurity threat affecting globalisation and the international trade of agricultural products and natural ecosystems. In recent decades, for example, field crop and postharvest grain insect pests have independently accounted for a significant decline in food quantity and quality. Nevertheless, how their interaction and cumulative effects along the ever-evolving field production to postharvest continuum contribute towards food insecurity remain scant in the literature. To address this within the context of Africa, we focus on the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and the larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), two of the most important field and postharvest IAS, respectively, that have invaded Africa. Both insect pests have shown high invasion success, managing to establish themselves in >50% of the African continent within a decade post-introduction. The successive and summative nature of field and postharvest damage by invasive insect pests on the same crop along its value chain results in exacerbated food losses. This systematic review assesses the drivers, impacts and management of the fall armyworm and larger grain borer and their effects on food systems in Africa. Interrogating these issues is important in early warning systems, holistic management of IAS, maintenance of integral food systems in Africa and the development of effective management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fonio (Digitaria exilis), also called "acha" in Nigeria, is a staple food crop that plays an important role in food and nutritional security for millions of people in West Africa. However, in Nigeria, as in most African countries where it is consumed as a whole grain to enrich local diets, its utilization patterns are poorly documented. Thus, generating knowledge of stakeholders' perceptions of and preferences for its use is critical for understanding the constraints and drivers affecting fonio utilization patterns. The main objective of this study was to review the utilization patterns of fonio by providing key information on stakeholders' perceptions and preferences in Nigeria. In this review, we first discuss production and synthesize some basic information relevant to different uses of fonio and stakeholders' perceptions of and preferences for such use. We also examine how farmers often maintain fonio diversity, highlight challenges that limit production and consumption on a wide scale and propose a roadmap for scaling up production and increasing the adoption level of fonio. The roadmap proposed in this study is based on five axes, namely, production, innovation in postharvest and processing technologies, marketing systems, technology dissemination, and novel gene prospecting. We assume that documenting the generated knowledge will increase public awareness of the nutritional and health properties associated with food-based products and help guide policy-makers and the private sector to strategically support the research and development of the native crop of West Africa for sustainable food and nutritional security. Further ethnobotanical research will be necessary to shed light on the extent and patterns of indigenous knowledge of fonio-based traditional foods in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A circular economy is considered one way to reduce environmental impacts of human activities, by more efficient use of resources and recovery, resulting in less waste and emissions compared to linear take‐make‐dispose systems. Muscat et al. developed five ecological principles to guide biomass use towards a circular economy. A few studies have demonstrated environmental benefits of applying these principles to land‐based food systems, but to date, these principles have not been explored in aquaculture. The current study expands on these principles and provides a narrative review to (i) translate them to aquaculture, while identifying implications for the main species and production systems, and (ii) identify the main pathways to make aquaculture more circular. We show that the underlying concepts of the 'safeguard', 'entropy', and 'recycle' principles have been well researched and sometimes well implemented. In contrast, the 'avoid' and 'prioritise' principles have been explored much less; doing so would provide an opportunity to decrease environmental impacts of aquaculture at the food‐system level. One example is prioritising the production of species that contribute to food and nutrition security, have low environmental impacts and thinking at wider food system scale to avoid feed‐food competition in aquaculture. We identified six priorities that could make aquaculture more circular: (i) increase production and demand for the most essential species, (ii) decrease food loss and waste at farm and post‐harvest stages, (iii) support nutrient recycling practices at multiple scales, (iv) adapt aquafeed formulations, (v) inform consumers about benefits of species of low trophic levels and other environmentally friendly aquatic foods, and (vi) address urgent research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food loss is a global challenge with significant economic, environmental, and social implications. In Brazil, it is estimated that fruit and vegetable losses range between 30% and 35% from production to the final consumer. This study analyzed the extent of fruit and vegetable loss and its determinants at the Supply Center of the State of Bahia (CEASA-Bahia), Brazil, taking into account the diversity of sales establishments. A cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted using questionnaires administered to sellers at the Salvador Supply Center in Bahia, Brazil. The sample consisted of 132 sellers, representing three categories: stalls, stones, and boxes. Over 85% of the sellers had not received any training in food handling. Precarious facilities and insufficient conservation technologies were observed, with only 12.9% of sellers having refrigeration facilities. Although 56.1% of the sellers denied experiencing losses, a weekly loss of 26.30 t of vegetables and 127.4 t of fruit was estimated, representing 2.26% of the acquired amount. In absolute values, this corresponds to over 150 t of wasted food. There was no policy in place at the Center to prevent or reduce food loss, with only timid initiatives such as donations (28.8%) and discounts (6.8%). The findings highlight the potential for implementing programs aimed at preventing food losses.

Abstract The consequences of COVID-19 on the economy and agriculture have raised many concerns about global food security, especially in Middle Eastern countries, where unsustainable farming practices are widespread. Regarding the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of early implementation of prevention programs, it is essential to understand better its potential impacts on various food security dimensions and indicators in these countries. In this scoping review, research databases were searched using a search strategy and keywords developed in collaboration with librarians. The review includes community trials and observational studies in all population groups. Two researchers separately conducted the literature search, study selection, and data extraction. A narrative synthesis was implemented to summarize the findings. The impacts of COVID-19 on three of four dimensions of food security through the food and nutrition system were identified: availability, accessibility, and stability. Disruption of financial exchanges, transportation, and closing of stores led to reduced production, processing, and distribution sub-systems. Rising unemployment, quitting some quarantined jobs, increasing medical healthcare costs, and increasing food basket prices in the consumption sub-system lead to lower access to required energy and nutrients, especially in the lower-income groups. Increased micronutrient deficiency and decreased immunity levels, increased overweight, obesity and non-communicable diseases would also occur. The current review results predict the effect of COVID-19 on food security, especially in vulnerable populations, and develop effective interventions. This review provides information for policymakers to better understand the factors influencing the implementation of these interventions and inform decision-making to improve food security. PROSPERO identifier: CRD42020185843.

Abstract Background Currently, food and nutrition insecurity are global challenges. Millions of people are still suffering from this problem in Ethiopia. Smallholder farmers that dominated the agricultural sector in most developing countries like Ethiopia are deemed as one avenue to address such challenges. The purpose of this review was, therefore, to scrutinize the impact of smallholder agriculture production on food and nutrition security from Ethiopian context. Empirical studies were retrieved through electronic databases and the backward searching mechanism in which the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart were used to select the empirical studies and to report the review results. Results The finding of the review indicated that, smallholder farmer plays a decisive role in an effort towards improving food and nutrition security through either directly as sources food and/ or indirectly provides means and mechanisms to access the required food type at different level. Furthermore, it is found that, female contributed more in securing food and nutrition status of households compared to their male counterparts. Yet, both male and female smallholder farmers are faced different challenges including lack of access to agricultural infrastructures and facilities, plant and animal disease, and gender- based difference on access to and control over productive resources. Conclusion and recommendation. Given the contributions of smallholder agriculture in Ethiopia, there is a need to strengthen capacity of female and male smallholder farmers through provision of gender responsive agricultural advisory services and credit services tailored to the local context as options in improving food and nutrition security in Ethiopia.

Food security remains the bedrock of the sustainable well-being of all nations. However, the dietary lifestyles of many underprivileged persons are compromised by limited access to nutritious food, which contributes negatively to malnutrition in developing countries. Bread, a wheat-based staple food, is consumed globally. It has been made in diverse forms, including Ujeqe, a traditional bread that is appreciated among the Zulus in South Africa. Its complementary foods are beans and those of animal origin, including Usu (offal), which not all people access; therefore, its singular consumption can predispose the consumer to deficiency challenges, thereby positioning it as a strategic medium for the delivery of essential nutrients for optimum well-being. Hence, interest in bread supplementation remains vital for improving nutrient intake and well-being. A food-based strategy that encourages diversified diets for essential nutrient intake has been highlighted as a cost-effective and sustainable approach to tackle malnutrition at the household level. Thus, this study assesses the perceptions of Ujeqe and Amaranthus as a potential supplement for improved food and nutrition security of the rural households in Empangeni KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A mixed-design research approach was adopted for the study, and purposive convenience random sampling techniques were used to sample the population. A total of 100 structured questionnaires were generated, and clustered data of 91 respondents were preprocessed and analyzed using descriptive content analysis. The study's findings revealed that 92.59% of the respondents attested that Ujeqe is a traditional steamed bread indigenous to the study area. It is preferred because the ingredients are readily available, with an easy preparation mode. Moreover, Ujeqe is well appreciated and consumed as a main meal and a snack by all ages, excluding babies. Furthermore, 100% of the respondents in this study were familiar with Amaranthus leaves but were not familiar with their utilization as an ingredient in Ujeqe bread. Amaranthus is an underutilized crop. In this study, the respondents indicated their willingness to consume Amaranthus enriched-Ujeqe bread for improved food and nutrition security in rural communities. Therefore, awareness and processing of nutrient-dense plants, including (Amaranthus) cannot be overemphasized. Similarly, Amaranthus can be explored in Ujeqe bread for improved nutrient intake to address nutrition insecurity, especially in malnourished communities, including Empangeni KwaZulu-Natal Republic of South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of traditional underutilized food in fulfilling the nutritional requirements of rural communities is acknowledged across the world. The Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalaya is considered as one of the hotspots of diverse underutilized nutritious crops and vegetables. Though the earlier generation used those diverse traditional nutri-crops to fulfill food and nutritional requirements, their usage and cultivation have declined over the period. The new generation is not aware of the nutritional values of these local crops. In this context, the present study was conducted to document the traditional nutri-crops of Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalaya, and to suggest future policies for mainstreaming these traditional crops into the farmers' existing cropping system. Participatory rationality analysis technique was conceptualized and used to understand the usage of different traditional nutri-crops in the region from a sample of 560 farmers. The findings revealed that the rationality index score of Ishkush (Sechium edule) was highest (4.66) followed by Chuche Karela (Momordica charantia L.-4.38) and Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo-4.37). The crops with highest perceived medicinal (4.86) and nutritive value (4.93) was Ishkush (Sechium edule). The major recommendation for popularizing the traditional nutri-crops was 'Ensuring better price for traditional nutricrops (81%)' followed by 'Start research initiative specifically on local unexplored nutri-crops to enhance their productivity (80%)', and 'Demonstrating the potential of indigenous nutri-crops in fighting malnutrition through extension agents (78%)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of this study was to analyze how innovations in Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) contribute to improving the food and nutrition security of smallholder households, thereby promoting sustainable food systems. Methods: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted among a multi-stage sample of 424 smallholder farmers drawn from five different agroecosystems. To examine households' food and nutrition security, we used food consumption score (FCS) and modified household dietary diversity score (HDDS) in propensity score matching (PSM) and endogenous switching regression (ESR) estimation models. Results: PSM results showed that crop residue management, compost, and agroforestry have a significant effect on improving households' food and nutrition security by 21.3, 13.6, and 16.6%, respectively, whereas Soil and water conservation (SWC) has reduced adopters' food security by 12.9%. However, the conditional average treatment effect, or ESR result, reveals that households' food and nutrition security has improved as a result of the adoption of crop residue management, compost, SWC, and agroforestry. Discussion: Although the impact of crop residue management, compost, and agroforestry is positive, the effect of SWC on household food security has been inconclusive. Hence, it is important to upscale the adoption of multiple CSA innovations to improve smallholder household's food security in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to sustainable food systems and the achievement of SDGs 2 and 12 entails the adoption of sustainable consumption and production patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet and its impact on nutritional status and health have been the focus of recent research. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, BMI (kg/m2), and age of children. The geographical area is the Metropolitan City of Bari (Apulia region, southern Italy), which is involved in the development of an effective food policy aimed at ensuring a sustainable food transition. An online survey was filled out by parents or guardians responsible for the dietary patterns of children between 2 and 15 years of age to collect data about their Mediterranean diet adherence through the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) and sociodemographic features, food habits and lifestyles, and anthropometric variables. Descriptive statistics and k-means cluster analysis were applied for profiling children, contributing to identifying the main factors that might affect individual Mediterranean diet adherence. Four clusters were characterized, taking into account food habits and lifestyle index, socioeconomic index, children’s age, and body mass index (BMI). Results showed an association between low adherence to the Mediterranean diet and high prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. The factors positively associated with following an optimal Mediterranean diet adherence were the mother’s education level and level of income; skipping breakfast is linked to low adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Therefore, targeted strategies should be put in place to improve Mediterranean diet adherence among children, promoting healthy dietary habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to collect online data about the cultivation of 'ora-pro-nóbis' (OPN) in the Vale do Paraíba Paulista to support research planning and public policies. A questionnaire with 24 questions was created using a remote research management application and covered the cultivation, consumption and commercialization of OPN. Applied to the agroecology group Rede Agroflorestal do Vale do Paraíba (Rede) and food security group Roda de Saberes (ROSA), made up of farmers, producers and rural owners, agriculture, health and education professionals, we obtained 52 completed questionnaires with OPN valued for its high protein and nutritional content, as a traditional food widely used by 96% of respondents who keep few plants in backyards and farms (82%) for the consumption of 0.5-1, 0kg of leaves per month in fresh form (29%), green juice (22%), cakes and breads (21%) and sautéed with meat (17%). Research should focus on pruning management (67%), necessary to maintain the low size of the plants and prevent the spikes from increasing in size as the branches age. This research provided a current overview of the growing popular interest in the consumption of OPN, which justifies investments to improve management and expand the scale of production to also serve the food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Farm households in Africa adopt resource allocation tools such as crop diversification to minimize risk exposure and safeguard their food and nutrition security. This study uses primary data and an ordered probit model to examine how crop diversification impacts the food security outcomes of rural farmers in northern Ghana. The findings revealed that along with other factors like access to extension services and use of soil fertility management practices, crop diversification increased food access and reduced the food insecurity experience of households. As a result, policies targeted at improving the food and nutrition security of peasant households should promote adoption of diversified crop production and use of sustainable soil management practices like composting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Despite important nutrition-related policy and programmatic improvements in South Africa, rates of stunting among young children remain unacceptably high, while rates of overweight and obesity in this same population group are simultaneously on the rise. This study sought to examine the changes in the enabling environment for nutrition aimed at young children in South Africa by drawing on a literature review, policy mapping, and stakeholder interviews, for the time period from the end of apartheid in 1994 to 2021. The study focuses on changes and drivers of change at national level but also in three provinces: Western Cape, North West, and KwaZulu-Natal. The study ultimately seeks to better understand the changes and challenges with regards to policy and commitment to nutrition, coordination structures at various levels, and how these led to or did not lead to implementation and impact in these provinces. The study ends with reflections on what these findings mean for food and nutrition security in South Africa going forward, as well as what they might mean for other countries with similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This research is conducted in the context of an integrated food security and nutrition project implemented by the Social Enterprise Development Foundation (SEND Sierra Leone) and Agro Forestry Farmers Association (AFFA) in rural Kenema and Pujehun Districts. This paper presents a qualitative ‘baseline’ action-learning research on the impact of the Gender Model Family (GMF) approach on women empowerment and the effects on enhanced outcomes along the agriculture-nutrition pathway. Qualitative data were collected using in-depth face-to-face interviews and focused group discussion (FGD) from the GMF beneficiaries. Results Linking Agriculture, Natural Resource Management and Nutrition (LANN) has nutrition security as its aim, and the project objectives and indicators focus on nutrition, not gender—however, this ‘baseline’ action-learning research recognized that gender is a major underlying factor. The evidence suggests that the GMF approach fosters women empowerment and enhances outcomes in food and nutrition security as there has been a change in social rules about men taking part in domestic household work and women involvement in family decision-making. Conclusions Given that women play crucial roles as administrators of household food and nutrition security, empowering them is intimately related to the consolidation of household food systems, improves nutrition intake and the fight against food-nutrition insecurity in rural Africa.

IntroductionThe objective of this study was to analyze how innovations in Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) contribute to improving the food and nutrition security of smallholder households, thereby promoting sustainable food systems.MethodsA cross-sectional household survey was conducted among a multi-stage sample of 424 smallholder farmers drawn from five different agroecosystems. To examine households’ food and nutrition security, we used food consumption score (FCS) and modified household dietary diversity score (HDDS) in propensity score matching (PSM) and endogenous switching regression (ESR) estimation models.ResultsPSM results showed that crop residue management, compost, and agroforestry have a significant effect on improving households’ food and nutrition security by 21.3, 13.6, and 16.6%, respectively, whereas Soil and water conservation (SWC) has reduced adopters’ food security by 12.9%. However, the conditional average treatment effect, or ESR result, reveals that households’ food and nutrition security has improved as a result of the adoption of crop residue management, compost, SWC, and agroforestry.DiscussionAlthough the impact of crop residue management, compost, and agroforestry is positive, the effect of SWC on household food security has been inconclusive. Hence, it is important to upscale the adoption of multiple CSA innovations to improve smallholder household’s food security in the face of climate change.

The transition to sustainable food systems and the achievement of SDGs 2 and 12 entails the adoption of sustainable consumption and production patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet and its impact on nutritional status and health have been the focus of recent research. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, BMI (kg/m2), and age of children. The geographical area is the Metropolitan City of Bari (Apulia region, southern Italy), which is involved in the development of an effective food policy aimed at ensuring a sustainable food transition. An online survey was filled out by parents or guardians responsible for the dietary patterns of children between 2 and 15 years of age to collect data about their Mediterranean diet adherence through the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) and sociodemographic features, food habits and lifestyles, and anthropometric variables. Descriptive statistics and k-means cluster analysis were applied for profiling children, contributing to identifying the main factors that might affect individual Mediterranean diet adherence. Four clusters were characterized, taking into account food habits and lifestyle index, socioeconomic index, children’s age, and body mass index (BMI). Results showed an association between low adherence to the Mediterranean diet and high prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. The factors positively associated with following an optimal Mediterranean diet adherence were the mother’s education level and level of income; skipping breakfast is linked to low adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Therefore, targeted strategies should be put in place to improve Mediterranean diet adherence among children, promoting healthy dietary habits.

Food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition have been a global challenge, particularly among low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. Despite international donors’ interventions, the number of food insecure households, hunger, and malnutrition keep increasing, though exacerbated by the security challenges in Nigeria. Nigeria ranked 107th out of 113 countries on the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), and the level of hunger in Nigeria remains considerably serious, as Nigeria also ranks 109th out of 125 countries in the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI). Owing to these challenges, the Nigerian government has instituted policies and programmes to boost food production, yet the issue of food insecurity persists due to poor implementation. Failure of policies and programmes is principally due to the so-called NO-STEP syndrome-no sincerity or transparency in the execution of policies. Furthermore, there have not been structures that could provide a basis for the formulation of the policies and also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their implementation. Therefore, this study outlines a conceptual “Triple E (Evaluation, Education, and Empowerment) framework”. The goal is to strengthen rural agricultural activities for adequate food production, a sure pathway to achieving food security and hunger reduction. Furthermore, considering the increasing number of malnourished children in Nigeria, the Triple E also entails a novel initiative, SIT-250/4/1 (survey, identify, and treat 250 thousand malnourished under five children, every quarter per year), and if adopted by the Federal Government of Nigeria, it could help reduce significantly, in the shortest possible time, the number of malnourished children in Nigeria.

Despite the progress observed over the past decades, food and nutritional insecurity remain the prominent challenges in Ethiopia. In this respect, improved farming practices and productivity-enhancing agricultural technologies have been identified as pathways out of these problems; these technologies are the priority agenda of the government policy in Ethiopia. Nonetheless, the impact of the adoption of milk safety practices on dairy farmers’ food and nutrition security has not yet been addressed, especially at the smallholder farmers’ level. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the adoption of milk safety practices on dairy farmers’ food and nutrition security in Ethiopia, using primary data collected from 410 dairy farmers. Generalized propensity score matching was used to evaluate the heterogeneous impact of the adoption of milk safety practices on the household food and nutrition security indicators (per capita food consumption expenditure and food consumption score). The findings reveal that the adoption of milk safety practices had a moderate impact on food consumption expenditure but had no significant impact on food consumption score. An ordered probit endogenous switching regression was also used to account for unobserved bias and check the robustness of the generalized propensity score estimates. Accordingly, the results are similar to the generalized propensity score estimates, and unobserved bias was not a problem. In general, the impact of adoption of milk safety practices on food and nutrition security of smallholder dairy farmers is moderate in Ethiopia. This might be because of the high compliance costs with the adoption of milk safety practices and the lack of quality-based pricing systems. Hence, creating an enabling environment, which in turn, encourages the adoption of milk safety practices would help improve positive effects of the adoption of milk safety practices on food and nutritional security.

Reducing post-harvest loss conserves resources such as natural, human, and financial inputs that help reduce poverty, raise household incomes, and improve rural livelihoods. The plant-based protein, higher unsaturated fat content, and higher fiber value of groundnuts make them preferable for nutrition enhancement. Groundnut is also well known for its environmental significance, as it reduces the use of chemical fertilizer by fixing nitrogen from the air and enriching soil fertility. However, there are few published scientific reports on groundnut post-harvest loss assessment in African countries. Moreover, published studies of groundnut post-harvest loss focused primarily on biodeterioration during storage. Hence, this review aimed to assess the underlying causes, extent of post-harvest quality and quantity loss of groundnut in the supply chain, and post-harvest loss mitigating technologies in Africa and their implications for food and nutrition security. This review found that the higher drudgery required in the groundnut supply chain is a limiting factor for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan African countries. Groundnut qualitative and quantitative post-harvest loss is higher during groundnut pod stripping and shelling and also during on-farm and warehouse storage of groundnut in the supply chain. Post-harvest losses of groundnut in African countries extend from 8.9% (Ghana) to 31% (Uganda). Higher-quality groundnut producers do not receive a higher market price as traders and processing factories do not test for aflatoxin content during purchase, which lets producers not follow labor- and cost-demanding good agricultural practices. In conclusion, adopting and providing improved groundnut varieties, aflatoxin control mechanisms, and post-harvest technologies of higher efficiency, lower cost, and local availability should be carried out. In addition, public awareness of aflatoxin toxicity and mitigation measures should be widely disseminated.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed multifaceted threats to global economies. The lockdowns were exogenous threats to economic activities. This study uses the case of farming households in Cameroon to explore the association between households’ resilience and food and nutrition insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focus group discussions (FDGs) were conducted to identify the different COVID-19-related shocks and the response strategies implemented by farming households. Information from the FGDs was then exploited to design survey questionnaires. A multistage random sampling procedure identified 249 farming households for an in-depth study. Through econometric modelling techniques, we reveal that COVID-19 shocks adversely affected farming households’ food and nutrition security and reduced households’ resilience capacity. However, existing adaptive capacity and access to basic services significantly contributed to farming households’ resilience. Female-headed and semi-urban farming households were more resilient than male-headed and rural households to COVID-19 shocks. We recommend that policies and interventions that target the enhancement of farming households’ adaptive capacity and improving their access to basic services would be essential for preparedness, response, and swift recovery from unanticipated systemic shocks such as COVID-19.

The objective of this review was to explore the status of value addition, the processing methods and products that have been developed from African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) since 1980–2021 globally. Scholarly literature on AIVs were retrieved from online databases. This information will help product development to identify new product development options to explore. The results revealed that the oldest identified study on value addition of AIVs was published in the year 1993 in South America, while the latest publications were published in 2021 from studies conducted in Africa. In addition, the results reveal that Africa has the greatest diversity of AIVs that are being value added and is leading in the value addition research of leafy indigenous vegetables as compared to the rest of the continents. Unfortunately, the results show that the value addition being done in African continent is still premised on traditional processes such as sun drying, which in most cases negatively impact on food safety and nutrient availability. These results indicate an opportunity for product diversification in Africa as compared to the rest of the continents where there is a wide range of value-added products using advanced food processing techniques and technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciência & Saúde Coletiva is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Pos-Graduacao em Saude Coletiva and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of World Food Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In spite of the remarkable economic growth and poverty reduction in India, the country has not witnessed a commensurate improvement in its food and nutrition indicators. The problem of food and nutrition insecurity in India is more pronounced when viewed from a regional perspective. This study constructs a State Hunger Index (SHI) for India based on data from two rounds of the National Family Health Survey and analyses the variation in SHI across states in the country in relation to accessibility, availability, and absorption of food. Our analysis revels that the majority of the Indian states had either 'alarming' or 'extremely alarming' levels of hunger in 2005-06. Even in 2015-16, only Kerala had a 'moderate' level of hunger and all other states had 'alarming' or 'serious' levels of hunger. Hunger is predominantly concentrated in BIMARU states namely, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Among these states, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh account for one-third of the total hungry population in India. Policies to provide safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, and public distribution system for food grains have had a significant positive impact on reducing hunger in India. The study underscores that policies and programs should be devised with a regional perspective to address the challenges of food and nutrition insecurity in India and overcome the wide variation in hunger across regions of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the problems in ensuring the food and nutrition security of Bulgaria. The focus is on the consumption. Outlined are characteristics by product groups and products. Highlighted are specifics, peculiarities and problems. Considered is the priority significance of the consumption of products with high biological value for the country's food and nutritional security. The significance and the role of their import in meeting basic food needs is assessed as unacceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Fomento Social is the property of ETEA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Food and nutrition security projections from global to household levels show that the future requires multifaceted approaches to achieve desired goals. In Uganda, the government has tried several strategies to promote food production, including a public-private partnership with Iowa State University through its Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods. In this comparative study, we surveyed 454 households to explore whether participation in livelihood education programs (LEPs) impact household food security. We also determine which LEPs and household characteristics influence food security. Overall, 46.3% of the surveyed house-holds were food secure, while the remaining were insecure or extremely insecure. Significantly, 51.0% of LEP participants were more food secure, compared to 35.5% of nonparticipants. Specific LEPs including agronomy and postharvest technologies, and livestock integration significantly influence food security, but less so for programs on nutrition and infant feeding, water supply and public health, complementary services like therapeutic porridge and assistance with immunization, and income innovations. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that the household characteristics of keeping livestock and the number of meals eaten during periods of scarcity, influenced households having more food security than insecurity or extreme insecurity. Households participating in LEPs, having larger acreage of land, and having clean water and sanitation facilities were more food secure. The time taken to fetch water, days of illness of male adults, and belonging to community social groups, also influence the level of household food security. Based on these findings, we recommend that households should participate in LEPs to build their capacity to manage crop and live-stock production, and also to acquire knowledge of nutrition and feeding, public health, and income innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small and medium size business enterprises (SMEs) are the linchpin in systems of food provisioning in sub-Saharan Africa. These businesses occupy the middle of the agri-food chain and face a food security conundrum: they must ensure that smallholder producers of limited means can operate under fair terms while low-income consumers are supplied with affordable and nutritious food. This task becomes even more challenging when resources are scarce. This paper explores how resource-constrained SMEs arrange the terms on which both farmers and consumers are included in agri-food chains. To this end, it combines the concept of inclusion with that of frugality. We use the case of a Kenyan SME to demonstrate how a focus on frugality can advance our understanding of how business practices create thriving business relationships with smallholders while simultaneously ensuring access to affordable food for consumers. We additionally identify what conditions for inclusion emerge from this type of dynamic business practices. Our perspective departs from assessing induced organisational interventions, such as contract farming or cooperatives, which deliberately shorten the agri-food chain, thereby overlooking the skilful practices being employed by business actors in the middle of the chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]