Promoting food security and enhancing Nigeria's small farmers' income through value-added processing of lesser-known and under-utilized indigenous fruits and vegetables

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 986-991 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Charles Aworh
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Small Farmers ◽  
Indigenous Fruits

scholarly journals Industries without Smokestacks

2018 ◽  
pp. 232-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
António S. Cruz ◽  
Fausto J. Mafambissa
Keyword(s):  
International Economic ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Gross Domestic Product Growth ◽  
Aggregate Growth ◽  
Total Labour

Under the current international economic conditions, where Asian countries are strong competitors in the manufacturing commodities, low-income countries like Mozambique could attempt to compete in industries without smokestacks. Fruits and vegetables, agro-processing goods, and various tradable services are estimated to have contributed 1.9 per cent to annual average gross domestic product growth in 1993–2015, when the aggregate growth was 7.8 per cent. Around 80 per cent of the total labour force is dedicated to primary activities, producing 25 per cent of the aggregated value added in 2013–15. The share of services in total exports was only 17 per cent in 2012–14. Although still relatively small, these industries have potential for growth, if Mozambique follows a diversified growth strategy.

scholarly journals Smallholder Farmers’ Challenges of Coping with COVID-19 Containments: Insights from two food regions in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (06) ◽  
pp. 18223-18244
Author(s):  
Silke Stöber ◽  
◽  
K Adinata ◽  
T Ramba ◽  
N Paganini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Observational Research ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Limited Mobility ◽  
Female Farmers ◽  
Price Spikes

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments around the world to impose containment measures to prevent the rapid spread of the corona virus. The Indonesian government implemented “large-scale social restrictions,” which have impacted farming and farmers’ food security. Farmers are both producers and consumers of food and, therefore, have been facing new challenges due to transport restrictions, price spikes for inputs, price drops for their produce, or conditions which aggravated cooperation, such as social distancing. This study aims at analysing the challenges of the containments from a smallholder farmer perspective and examining farmers’ coping potential. A digital survey with 323 farmers has been designed as comparative observational research in Toraja, South Sulawesi, and selected regions of Java. The Bonferroni Multiple Comparison Test was used to test for significance regarding socio-economic factors and space. A logistic regression model extracted determinants for crisis coping. Results reveal, that female farmers worry more about COVID-19 outbreak compared to men at a significant level. In contrast, male farmers, particularly in Java, are more concerned about social restrictions due to limited mobility. Food price spikes were reported in both regions, with sharp increases for fish, fruits, and vegetables in Java, for staples in Toraja, and for meat and sugar in both regions. Food groups, that trade through agents and brokers or are transported longer distances were affected most due to their complex and long supply chains that were disrupted during the restrictions. In Java, farmers face multiple shocks, of which climate change was reported even more often than the pandemic related shocks. Not being able to help each other on the farm due to social distancing is a significant concern of farmers in Toraja. As a result of food market disturbances, farmers began to grow and eat more vegetables and fruits. In conclusion, food security for farmers slightly decreased due to affordability, and market disruptions already point to long-term income losses. The study team recommends to promote smallholders’ healthy food production, value addition and direct end-consumer linkages to build back better their livelihoods post-COVID-19.

Industrially Important Enzymes Production From Food Waste

2019 ◽  
pp. 31-42
Author(s):  
Madhuri Santosh Bhandwalkar
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Food Waste ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Oil Products ◽  
Food Demand ◽  
Food Processing Waste ◽  
Land Filling

To link food demand and reduction in food waste, proactive approaches should be taken. Perishable food is mainly fruits and vegetables, waste from different processing industries like pulses, meat products, oil products, dairy products, and fishery byproducts. Conventional food waste management solution is land filling which is not sustainable as it generates global warming gases like methane and carbon dioxide. To reduce food waste, the process known as “food valorization” has become another solution to landfilling, the concept which is given by European Commission in 2012, meaning food processing waste conversion to value-added products. In this chapter the study focuses on production of industrially important enzymes from food waste which could be one of the reactive solutions. Different enzymes like pectinase, peroxidase, lipase, glucoamylase, and protease can be produced from food waste.

scholarly journals Fermented Edible Insects for Promoting Food Security in Africa

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuf Olamide Kewuyemi ◽  
Hema Kesa ◽  
Chiemela Enyinnaya Chinma ◽  
Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Fermented Foods ◽  
Edible Insects ◽  
Edible Insect ◽  
Product Acceptability ◽  
Therapeutic Properties ◽  
Sub Saharan

Efforts to attain sustainable nutritional diets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are still below par. The continent is envisaged to face more impending food crises. This review presents an overview of common edible insects in Africa, their nutritional composition, health benefits and utilization in connection with fermentation to enrich the inherent composition of insect-based products and offer foods related to existing and generally preferred culinary practice. Attempts to explore fermentation treatments involving insects showed fermentation affected secondary metabolites to induce antimicrobial, nutritional and therapeutic properties. Available value-added fermented edible insect products like paste, powder, sauces, and insect containing fermented foods have been developed with potential for more. Novel fermented edible insect-based products could effectively fit in the continent’s food mix and therefore mitigate ongoing food insecurity, as well as to balance nutrition with health risk concerns limiting edible insects’ product acceptability in SSA.

scholarly journals Caregiver perceptions of a fruit and vegetable prescription programme for low-income paediatric patients

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
pp. 2497-2506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Saxe-Custack ◽  
Heather Claire Lofton ◽  
Mona Hanna-Attisha ◽  
Colleen Victor ◽  
Gwendolyn Reyes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Farmers Market ◽  
Data Saturation ◽  
Perceived Impact

AbstractObjectiveThe physical and social environments that surround children should support good health. However, challenges with food security and access prevent many children from consuming a healthy diet, which is critical to proper growth and development. The present study sought to gain a better understanding of primary care initiatives to address these issues in a low-income setting.DesignFollowing the relocation of a paediatric clinic to a farmers’ market building and the implementation of a fruit and vegetable prescription programme, researchers conducted thirty-two semi-structured interviews with caregivers. Researchers elicited caregivers’ perceptions of clinic co-location with the farmers’ market; experiences with the prescription programme; opinions of the farmers’ market; and perceived impact on child consumption of fresh produce. Interview recordings were transcribed for textual analysis. Using thematic analysis, researchers examined qualitative data to identify patterns across transcripts and formulate emerging themes. Researchers concluded when data saturation was reached.SettingFlint, Michigan, USA.SubjectsThe majority of participants were female (91 %) and African American (53 %).ResultsFour recurrent themes emerged during interviews: (i) convenience of relocation; (ii) attitude towards prescription programme; (iii) challenges with implementation; and (iv) perceived impact of combined interventions. Caregivers indicated that the co-location and prescription programme increased family shopping at the farmers’ market, improved access to high-quality produce and improved food security.ConclusionsA fruit and vegetable prescription programme involving a partnership between a farmers’ market and paediatric clinic was perceived as effective in improving food security, food access and child consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

scholarly journals Sustainable Water Use for International Agricultural Trade: The Case of Pakistan

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tariq Ali ◽  
Abdul M. Nadeem ◽  
Muhammad F. Riaz ◽  
Wei Xie
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Agricultural Trade ◽  
Agricultural Commodities ◽  
Virtual Water Trade ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Sustainable Water Use

Sustainable use of resources is critical, not only for people but for the whole planet. This is especially so for freshwater, which in many ways determines the food security and long-term development of nations. Here, we use virtual water trade to analyze the sustainability of water used by Pakistan in the international trade of 15 major agricultural commodities between 1990 and 2016 and in 2030. Most of the existing country-level studies on virtual water trade focused on net virtual water importers, which are usually water-scarce countries as well. This is the first study to concentrate on a water-stressed net virtual water-exporting country. Our results show that Pakistan has been trading large and ever-increasing volumes of virtual water through agricultural commodities. Despite the overall small net export of total virtual water per year, Pakistan has been a net-exporter of large quantities of blue (fresh) virtual water through its trade, even by fetching a lower value for each unit of blue water exported. Given Pakistan’s looming water scarcity, exporting large volumes of blue virtual water may constrain the country’s food security and long-term economic development. Improving water use efficiency for the current export commodities, for example, rice and exploring less water-intensive commodities, for example, fruits and vegetables, for export purposes can help Pakistan achieve sustainable water use in the future.

Understanding the Demand Perspective of Drought and Food Insecurity in Africa using A New Evaporative Demand Reanalysis.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Hobbins ◽  
Amy McNally ◽  
Daniel Sarmiento ◽  
Timen Jansma ◽  
Greg Husak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Drought Index ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Drought Monitoring ◽  
Evaporative Demand ◽  
Surface Moisture ◽  
Holistic Understanding

<p>A robust definition of drought is as a sustained and impactful surface moisture imbalance between its supply and demand. While the supply aspect has generally long been well characterized by precipitation, the same cannot be said for the demand side, which is a function of atmospheric evaporative demand (sometimes also called potential evaporation, or PET) and surface moisture availability. Traditional drought analyses have neglected evaporative demand entirely or inadequately parameterized it using either its climatological mean or estimates based on temperature. This is primarily due to (i) a deficient understanding of the role that evaporative demand plays in both driving and exacerbating drought, and (ii) a paucity of the data required to fully characterize evaporative demand—temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed. These deficiencies are particularly acute over data-sparse regions that are also home to drought-vulnerable and food-insecure populations, such as across much of Africa.<br><br>There is thus urgent need for global evaporative demand estimates for physically accurate drought analyses and food security assessments such as those operationally conducted by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET). We need first to improve our understanding of how evaporative demand and drought interact, and then exploit these interactions in drought monitoring and in support of famine early warning.<br><br>The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) supports FEWSNET’s food-security monitoring, early warning, and forecast efforts by providing a nearly 40-year long, daily, 0.125-degree, global dataset of Penman-Monteith reference evapotranspiration as a fully physical metric of evaporative demand. This dataset is driven by the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2)—an accurate, fine-resolution land-surface/atmosphere reanalysis—and is proving invaluable for examining and attributing hydroclimatic changes and extremes on secular time scales and in ongoing operations. An emerging drought index based on this dataset—the Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)—represents drought’s demand perspective, and permits early warning and ongoing monitoring of agricultural flash drought and hydrologic drought, both crucial drivers of food insecurity.<br><br>Our goal in this presentation is to describe how these needs are increasingly being met by service of evaporative demand data and value-added drought-monitoring and famine early warning products to regional scientists tasked with assessing drought (and famine) risk in food-insecure countries within the FEWSNET framework. We will summarize the development and verification of the evaporative demand dataset and the results of a rigorous decomposition of its temporal variability across Africa. Further, we will highlight the utility of the dataset by examining the attribution of extreme evaporative demand anomalies associated with canonical droughts across the continent (e.g., the 2016 Horn of Africa drought), by using EDDI in early warning, and using the new evaporative demand dataset as an input to established food-security metrics such as GeoWRSI—a geo-spatial, stand-alone implementation of the Water Requirements Satisfaction Index. Together, these analyses should greatly contribute to a more holistic understanding of drought and food-security risk across the continent.</p>

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