Urbanization and farm size in Asia and Africa: Implications for food security and agricultural research

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Masters ◽  
Agnes Andersson Djurfeldt ◽  
Cornelis De Haan ◽  
Peter Hazell ◽  
Thomas Jayne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Farm Size

Food insecurity transitions among rural households in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwakemi Adeola Obayelu ◽  
Emem Ime Akpan
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Secondary Education ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Dependency Ratio ◽  
Male Adult ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Food Expenditure

Food insecurity dynamics of rural households in Nigeria was assessed using a panel data. Results showed that 44.4% of households that were food secure in the first panel transited into food insecurity in the second panel, while 32.5% that were mildly food insecure transited into food security. Furthermore, 25.7% transited from moderate food insecurity to food security, while 38.2% transited from severe food insecurity to food security. About 35.1% of households were never food insecure; 11.4% exited food insecurity 28.0% entered food insecurity; while 25.48% remained always food insecure. Having primary education, secondary education, dependency ratio, household size, share of non-food expenditure and farm size explained food insecurity transition. However, the likelihood of a household being always food insecure was explained by gender, female-to-male-adult ratio, marital status, primary education, secondary education, dependency ratio, share of non-food expenditure, farm size, access to credit and access to remittance.

scholarly journals On-farm trees are a safety net for the poorest households rather than a major contributor to food security in Rwanda

Food Security ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Ndoli ◽  
Athanase Mukuralinda ◽  
Antonius G. T. Schut ◽  
Miyuki Iiyama ◽  
Jean Damascene Ndayambaje ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Income Sources ◽  
Agroforestry Practice ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Agroforestry Practices

AbstractThe world is challenged to meet the food demand of a growing population, especially in developing countries. Given the ambitious plans to scale up agroforestry in Africa, an improved understanding of the effect of agroforestry practices on the already challenged food security of rural households is crucial. The present study was undertaken to assess how on-farm trees impacted food security in addition to other household income sources in Rwanda. In each of the six agroecologies of Rwanda, a stratified sampling procedure was used where two administrative cells (4th formal administrative level) were selected in which households were randomly selected for interviews. A survey including 399 farmers was conducted and farmers were grouped in three types of agroforestry practice (i) low practitioners (LAP) represented by the first tertile, (ii) medium practitioners (MAP) represented by the second tertile and (iii) high practitioners (HAP) represented by the third tertile of households in terms of tree number. Asset values, household income sources, crop production, farm size, crop yield, and food security (food energy needs) were quantified among the types of agroforestry practice. A larger proportion of HAP households had access to adequate quantity and diversity of food when compared with MAP and LAP households. Food security probability was higher for households with more resources, including land, trees and livestock, coinciding with an increased crop and livestock income. We found no difference in asset endowment among types of agroforestry practices, while farmers in agroecologies with smaller farms (0.42 ha to 0.66 ha) had more on-farm trees (212 to 358 trees per household) than farms in agroecologies with larger farms (0.96 ha to 1.23 ha) which had 49 to 129 trees per household, probably due to differences in biophysical conditions. A positive association between tree density and food security was found in two out of six agroecologies. The proportion of income that came from tree products was high (> 20%) for a small fraction of farmers (12%), with the more food insecure households relying more on income from tree products than households with better food security status. Thus, tree income can be percieved as a “safety net” for the poorest households.

scholarly journals KARAKTERISTIK TINGKAT KETAHANAN PANGAN RUMAH TANGGA PETANI BERBASIS AGROEKOSISTEM LAHAN SAWAH IRIGASI DI PROVINSI BALI

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Suharyanto Suharyanto
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Security Level ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Sufficiency ◽  
Food Expenditure ◽  
Cross Classification

Household food security level essentially is the ability of households meet food sufficiency. These capabilities are greatly influenced by many complex factors, but  generally  associated  with  changes  in  behavioral  aspects  of  food  production, consumption and allocation of households resources. The purpose of this study was to analyze  the  level  of  household  food  security  based  on  low  land  rice  irrigated.  The study was conducted in three districts of rice production center in the province of Bali in 2012, i.e. Tabanan district, Gianyar and Buleleng. Data collection was conducted through interviews with 216 respondents. Household food security was measured by cross classification of the share of food expenditure and consumption of energy. The results  of  the  analysis  showed  58.33  %  of  households  have  a  lower  share  of  food expenditure  and  41.67%  household  have  higher  share  of  food  expenditure.  In aggregate  86.57%  of  farm  households  is  quite  in  consuming  energy  and  13.43% is less  in  energy  consume.  The  level  of  household  food  security  of  farmers  in  the aggregate 49.07% of the household were categorized as secure, 37.9% as vulnerable, 8.79% as insufficient, and 4.17% as insecure. There is a correlation between the level of  household food  security  with  age  of  housewife,  level  of  education,  farm  size  and household income.

Technoscience, anaerobic digester technology and the dairy industry: Factors influencing North Country New York dairy farmer views on alternative energy technology

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rick Welsh ◽  
Stefan Grimberg ◽  
Gilbert W. Gillespie ◽  
Megan Swindal
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Dairy Industry ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Anaerobic Digesters ◽  
Agricultural Enterprises ◽  
Dairy Farmer ◽  
The Usa

AbstractStructural change in the US dairy industry toward fewer and very large farms has fueled interest and government funding of research into the feasibility of constructing anaerobic digesters (ADs) on large operations as a waste management strategy. Some groups opposed to increasing scale and concentration in the livestock sectors, including dairy, also oppose ADs because of the connection with larger scale operations and the potential for facilitating increased concentration in agricultural production. But the connection between AD technology and large scale is a social construction promoted by its incorporation into the debates over agricultural industrialization. The technology per se is essentially scale neutral and its scale-implications are artifacts of design choices, as is seen by its successful application to both very small farms around the world and large-scale agricultural enterprises in the USA. Using a survey of dairy farmers in New York, we find that interest in AD technology occurs at all farm sizes; and that factors other than farm size are important in determining interest in the technology. We conclude that the technoscientific question raised by these findings is: will applications to, and interest by, smaller dairy farmer operators result in shifts in policy and funding priorities toward more diverse agricultural research agendas regarding AD technology?

Can Organic Agriculture Feed the Smallholders? Experience from Rural Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-107
Author(s):  
M. A. Sarker ◽  
M. Hoque ◽  
A. H. Chowdhury ◽  
Z. Ferdous
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Project Staff ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Safe Food

This study empirically tests the benefit of the smallholders from organic farming in Bangladesh through their improved food security which is realised from their increased productivity and farm income. The respondent smallholders were picked up from two districts of Bangladesh namely Mymensingh and Bogra. The respondents (80) were the beneficiaries of the organic agriculture promotion project of Bangladesh Agricultural University. Three years data were collected by the project staff and were crosschecked with the base line. Findings of the study explored that before joining with the project extreme majority (93%) of the small farmers were involved in rice mono-culture and more than half (67%) of them were food deficit. The study also revealed that at the initial year of joining organic agriculture project their farm productivity was 10–12% lesser and it increased continually in the successive years. In some cases, it crossed the yield compared to conventional farming. The findings of the study showed that 100% of the farmers have followed crop diversification with high value vegetables and spices along with rice. Due to adoption of organic practices, the cost of production of the smallholders has declined from 27% to 36% and additionally they enjoy 10% to 15% premium prices which have enhanced their farm income significantly. The study shows that 62.5% of the smallholder farmers had attained household food security due to adoption of organic agriculture. Thus, adoption of organic agriculture effectively increased smallholders’ access to surplus safe food. However, the study also explored that farm size, extension media contact, access to assured market and access to institutional support are the most important factors in improving smallholders’ household food security through participation in organic agriculture programme. Thus, it can be concluded that organic agriculture can feed the smallholders in a better way.

scholarly journals Nanoparticle-Based Sustainable Agriculture and Food Science: Recent Advances and Future Outlook

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepti Mittal ◽  
Gurjeet Kaur ◽  
Parul Singh ◽  
Karmveer Yadav ◽  
Syed Azmal Ali
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Soil Improvement ◽  
Nutrient Utilization ◽  
Agricultural System ◽  
Pest Infestation ◽  
Current Scenario ◽  
Agriculture And Food

In the current scenario, it is an urgent requirement to satisfy the nutritional demands of the rapidly growing global population. Using conventional farming, nearly one third of crops get damaged, mainly due to pest infestation, microbial attacks, natural disasters, poor soil quality, and lesser nutrient availability. More innovative technologies are immediately required to overcome these issues. In this regard, nanotechnology has contributed to the agrotechnological revolution that has imminent potential to reform the resilient agricultural system while promising food security. Therefore, nanoparticles are becoming a new-age material to transform modern agricultural practices. The variety of nanoparticle-based formulations, including nano-sized pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and sensors, have been widely investigated for plant health management and soil improvement. In-depth understanding of plant and nanomaterial interactions opens new avenues toward improving crop practices through increased properties such as disease resistance, crop yield, and nutrient utilization. In this review, we highlight the critical points to address current nanotechnology-based agricultural research that could benefit productivity and food security in future.

The changing role of agriculture in Dutch society

2009 ◽  
Vol 147 (5) ◽  
pp. 511-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. G. MEERBURG ◽  
H. KOREVAAR ◽  
D. K. HAUBENHOFER ◽  
M. BLOM-ZANDSTRA ◽  
H. VAN KEULEN
Keyword(s):  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Dutch Society ◽  
The Past ◽  
Alternative Farming

SUMMARYDutch agriculture has undergone significant changes in the past century, similar to many countries in the European Union. Due to economies of scale and in order to remain economically profitable, it became necessary for farmers to increase farm size, efficiency and external inputs, while minimizing labour use per hectare. The latter has resulted in fewer people working in the agricultural sector. Consequently, Dutch society gradually lost its connection to agricultural production. This divergence resulted in a poor image for the agricultural sector, because of environmental pollution, homogenization of the landscape, outbreaks of contagious animal diseases and reduced animal welfare. Although the general attitude towards agriculture seems to have improved slightly in recent years, there is still a long way to go in regaining this trust.In order to keep the Dutch countryside viable, farmers are considered indispensable. However, their methods of production should match the demands of society in terms of sustainability. This applies both to farming systems that are used in a monofunctional way (production only) and to multifunctional farming systems. For researchers involved in development of these farming systems, this requires new capabilities; contrary to the situation in the past, citizens and stakeholder groups now demand involvement in the design of farming systems. In the current paper, it is suggested that, besides traditional mainstream agriculture, other alternative farming systems should be developed and implemented. Hence, Dutch agricultural research should remain focused on the cutting edge of economy and society. Despite all efforts, not all of these newly developed systems will acquire a position within the agricultural spectrum. However, some of the successful ones may prove extremely valuable.

scholarly journals Adapting Rice Technologies to Climate Change

2012 ◽  
pp. 69-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.P. Tripathi ◽  
R.K. Mahato ◽  
R.B. Yadaw ◽  
S.N. Sah ◽  
B.B. Adhikari
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Research Council ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
International Rice Research Institute ◽  
Rice Cultivation ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Participatory Varietal Selection ◽  
Agricultural Research Council ◽  
Animal Sciences

Rice is prime crop that contributes to food security and provides employment to a large number of populations in Nepal. More than 51% of the area of rice land in Nepal is rain-fed. Over the last few years, however, the country has been experiencing erratic rainfall, with less water available for rice cultivation, as well as temperature rise. There are both submergence (flooding) problems and drought in the main rice growing areas. Hence, there is a need to generate suitable rice technologies under such adverse conditions.The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has initiated research in collaboration with the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences (IAAS) to develop suitable rice technologies for submergence and drought prone areas of Nepal. Various rice germplasm was brought from IRRI, Philippines, and research was conducted at NARC and IAAS as well as in farmers’ fields following a program of Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS). Water-saving rice technologies as well as other technologies, including indigenous practices, were identified for utilizing less water for rice cultivation. Several varieties of rice under drought prone and under submergence conditions were identified, and have been recommended for cultivation by Nepalese farmers.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hn.v11i1.7209 Hydro Nepal Special Issue: Conference Proceedings 2012 pp.69-72

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