scholarly journals Emerging potato pathogens affecting food security in southern Africa: Recent research

2020 ◽  
Vol 116 (11/12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacquie E. van der Waals ◽  
Kerstin Krüger
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Soft Rot ◽  
Developing Nations ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Management Options

Potato is a staple crop that contributes to food security and poverty alleviation in developing nations. Despite this, yields in developing nations are often unsustainably low, due to various biotic and abiotic factors that negatively affect production. Some of the most important biotic constraints are pathogens, many of which are disseminated by seed tubers. The lack of functional or formal seed certification systems in many southern African countries results in a continual increase in pathogen pressure. Short rotation cycles, poor plant nutrition and inefficient control measures exacerbate the crop production challenges faced by resource poor growers. In this review, we discuss five of the most important diseases on potatoes in southern Africa, namely late blight, bacterial wilt, soft rot / blackleg, powdery scab and zebra chip. Management options for small-scale growers are provided.

scholarly journals Crop Productivity and Implications for Food Security and Rural Livelihood Development in Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamudu A. Akudugu ◽  
Katherine K. Millar ◽  
Salifu Mubarik
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Rural Livelihood ◽  
Food Shortages ◽  
Development Goals

Over the past few decades, there have been major advances in crop productivity across the world, which has been made possible through a combination of productivity enhancing technological innovations. Beyond this achievement however, most parts of Africa are still battling with low crop productivity resulting in food shortages and food insecurity. The yields of many staple crops are still far below their agronomic potentials with output increases being attributed largely to area expansion. This paper examines the implications of the current trends of crop/plant productivity for food security and rural livelihood development in Africa using Ghana as a case study. The paper argues that crop production in Africa is becoming a less viable and unattractive livelihood activity with farmers diversifying out of agriculture into non-agricultural activities such as illegal small-scale mining, which have negative consequences on the ability of African countries to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

scholarly journals Cereal Production Trends under Climate Change: Impacts and Adaptation Strategies in Southern Africa

Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luxon Nhamo ◽  
Greenwell Mathcaya ◽  
Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi ◽  
Sibusiso Nhlengethwa ◽  
Charles Nhemachena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
International Aid ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Cereal Production ◽  
The Impact

The increasing frequency and intensity of droughts and floods, coupled with increasing temperatures and declining rainfall totals, are exacerbating existing vulnerabilities in southern Africa. Agriculture is the most affected sector as 95% of cultivated area is rainfed. This review addressed trends in moisture stress and the impacts on crop production, highlighting adaptation possible strategies to ensure food security in southern Africa. Notable changes in rainfall patterns and deficiencies in soil moisture are estimated and discussed, as well as the impact of rainfall variability on crop production and proposed adaptation strategies in agriculture. Climate moisture index (CMI) was used to assess aridity levels. Southern Africa is described as a climate hotspot due to increasing aridity, low adaptive capacity, underdevelopment and marginalisation. Although crop yields have been increasing due to increases in irrigated area and use of improved seed varieties, they have not been able to meet the food requirements of a growing population, compromising regional food security targets. Most countries in the region depend on international aid to supplement yield deficits. The recurrence of droughts caused by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) continue devastating the region, affecting livelihoods, economies and the environment. An example is the 2015/16 ENSO drought that caused the region to call for international aid to feed about 40 million people. In spite of the water scarcity challenges, cereal production continues to increase steadily due to increased investment in irrigated agriculture and improved crop varieties. Given the current and future vulnerability of the agriculture sector in southern Africa, proactive adaptation interventions are important to help farming communities develop resilient systems to adapt to the changes and variability in climate and other stressors.

scholarly journals The timing of agricultural production in hazard-prone areas to prevent losses at peak-risk periods: A case of Malawi, Madagascar and Mozambique

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandri Kruger
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Residual Moisture ◽  
Resilient Communities ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Hazard-prone areas in southern Africa experience many natural hazards, which include cyclones, floods and droughts. The severe climatic conditions of southern Africa have an especially large impact on the agricultural practices of small-scale farmers. These hazards should be mitigated to ensure more resilient communities and food security. This study mainly focuses on the timing of agricultural production in hazard-prone areas to prevent losses at peak-risk periods by adapting the agricultural cycle. This study focuses on the agricultural activities of small-scale farmers in Malawi, Madagascar and Mozambique. A literature review is presented, and a mixed-method research design were followed to determine the timing of production followed by these small-scale farmers and its impact on production and food security. Although this study found that the small-scale farmers generally plant with the first rains, it is recommended by literature that early planting should be practised to ensure optimal production. It is also recommended that small-scale farmers should implement watermanagement techniques for dry periods, and when farmers practice late planting, the use of residual-moisture retention should be utilised as a mitigation measure. This will in effect ensure that the communities are less vulnerable during peak-risk periods by improving or ensuring food security. Therefore, adapting the planting and production time in these hazardprone areas at peak-risk periods could limit losses and increase communities’ resilience.

scholarly journals Small-scale Farming and Access to Market: Challenges and Opportunities in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 50-63
Author(s):  
Confidence Ndlovu ◽  
Mandla Masuku
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Limited Access ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

The paper has aimed to explore the effectiveness of small-scale farmers in improving household income and food security, particularly looking at the barriers to market access in rural areas. This study was undertaken in rural areas of Kanyamazane, Clau-Clau and Nyongane, South Africa, where small-scale producers depend on low-risk and low-return markets to generate household income from production, thus ensuring food security. To achieve the aim of this study, a qualitative approach was used to provide in-depth interpretation of the perspectives, experiences, and behavioural patterns of the small-scale farmers faced with market related issues. Small-scale farmers, agricultural extension officers, and municipal officials were purposefully selected to share their views, perceptions, and experiences on the effectiveness in accessing markets. The findings revealed that there was limited access to formal markets by small-scale farmers because of limited knowledge and capacity to meet market requirements. The study confirmed that a lack of marketing skills, institutional support services, and limited access to arable land, have directly negative effects on achieving livelihood outcomes. This study recommends a sustainable crop production method which reduces the costs of farming resources, such as pesticide and fertilizer, through organic methods to ensure food safety and enhanced nutrient quality. This study further encourages inclusive rural development, where small-scale producers are treated as stakeholders in agricultural policy formulation to enable access to financial resources and increase in production through the formation of cooperatives.

scholarly journals Spatial and seasonal patterns of FMD primary outbreaks in cattle in Zimbabwe between 1931 and 2016

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laure Guerrini ◽  
Davies Mubika Pfukenyi ◽  
Eric Etter ◽  
Jérémy Bouyer ◽  
Chenjerai Njagu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Foot And Mouth Disease ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Temporal Occurrence ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Abstract Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is an important livestock disease impacting mainly intensive production systems. In southern Africa, the FMD virus is maintained in wildlife and its control is therefore complicated. However, FMD control is an important task to allow countries access to lucrative foreign meat market and veterinary services implement drastic control measures on livestock populations living in the periphery of protected areas, negatively impacting local small-scale livestock producers. This study investigated FMD primary outbreak data in Zimbabwe from 1931 to 2016 to describe the spatio-temporal distribution of FMD outbreaks and their potential drivers. The results suggest that: (i) FMD outbreaks were not randomly distributed in space across Zimbabwe but are clustered in the Southeast Lowveld (SEL); (ii) the proximity of protected areas with African buffalos was potentially responsible for primary FMD outbreaks in cattle; (iii) rainfall per se was not associated with FMD outbreaks, but seasons impacted the temporal occurrence of FMD outbreaks across regions; (iv) the frequency of FMD outbreaks increased during periods of major socio-economic and political crisis. The differences between the spatial clusters and other areas in Zimbabwe presenting similar buffalo/cattle interfaces but with fewer FMD outbreaks can be interpreted in light of the recent better understanding of wildlife/livestock interactions in these areas. The types of wildlife/livestock interfaces are hypothesized to be the key drivers of contacts between wildlife and livestock, triggering a risk of FMD inter-species spillover. The management of wildlife/livestock interfaces is therefore crucial for the control of FMD in southern Africa.

scholarly journals Genomic history of the seventh pandemic of cholera in Africa

Science ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 358 (6364) ◽  
pp. 785-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
François-Xavier Weill ◽  
Daryl Domman ◽  
Elisabeth Njamkepo ◽  
Cheryl Tarr ◽  
Jean Rauzier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Vibrio Cholerae ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Genomic Data ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
African Countries ◽  
History Of ◽  
Phylogenetic Framework

The seventh cholera pandemic has heavily affected Africa, although the origin and continental spread of the disease remain undefined. We used genomic data from 1070 Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates, across 45 African countries and over a 49-year period, to show that past epidemics were attributable to a single expanded lineage. This lineage was introduced at least 11 times since 1970, into two main regions, West Africa and East/Southern Africa, causing epidemics that lasted up to 28 years. The last five introductions into Africa, all from Asia, involved multidrug-resistant sublineages that replaced antibiotic-susceptible sublineages after 2000. This phylogenetic framework describes the periodicity of lineage introduction and the stable routes of cholera spread, which should inform the rational design of control measures for cholera in Africa.

scholarly journals Dynamics of agricultural land and the risk to food insecurity in the Niayes region of Diamniadio, West Senegal

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateugue Diack ◽  
Macoumba Loum ◽  
Abdoulaye Guisse ◽  
Mamadou B. Sane
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Agricultural Lands ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Research

Food security is a serious challenge facing West African countries because most croplands are being degraded. Consequently, agricultural production is being exceeded by rapid population growth. This study relates the dynamics of agricultural lands to the level of capacity building for resilience in response to low productivity and hence to food insecurity in the Niayes region, Senegal, where lands are presumably suitable for crop production. Factors influencing changes in surface areas, soil quality and level of resilience were examined using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Findings showed strong relationships between a significant decrease (65.25% – 35.54%) in productive agricultural lands with a range of soil physical and chemical properties (clay to loamy soil texture; soil pH: 7.0–8.0; soil organic carbon [SOC]: 5.0 g kg−1 – 25.0 g kg−1; effective cations exchangeable capacity [ECEC]: 4.5 Cmol kg−1 – 39.0 Cmol kg−1; cation exchange capacity [CEC]: 8.0 Cmol kg−1 – 34.0 Cmol kg−1) and food insecurity levels. In the last 5 years, urbanisation and industrialisation processes have reduced the farmlands by about 26.51% through uncontrolled construction of buildings and companies, leading to a disappearance of lands. Such dynamics raises the issue of a risk to food security in a region that usually provides more than 70% of fruits and vegetables demand for consumption. These results underline a need for a greater understanding of resilience for a better management design with a risk prevention plan to ensure food security.

scholarly journals Genomic Characterization, Formulation and Efficacy in Planta of a Siphoviridae and Podoviridae Protection Cocktail against the Bacterial Plant Pathogens Pectobacterium spp.

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
Maja A. Zaczek-Moczydłowska ◽  
Gillian K. Young ◽  
James Trudgett ◽  
Colin C. Fleming ◽  
Katrina Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soft Rot ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
In Planta ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Phage Cocktail ◽  
Causative Agents

In the face of global human population increases, there is a need for efficacious integrated pest management strategies to improve agricultural production and increase sustainable food production. To counteract significant food loses in crop production, novel, safe and efficacious measures should be tested against bacterial pathogens. Pectobacteriaceae species are one of the causative agents of the bacterial rot of onions ultimately leading to crop losses due to ineffective control measures against these pathogens. Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate and characterize bacteriophages which could be formulated in a cocktail and implemented in planta under natural environmental conditions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and genome analysis revealed Siphoviridae and Podoviridae family bacteriophages. To test the protective effect of a formulated phage cocktail against soft rot disease, three years of field trials were performed, using three different methods of treatment application. This is the first study to show the application of a phage cocktail containing Podoviridae and Siphoviridae bacteriophages capable of protecting onions against soft rot in field conditions.

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