scholarly journals Food Security, Conflict, and COVID-19: Perspective from Afghanistan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zarmina Islam ◽  
Diana Mutasem Kokash ◽  
Maryam Salma Babar ◽  
Utkarsha Uday ◽  
Mohammad Mehedi Hasan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
The Other ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Healthy Life ◽  
The Third ◽  
Dietary Requirements ◽  
Food Shortages

Afghanistan, a country challenged by war and conflicts, has been in a state of turmoil for several years. The prolonged suffering has brought many challenges to the country’s inhabitants. Among these, food security is one important cause for concern. Food security occurs when people continuously have physical and economic access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary requirements and food preferences for a functional and healthy life. Amid the pandemic, Afghanistan has witnessed a large increase in food shortages due to its dependence on neighboring countries. In light of current circumstances, food insecurity, coupled with political instability and the third wave of the COVID-19, have made it extremely hard for people to access daily provisions. Hence, people are left to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic with economic recession and poverty as the backdrop of the other health crises. To mitigate food security, international attempts are the required at this critical juncture. The aim of this article is to understand the causes leading to food insecurity and its implications in Afghanistan and to propose solutions that will improve the overall food security at the policy and implementation levels.

scholarly journals Food insecurity, diet quality and body composition: data from the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (HeLTI) pilot survey in urban Soweto, South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Sarah H Kehoe ◽  
Stephanie V Wrottesley ◽  
Lisa Ware ◽  
Alessandra Prioreschi ◽  
Catherine Draper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Healthy Life ◽  
Life Trajectories

Abstract Objective: To determine whether food security, diet diversity and diet quality are associated with anthropometric measurements and body composition among women of reproductive age. The association between food security and anaemia prevalence was also tested. Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (HeLTI) study. Food security and dietary data were collected by an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Hb levels were measured using a HemoCue, and anaemia was classified as an altitude-adjusted haemoglobin level < 12·5 g/dl. Body size and composition were assessed using anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Setting: The urban township of Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. Participants: Non-pregnant women aged 18–25 years (n 1534). Results: Almost half of the women were overweight or obese (44 %), and 9 % were underweight. Almost a third of women were anaemic (30 %). The prevalence rates of anaemia and food insecurity were similar across BMI categories. Food insecure women had the least diverse diets, and food security was negatively associated with diet quality (food security category v. diet quality score: B = –0·35, 95 % CI –0·70, –0·01, P = 0·049). Significant univariate associations were observed between food security and total lean mass. However, there were no associations between food security and body size or composition variables in multivariate models. Conclusions: Our data indicate that food security is an important determinant of diet quality in this urban-poor, highly transitioned setting. Interventions to improve maternal and child nutrition should recognise both food security and the food environment as critical elements within their developmental phases.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 Variants on the Second Wave in India and Subsequent Discretion of Possibilities of the Third Wave

2021 ◽  
pp. 115-126
Author(s):  
Sudarshan Ramaswamy ◽  
Meera Dhuria ◽  
Sumedha M. Joshi ◽  
Deepa H Velankar
Keyword(s):  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Sir Model ◽  
The Other ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Focal Points ◽  
Current Analysis ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Second Wave ◽  
Insight Into

Introduction: Epidemiological comprehension of the COVID-19 situation in India can be of great help in early prediction of any such indications in other countries and possibilities of the third wave in India as well. It is essential to understand the impact of variant strains in the perspective of the rise in daily cases during the second wave – Whether the rise in cases witnessed is due to the reinfections or the surge is dominated by emergence of mutants/variants and reasons for the same. Overall objective of this study is to predict early epidemiological indicators which can potentially lead to COVID-19 third wave in India. Methodology: We analyzed both the first and second waves of COVID-19 in India and using the data of India’s SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequencing, we segregated the impact of the Older Variant (OV) and the other major variants (VOI / VOC).  Applying Kermack–McKendrick SIR model to the segregated data progression of the epidemic in India was plotted in the form of proportion of people infected. An equation to explain herd immunity thresholds was generated and further analyzed to predict the possibilities of the third wave. Results: Considerable difference in ate of progression of the first and second wave was seen. The study also ascertains that the rate of infection spread is higher in Delta variant and is expected to have a higher threshold (>2 times) for herd immunity as compared to the OV. Conclusion: Likelihood of the occurrence of the third wave seems unlikely based on the current analysis of the situation, however the possibilities cannot be ruled out. Understanding the epidemiological details of the first and second wave helped in understanding the focal points responsible for the surge in cases during the second wave and has given further insight into the future.

A philosophical critique of Feminism : From the third wave to the fourth wave

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-40
Author(s):  
Mohammed Xolile Ntshangase
Keyword(s):  
Hate Speech ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
The Other ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Political Equality ◽  
The Third ◽  
Knowing That ◽  
The World ◽  
Good Movement ◽  
Fourth Wave

Feminism has been a good movement with the noble aim of freeing the world from the shackles of an evil superiority of men over women. The principal of feminism as a movement was political equality between men and women. In itself, it was a fair and just course such that it was inclusive of men as well, men were also part of the movement with no insults, threats, and hate speech. But in this technological era some impurities have also crept into it. From the third wave of feminism which is also known as GRRRL feminism which turned the offensive names into jokes and somehow normal to be pronounced in public, things became no longer about equality and respect of humanity. As feminism grew, it became less critical and became more sensitive towards emotions and uncritical amassment of followers. To some extent, being critical about feminism is unacceptable because someone becomes quickly accused of being patriarchal and antifeminism. Indeed, patriarchy is a negative and destructive idea perpetrated by those who were suffering from testosteron-epowersyndrome . But, when some thinkers like Valenti, Arndt, and Harrow have identified the syndrome and implemented some medication to it, others inject the other side with similarly fatal ideas. I call those ideas Oestrgoen-powersyndrome because they make their victims think that with collapse of patriarchy, men should be disgraced and be made to feel not existentially necessary. Symptoms of this syndrome start from no more knowing that hating the other sex is wrong and should not be promoted. Writers like Annapuranny and Jansen even perpetrate non progressive talks like “what’s wrong with hating men”, “the world would be better off without men” and many phrases of such destructive nature. But the issue which this paper seeks to address is that there is no philosopher who has critically tackled this matter. In fact, some African philosophers rather reject the whole feminism movement as non-African. Using analytical framework, this research ventures into critical analysis of this issue of feminist extremism coupled with the silence of African philosophers.

scholarly journals Poverty and food security: drivers of insecticide-treated mosquito net misuse in Malawi

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Berthe ◽  
Steven A. Harvey ◽  
Matthew Lynch ◽  
Hannah Koenker ◽  
Vincent Jumbe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Mosquito Net ◽  
North Central ◽  
The North ◽  
Food Shortages ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract Background Over the past decade, food insecurity, connected to erratic rains and reduced agricultural outputs, has plagued Malawi. Many households are turning to fishing to seek additional sources of income and food. There is anecdotal evidence that insecticide-treated net (ITN) recipients in Malawi are using their nets for purposes other than sleeping, such as for fishing, protecting crops, and displaying merchandise, among others. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the factors leading residents of waterside communities in Malawi to use ITNs for fishing. Methods This study used qualitative and observational methods. Five waterside communities were identified, two each in the North, Central and Southern regions, representing a mix of lakeside and riverside settings. Fifteen focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 146 participants, including men, women, and community leaders. Results Respondents stated that they knew that ITNs should be slept under to protect from malaria. Respondents discussed financial hardships their communities were facing due to droughts, poverty, food scarcity, unemployment, and devaluation of the Malawian currency, the kwacha. Many described selling household goods, including clothes and cooking pots, to generate short-term income for their family. Though no respondents admitted to selling an ITN themselves, the practice was commonly known. Participants said that food shortages were forcing them to make difficult choices. Fishing with ITNs was reported to be common in the study sites, as a response to food insecurity, and was widely understood to be harmful over the longer term. Respondents felt that it was everyone’s responsibility to cut down on this practice, but that efforts to confiscate or burn nets and boats of those caught fishing with ITNs were counter-productive since boats, especially, were a required resource for a productive livelihood. Respondents feared that if the health workers, government officials and donors continued to see ITNs being misused for fishing, the distribution of free ITNs would end, which would worsen malaria in their communities. Conclusions Faced with economic hardships and food security crises, participants reported being forced to look for alternative incomes to feed their families. This sometimes included selling or repurposing their belongings, including ITNs, for income. This issue is complex and will require a community-led multisectoral response to preserve health, fisheries, and livelihoods.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity Among International Post-Secondary Students Studying on a Canadian Campus: A Qualitative Description Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 33-45
Author(s):  
Mahitab Hanbazaza ◽  
Maryam Kebbe ◽  
Arnaldo Perez ◽  
Geoff Ball ◽  
Anna P. Farmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Qualitative Description ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Post Secondary Students

Enrollment of international post-secondary students is increasing across Canadian campuses. International post-secondary students may experience challenges in accessing nutritious foods that meet their dietary needs and food preferences. These challenges can pose negative impacts on their health, well-being, and academic achievement. Our aim was to describe international post-secondary students’ perceptions of (1) challenges to attaining food security and (2) consequences of food insecurity on the university experience. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 11 international post-secondary students who had food insecurity, were enrolled at a public university in Canada, and who had requested emergency foodhampers from the on-campus food bank. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using manifest, inductive content analysis. International post-secondary students reported several logistical issues related to obtaining sufficient food, including a lack of time, limited family support, modest food preparation skills, and low knowledge about supportive services and resources. Students also faced challenges in sourcing culturally appropriate foods, including issues related to food availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability. Further, they perceived food insecurity to negatively influence their academic performance through compromised concentration, reduced class and exam attendance, and adverse mpactson physical, mental, and social well-being. Some students reported extreme food deprivation, resulting in hunger. Our results revealed the negative impacts that food insecurity can have on international post-secondary students. Findings underscore the imperative to minimize the occurrence of food insecurity while studying in Canada by introducing and enhancing support systems on campus and in the community to enable food security.

scholarly journals Food Security in India: Need for Improved Distribution System

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 102
Author(s):  
Shivesh Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Healthy Life ◽  
World Today ◽  
Global Challenges ◽  
Nutritious Food ◽  
The World

Security (Food and Human) is one of the major challenges confronting the world today. Food security is inherently interlinked with other current global challenges of economy and climate change. Food security is said to exist when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Persistent Food Insecurity from Policy Failures in Pakistan

2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (4II) ◽  
pp. 817-834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zakir Hussain ◽  
Waqar Akram
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Green Revolution ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Healthy Life ◽  
Food Grains ◽  
The People ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Policy Failures

Food security means, “All the people, all the time, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preference for an active and healthy life” [FAO (1996)]. Three types of food insecurity generally exist in any country, which are: transitory food insecurity that is short time food insecurity occurs due to sporadic crises; chronic food insecurity that arises as a result of long term but not easily changed conditions; cyclic food insecurity that arises due to seasonal fluctuations. If cyclic food insecurity existed in any country for at least six months than it was called as chronic cyclic food insecurity and if it persisted less than six months than called as transitory cyclic food insecurity. Pakistan has made a lot of progress since independence in the field of agriculture in terms of production, yields, and growth in area under cultivation. Indus agriculture has experienced a Green Revolution and is striving for yellow and blue revolutions. However, it could have done far better. Though the overall growth of the Pakistan’s economy has largely been dependent upon the performance of agriculture, over the years, not much investment has been made for the development of this sector. Agriculture performance still depends upon, quite a lot, upon the weather conditions every year. The yields of most of crops are far below the levels achieved at the progressive farms (extension gap). From the Figure 1 it is evident that in the last decade (90s) food availability was increasing and then went down and formed the inverted u-shape. After that again fluctuating means there is no surety about food security. It is also comparable with agriculture growth rate. According to latest statistics in Pakistan as many as 50 million people are engaged in agriculture operations and produce only 25 million tons of food grains. As against this in India, 546 million people are engaged in agricultural operations and produce 176 million tons of food grains, in USA only 6 million people engaged in agriculture, produce 347 million of food grains.

Comparing Trends Between Food Insecurity and Cigarette Smoking Among Adults in the United States, 1998 to 2011

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 413-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Farrelly ◽  
Paul R. Shafer
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Population Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Smoker ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Current Smoking

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that cigarette smoking is associated with higher rates and severity of food insecurity but do not address how population-level smoking rates change in response to changes in food security. Design: Trend analysis of serial cross-sectional data. Setting: Data from a representative survey of US households. Participants: Adults within households participating in both the Food Security Supplement and Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey during 5 overlapping administrations from 1998 to 2011. Measures: A “current smoker” is defined as someone who indicated that they currently smoke on “some days” or “every day.” A household’s food security is coded as “secure” or “insecure,” according to responses to a food security scale, interpreted using a US Department of Agriculture standard. Analysis: Descriptive comparison of the roughly triennial trends in the prevalence of food insecurity and current smoking from 1998 to 2011. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity increased by 30% among adults overall versus 54% among current smokers, with most of the changes occurring following the economic recession of 2008 and 2009. Over this same period, the prevalence of current smoking declined by 33% among food-secure adults and only 14% among food-insecure adults. Conclusion: Food insecurity increased more markedly among adult smokers than nonsmokers, and the prevalence of smoking declined more slowly in food-insecure households, indicating that more low-income smokers are facing hunger, which may at least partly be due to buying cigarettes.

scholarly journals Dacă nu mai există limitări de gen în arealul profesional, de ce ar mai exista ele în limbă? / If there are no gender limitations in the professional realm, why would they persist in language?

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-191
Author(s):  
Felix Nicolau
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Historical Evolution ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Literary Language ◽  
Postindustrial Society ◽  
The Third ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
History Of ◽  
Professional Field ◽  
International Conventions

The historical evolution of languages has been more than once influenced by the sheer influence of scholars who re-channeled some linguistic phenomena or simply consecrated aspects of colloquial usage. This happened in the history of Romanian language when the Latinist scholars cleansed the lexicon and parts of morphology of various non-Latin borrowings and derivations whereas they revived or inserted Latin formations. Taking account of this, it would be hard to justify the rejection of many feminized denominations of professions used already by people in everyday conversations. With the advance of technology and with the support of the third wave of feminism women are able nowadays to embrace whatever professional field they may want. On the other hand, there are numerous international conventions that acknowledge the role played by women in the setting up of the postindustrial society. That is why my article is a plea in favor of a linguistic updating, namely the acceptance into the literary language of feminized denominations of professions.

scholarly journals Crisis Communication, Anticipated Food Insecurity, and Food Preferences: Preregistered Evidence of the Insurance Hypothesis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Folwarczny ◽  
Jacob Dalgaard Christensen ◽  
Norman Li ◽  
Tobias Otterbring ◽  
Valdimar Sigurdsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Insurance Hypothesis ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Food Scarcity ◽  
Food Shortages ◽  
Current Psychological

While overconsumption of energy-dense foods contributes to climate change, we investigated whether exposure to climate change-induced food insecurity affects preferences toward such products. Humans’ current psychological mechanisms have developed in their ancestral evolutionary past to respond to immediate threats and opportunities. Consequently, these mechanisms may not distinguish between cues to actual food scarcity and cues to food scarcity distant in time and space. Drawing on the insurance hypothesis, which postulates that humans respond to environmental cues to food scarcity through increased energy consumption, we predicted that exposing participants to climate change-induced food scarcity content increases their preferences toward energy-dense foods, with this effect being particularly pronounced in women. Three experiments—including one preregistered laboratory study—confirm this prediction. Our findings jointly demonstrate that receiving information about food shortages distant in time and space can influence current food preferences in a potentially maladaptive way, with important implications for public health.

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