Recent Scope for AI in the Food Production Industry Leading to the Fourth Industrial Revolution

In today's situation, Artificial intelligence and computer vision collectively join together to analyze the big data obtained from predicted models. The role of AI in the agri-based food industry helps the stakeholders to access and monitor the supply chain. The phenomenon of applying AI and computer vision in the food industry would improve the entire operations. This research paper tries to provide an assisting model for farmers in food-processing and agriculture through the state-of-the-art method. Several concepts related to sustainability in food processing have been estimated through machine learning, and the deep learning model as a worldwide concept. The demand for the usage of AI and computer vision in the Ag-TECH industry has increased which impacts sustainable food production to feed the future. Certain implications have been suggested for real-time monitoring of the farming process, politics behind sustainable food production, and investment which is the main game-player in the present situation. The 4th Industrial Revolution [IR-4.0] was ushered in by the deployment of computer vision and AI in the food business, with computer vision robotics playing a crucial role in ensuring sustainable food production.

Simulating Impact of Technical Efficiency of Livestock Production On Women’s Empowerment in Feed The Future Zone of Bangladesh

This study explores the impact of technical efficiency (TE) on women empowerment in livestock index (WELI) in feed the future zone of Bangladesh. Considering the livestock farming households a total of 906 data (out of 2064) were extracted from the national representative data set of the Bangladesh integrated household survey (BIHS) in 2018. The descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, Alkire Forster methodology, stochastic frontier model, and ordered probit regression modeling were applied for achieving the objective. The results found that the overall WELI score was 0.735 where about 26.65% (WELI score ≥0.80) of women were empowered. The TE score was 0.941 and 0.942 for male and 0.940 for female and male-headed households, respectively. The research revealed found that a positively significant (P<0.05) relationship between TE and WELI. Moreover, higher levels of TE are associated to reduce with the gender disparities. The researchers suggest that encouraging women to participate in livestock production is a good idea; as a result, women's empowerment has a lot of potentials to boost livestock productivity. Hence, our findings provide important evidence showing the positive impact of technical efficiency on women’s empowerment and gender parity within the livestock farming household and may higher level associatively with SDGs.

Les réseaux de producteurs du Sénégal font face à la COVID-19

Cette étude a tiré parti d’une infrastructure d’encadrement et de collecte de données et de relations préalables légué par le projet Feed the Future Sénégal Naatal Mbay (« agriculture florissante »), financé par l’Agence des États-Unis pour le développement international (USAID) et mis en œuvre par RTI International entre 2015 et 2019. Réalisée en 2020, la recherche a intégré des organisations de producteurs pour qu’elles puissent suivre les ménages ruraux membres de leurs réseaux alors qu’ils faisaient face à la pandémie de COVID-19 et tentaient de réagir à ce choc. Les organisations de producteurs, avec le soutien de RTI et de la société-conseil locale STATINFO, ont réalisé une enquête sur un échantillon de 800 ménages agricoles membres de quatre organisations de producteurs soutenus par Naatal Mbay, réalisée en deux passages successifs, en août et octobre 2020. Des groupes de discussion ont été menés avec les responsables des réseaux, ainsi qu’une collecte de données a posteriori ont permis de contextualiser l’expérience face au choc de la COVID-19 et de valider les conclusions. Les conclusions ont montré que les producteurs étaient déjà aux prises des effets des faibles précipitations de la saison de production de 2019 et que la COVID-19 a aggravé ce premier choc du fait des perturbations des communications et des interdictions de déplacements entre les régions, créant ainsi des pénuries alimentaires et exerçant ainsi une pression sur l’utilisation des stocks de semences à des fins alimentaires. Les effets de l’insécurité alimentaire, mesurés par le biais de l’échelle d’accès d’insécurité alimentaire des ménages, se sont avérés être plus importants pour les ménages de Casamance que pour ceux des régions de Kaolack et de Kaffrine. Les conclusions ont également indiqué que les réseaux de producteurs ont déployé une intervention coordonnée incluant aide alimentaire et accès à des équipements de protection individuelle, distribution de semences de légumes et de céréales à cycle court (par exemple, le niébé et le maïs) et des semences adaptées au jardinage, mesures de protection pour les semences de céréales de l’année suivante et innovations financières avec les banques pour sécuriser les crédits. On s’attend à ce que les stocks d’alimentation soient reconstitués au début de la récolte en octobre 2020 et les réseaux prévoient d’accélérer la multiplication des semences, de diversifier les cultures au-delà des céréales, d’améliorer la communication au sein des réseaux et de généraliser l’accès aux instruments financiers au cours de la saison 2021. Les études ont indiqué que le projet antérieur financé par l’USAID est susceptible d'avoir contribué aux capacités de résilience des réseaux en renforçant le capital social et en encourageant le recours à des technologies et outils nouveaux au cours de ses années de fonctionnement.

Does crop specialization improve agricultural productivity and commercialization? Insight from the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze the effects of crop specialization on agricultural productivity and commercialization for farmers who produce high-value crops in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the USAID/Ghana Feed the Future (FTF) survey, which collected data on high-value crops (i.e. maize, rice and soya). Data for the analysis consists of 2,903 farm households. The study utilized the three-stage generalized method of moment estimation technique to deal with the potential endogeneity of crop specialization within the context of productivity and commercialization and heteroscedasticity issues in the data.FindingsThe study found that crop specialization positively relates to agricultural productivity and commercialization, suggesting that increased crop specialization in the production of high-value stimulates productivity and opens market opportunities for farm households. These findings imply that crop specialization seems more beneficial to farmers as it significantly improves productivity and commercialization.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana and not the entire country.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to have jointly modeled crop specialization, agricultural productivity and commercialization. The main advantage of using this system approach is that it uses more information, thereby providing more precise parameter estimates.

SPATIAL DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMMES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

The paper examines the relevance of geospatial maps and technics in execution of livelihood support projects among rural poor. Previous attempts towards driving the poor along prosperity pathways in Nigeria have failed because of incorrect deployment of interventions in time and space. Global positioning systems and Geographical information systems were employed in this study to provide insight to the challenges faced by previous livelihood support projects in the country while also providing a robust spatial decision support system for geographical targeting of interventions to vulnerable households. The study selected 1,459 households from the 42,000 households adopted for the Feed the Future Project in 3 northern States namely; Sokoto, Kebbi States and the Federal Capital Territory. Acquired survey data were converted into GIS maps so as to expose hidden trends in the characteristics of target population and to suggest the best options for interventions. The data were subjected to spatial analysis such as simple distance analysis. The outcomes revealed 86% of sampled households to be largely below the poverty line. This is mainly due to poor access to facilities like health care, markets, good roads, agricultural inputs, agricultural information and advisory services. 10 % of children’s absolute score of Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) revealed acute malnutrition. 42 % of the household however now have stronger safety nets as a result of the interventions. The study found Spatial Information technology highly useful in social intervention project as the one by the Feed the Future project

Senegal Farmer Networks Respond to COVID-19

This study leveraged existing data infrastructure and relationships from the Feed the Future Senegal Naatal Mbay (“flourishing agriculture”) project, funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by RTI International from 2015 to 2019. The research informed and empowered farmer organizations to track and respond to rural households in 2020 as they faced the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmer organizations, with support from RTI and local ICT firm STATINFO, administered a survey to a sample of 800 agricultural households that are members of four former Naatal Mbay–supported farmer organizations in two rounds in August and October 2020. Focus group discussions were conducted with network leadership pre- and post–data collection to contextualize the experience of the COVID-19 shock and to validate findings. The results showed that farmers were already reacting to the effects of low rainfall during the 2019 growing season and that COVID-19 compounded the shock through disrupted communications and interregional travel bans, creating food shortages and pressure to divert seed stocks for food. Food insecurity effects, measured through the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and cereals stocks, were found to be greater for households in the Casamance region than in the Kaolack and Kaffrine regions. The findings also indicate that farmer networks deployed a coordinated response comprising food aid and access to personal protective equipment, distribution of short-cycle legumes and grains (e.g., cowpea, maize) and vegetable seeds, protection measures for cereals seeds, and financial innovations with banks. However, food stocks were expected to recover as harvesting began in October 2020, and the networks were planning to accelerate seed multiplication, diversify crops beyond cereals, improve communication across the network. and mainstream access to financial instruments in the 2021 growing season. The research indicated that the previous USAID-funded project had likely contributed to the networks’ COVID-19 resilience capacities by building social capital and fostering the new use of tools and technologies over the years it operated.

Factors Associated With Recommended Complementary Feeding Practices Among Children in Sidama and Oromia Regions in Ethiopia

Objectives To determine complementary feeding practices (CFP) among 6-to-23-month-old children and to identify associations between maternal and household characteristics with CFP. Methods Cross-sectional study conducted among rural communities located within the Sidama and Oromia regions in Ethiopia. Pairs of mothers and their children (N = 190) were randomly selected to participate in the survey. Data was collected using the WHO Infant and Young Child Feeding indicators, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, and Knowledge on CFP. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze factors associated with CFP. Results Most (87.4%) of the children achieved minimum meal frequency, while only 27.4% achieved minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and 26.8% minimum acceptable diet (MAD). Majority (80%) of the households were food insecure, with 40% of the households reporting severe food insecurity. Half (50.0%) of participating mothers showed poor levels of knowledge on CFP. Children of employed mothers were more likely to meet MDD (P = .014) and achieve MAD (P = .034). Furthermore, children of mothers that had adequate knowledge on the recommended CFP were more likely to achieve MDD (P &lt; .001) and MAD (P &lt; .001). In contrast, children living in households with an estimated annual income lower than $254 dollars were less likely to achieve MDD (P &lt; .05) and MAD (P &lt; .05). Similarly, children living in households with moderate to severe levels of food insecurity were less likely to achieve MDD (P = .003 and P = .012, respectively) and MAD (P = .005 and P = .023, respectively). Conclusions Complementary feeding practices were suboptimal in the Sidama and Oromia region in Ethiopia. Low household income and food insecurity seem to hinder the achievement of MDD and MAD, while maternal employment and knowledge on CFP contributed to a diversified and adequate diet among children. Thus, policies and interventions that target poverty, food insecurity, maternal unemployment, and nutrition education are necessary for the improvement of CFP. Funding Sources United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Food Security as part of Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems.

Fish and Complementary Feeding Practices for Young Children: Qualitative Research Findings From Coastal Kenya

Objectives To assess the potential barriers and facilitators to fish consumption during the complementary feeding period in two coastal counties of Kenya with high rates of child malnutrition. Methods This qualitative study was part of a mixed-methods formative research investigation to examine the role of sustainable fish production and access to fish foods in coastal communities in Kenya. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with primary caregivers of children less than five years (n = 12) and community health workers and nutritionists (n = 8) in Kilifi County and Kwale County. Interviews were transcribed, translated and analyzed. A conceptual framework was developed based on the analysis to illustrate major factors and pathways influencing decisions to feed fish in the complementary feeding period. Results Complementary feeding practices reported by caregivers showed a low level of fish consumption in young children and delayed introduction of fish to the diet. Findings indicate that fish consumption was impacted by factors related to accessibility, food preferences, and caregiver's knowledge and beliefs. Access to fish was driven primarily by cost, proximity to locations where different fish types were sold, gendered purchasing behavior and the seasonal availability of fish foods. In some cases, the high cost of fish outweighed positive associations or perceived nutritional benefits when deciding whether to feed fish to children. Caregivers’ knowledge, beliefs, and food preferences also impacted consumption, with mixed perceptions regarding the importance of fish as a source of protein and other nutrients. These direct factors were influenced by prominent community figures such as elder women and health workers, whose own beliefs and understandings were impacted by underlying cultural norms, potentially limiting fish consumption. Conclusions Understanding current attitudes and beliefs toward fish consumption during the complementary feeding phase is a critical first step towards the creation of more effective policies and interventions that incorporate sustainable fish foods to address significant nutritional disparities that exist in the study population. Funding Sources This study was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish.

Wild gardening as a sustainable intensification strategy in northwest Cambodian smallholder systems

Within the last decade, Sustainable Intensification (SI) has emerged as a strategy to respond to future food security challenges. It incorporates increased food production without the cultivation of more land while incurring no net environmental cost. Frameworks attempting to measure SI often focus heavily on production indicators while overlooking other important indicators, such as impacts on economic, social, or human conditions. In this study, we evaluate the purposeful assemblage and management of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) in fringe areas around rural homesteads as a potential SI strategy. We use a recent SI assessment framework developed by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Sustainable Intensification (SIIL) that incorporates five measurable domains (productivity, economic, environmental, human condition, and social). We present findings from a qualitative case study in northwest Cambodia to assess local conceptu­alization of wild gardening, current uses of NUS, perceived benefits and challenges to their use and management, and the potential of wild gardening as a SI strategy. The qualitative methods employed 65 key informant interviews and four focus group discussions with both men and women partici­pants. Our results indicate that wild gardening is an important component of rural livelihoods in northeast Cambodia. However, a general lack of knowledge of strategic benefits, such as nutrition poten­tial, inhibits its use for maximum benefits. Wild gardening addresses multiple SI domains simultaneously and demonstrates the potential to be a promising SI strategy for improving rural livelihoods in Cambodia.