Biofuel Production and Its Implications in a Transitive Low Carbon Development Country

This chapter explains the implication of South Africa's transport fuel 2% blending. Using dry grain sorghum as feedstock with guaranteed food security has lower emission of 24.93kg/ha with emerging farmers who constituted 30% of the suppliers with a 3-year payback period. Using irrigated sorghum with food security as a priority has a relatively lower emission level of 11.47kg/ha from emerging farmers with a 9-year payback period. Using sugar beet has lower emission level of 0.12kg/ha with emerging farmers and a 3-year payback period. Soil organic content has significant influence on emissions from land use practices. Commercial sugar beet ethanol production caused high emission (4.84kg/ha) but has a short payback period of only 2 years which enhanced household food consumption by 12.5% and 31.50% under food security not a priority and food security as a priority, respectively. In all, grain sorghum food and beverage gross domestic product (GDP) increased, respectively, by 8%, 0.19%, and 0.23% under food security as not a priority, and increased by 20.83%, 0.44%, and 0.61% in opposite scenario, respectively.

Performance of Small-Scale Irrigation Schemes Under Climate Change in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Small-scale irrigation schemes (SSIS) in developing countries have been crucial, but the evidence about their performance has not been sufficiently analyzed. This chapter documents such evidence by reviewing and classifying the performance indicators. It also assesses literature on whether there are discernible trends in the efficiency of SSIS, identifies and classifies SSIS constraints, and characterizes various channels through which SSIS might affect poverty. Objectives are achieved via a systematic review of literature from 1990 to 2017. Results indicate a lack of standardization of irrigation performance indicators, and there is evidence that irrigation has boosted agricultural performance. Even though SSIS were associated with higher productivity than rain-fed agriculture, they performed below their full potential due to undervaluation of irrigation water by irrigation authorities, farmer characteristics, costs, institutional setups, the policy environment, and design, cultural, community, and environmental issues. SSIS are important tools for poverty reduction, and relevant policy implications are outlined.

Food and Environment

Recent studies related the link between food consumption and impacts on environment and health. These may present variations according to the dietary patterns of different populations. This chapter assesses the impacts of six dietary patterns while emphasizing protein overconsumption and sustainability of food systems in a world where one billion people are hungry and several more suffer from conditions related to obesity. The chapter shows the nutritional disparity existent in different dietary patterns and potential to make changes. Changes in dietary patterns are an opportunity to contribute for environmental and health benefits. The analysis was based on a set of environmental indicators such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land use demand, while providing a nutritional balance. The methodology comprehended a life cycle assessment in order to quantify the GHG emissions and the land use demand for food production. Finally, a review is made to focus on the benefits of shifting from current diet patterns to more sustainable ones, such as the Mediterranean.

Rights-Based Approach to Food and Nutrition Security in Nigeria

This chapter focuses on the need for a rights-based approach to food and nutrition security in Nigeria. The topic is introduced with the definition of basic terms used throughout the chapter. The objectives of this chapter are to create awareness of the need to adopt a rights-based approach to food and nutrition security and help define the context of the right to food in Nigeria. The rest of the chapter sets out the roles of right holders, duty bearers, and accountable agents in food and nutrition security. It highlights their rights, obligations, and responsibilities, as well as voluntary guidelines and implications for a rights-based approach to food. The chapter also reviews policies that have been developed toward ensuring a right to food in Nigeria.

Rice Production and Processing in Ogun State, Nigeria

This chapter examines the importance of indigenous institutional arrangements in rice production and processing activities in Ogun State, Nigeria through the use of key informant interviews (KIIs). Analyses from the study show that agricultural financing constitutes the greatest challenge that affects rice production and processing. Other findings from the discourse reveal that in some rice producing areas where there is the existence of rice farmers' clusters, there is access to modern rice processing machines such as winnowers, threshers, and destoners. The operations of Rice Growers Association of Nigeria (RGAN) in Ogun State are coordinated by the executive committee, which constitute the indigenous institutional arrangement. This chapter recommends that sincere and concerted efforts on the part of the government in implementing the goals of agricultural transformation agenda be made to engender the welfare of rice farmers through the development of the rice value chain. The need for actively involving the rice farmers through the RGAN is also germane. The opportunities identified in the study include: having “pool of land” RGAN that enables the rice farmers to form clusters and increase production, creating platform through which the rice growers could leverage to facilitate access to inputs and technical support, and gaining of visibility and market access to enhance returns on their farming endeavours.

Making Agricultural Input Subsidies More Effective and Profitable in Africa

The combined effects of declining soil fertility, continuous mono-cropping, poor crop residues management, and limited resources are considered the major constraints to increased crop productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is for this reason that most African governments in Sub-Saharan Africa have been implementing farm input support programmes to boost smallholder production. While substantial amounts of resources are committed to support such programmes, evidence suggests that the increased use of modern inputs such as inorganic fertilizers on the main staple food crops appear to be only marginally profitable or even unprofitable. There is a renewed realization that the use of fertilizer input alone to raise farm productivity is likely to be impeded, if sufficient attention is not given to complementary interventions such as integrated soil fertility management technologies and extension services. This chapter provides evidence from several African countries on the role of complementary interventions in enhancing profitability, effectiveness, and efficiency with which farm inputs such as inorganic fertilizer and improved seed are applied.

Comparing the Effects of Unsustainable Production and Consumption of Food on Health and Policy Across Developed and Less Developed Countries

The unsustainable food consumption across high-income countries (HICs) and low-income countries (LICs) is expected to differ in nature and extent, although no formal evidence in this respect has been documented. Documenting this evidence is the aim of this chapter. Specifically, the chapter seeks to answer the following questions: 1) Do the contexts in less developed countries (LDCs) and developed countries (DCs) make the nature and extent of unsustainability in food consumption different? 2) Do the mechanisms of the linkage between unsustainability of food consumption and health outcomes independent of countries' contexts? 3) Are current policies against unsustainable food consumption equally effective in DCs and LDCs? These questions are answered by means of a systematic review of the literature for the period 2000-2017. The findings are that the nature and extent of unsustainability is quite different across contexts of LICs and HICs.

Integrating Environment, Food Systems, and Sustainability in Feeding the Growing Population in Developing Countries

Food is indispensable to life. It plays an important role in the economy but what is not well known is the impact of production and consumption that food has on the environment. The nexus of food systems and the environment are complex and driven by many economic, socio-cultural, and environmental factors considered to be important in the contemporary global arena. As the world population grows, there is an increased demand on the already stretched food system and fragile environment. Processes along the food chain from agricultural production to food consumption produce outputs other than consumable food that are returned to the natural environment such as pollution or waste. This chapter sheds light on the links in food systems and environment in developing countries. A major finding is that the existing food systems that were supposed to produce adequate food for all are placing major stress on environmental assets including soil, water, fisheries, and biodiversity. For food systems to be sustainable, all hands must be on deck.

Economic Impact Assessment of the National Fadama Development Project on Rural Farming Communities in Niger State of Nigeria

The chapter tested the hypotheses that the National Fadama Development Project had no significant effect on the income of Fadama farmers and that there is no difference in the profit of sugar cane and rice, the two major crops cultivated in the project. Primary data were collected in 2007 through the use of questionnaire randomly administered to 150 farmers in Niger state who are Fadama beneficiaries. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and gross margin analysis. The results of the study showed that sugar cane gave the highest gross margin of N93,460 and rice with a gross margin of N 51,051 gave the highest return per Naira invested of 1.77. The study showed that the difference between the pre-project and post-project income was insignificant at 5%. Scarcity of production inputs and the attendant environmental degradation were the constraints experienced in the project. The chapter concludes that Fadama projects positively impacted on beneficiaries by sustainably increasing farm income. The chapter recommends that the National Fadama Development Project should make timely provision of subsidized production inputs.

Harmonising Roles of Agricultural Extension With Other Agencies Involved in Agricultural Development Towards Sustainable Food Systems in Nigeria

The success of sustainable agriculture depends not just on the motivations, skills, and knowledge of individual farmers, but on action taken by the agricultural extension agency in harmonising the activities of other agencies involved in agricultural development. This chapter looks into the coordinating roles of agricultural extension with other agencies involved in agricultural development towards sustainable food systems in Nigeria. The agricultural extension agency needs to coordinate other agencies in rural development to ensure unity of purpose and avoid duplication of efforts. Agricultural extension is considered the best institution to coordinate other agencies involved in agricultural development towards sustainable food system in Nigeria because of the edge agricultural extension has at grassroots level in light of community organizing and empowerment role. Government in all tiers should support the agricultural extension agency by ensuring that all development partners liaise with the agency before carrying out their work to enhance sustainable rural development.