Policy Considerations for African Food Systems: Towards the United Nations 2021 Food Systems Summit

Sibanda, Lindiwe Majele; Mwamakamba, Sithembile

doi:10.3390/su13169018

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Many indigenous or traditional crops remain undocumented, and the documented few have not been fully exploited (Sibanda & Mwamakamba, 2021). Reoriented research will provide an opportunity to record undocumented indigenous crops to unleash their market and commercialization potential.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reorienting research investments toward under‐researched crops for sustainable food systems

Munialo,

Siddique,

Barker

et al. 2024

Food and Energy Security

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The dominance of a few staple crops (maize, rice, and wheat) in most agricultural systems hampers the application of interventions to improve food security and nutrition. Research and development attention has focused on improving the production and utilization of these crops, leaving other crops under‐researched and underutilized. Subsequently, there have been high malnutrition rates due to poor diet diversity, yet there are “opportunity crops” that remain under researched. The opportunity crops can unlock solutions to food insecurity, malnutrition, a lack of biodiversity, and indeed poor climate adaptation. The study explored diversification in agricultural systems to analyze whether reorientation of research investment to include under‐researched crops can increase nutrient gain and enhance dietary diversity. Research outputs benchmarked as the number of publications from three leading African universities, Nairobi, Pretoria, and Ghana, were related to crop diversity and nutrition of crops in five clusters: cereals, vegetables, legumes, roots and tubers, and nuts. The findings show that maize was the predominantly researched crop across the three institutions. Low research outputs were observed for pearl millet, finger millet, and yam across the three institutions: amaranth and nightshade (Pretoria), sweet potatoes (Pretoria and Ghana), Marama bean (Nairobi), and soya bean (Nairobi and Ghana). There was nutrient gain across all five clusters, particularly from under‐researched indigenous crops such as finger millet, amaranth, nightshade, yam, sweet potatoes, Marama bean, and soybean. Nutrient gain was contributed more by cereals and root and tuber crops from Pretoria, vegetables and nuts (Ghana), as well as legumes (Nairobi). The findings demonstrate that incorporating research on the least researched crops with successful integration of other research and development initiatives (policy and dissemination) can increase nutrition and improve dietary diversity. The nutrient gain will positively affect food security and nutrition, contributing to the achievement of Africa Agenda 2063, the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, and reducing food imports. The findings can inform research investment and decision across different institutions within the African continent. Research investment targeting crops such as finger millet, amaranthus, sweet potatoes, soya beans, and cashew nuts is needed considering the nutritional contribution, climate change adaptability, market potential, and biodiversity contribution. Further analysis should explore production, socio‐economic (marketability and income generation), and environmental gains (adaptive ability to climate change) for specific crops. The development of frameworks to guide the analysis of the nature and scope of factors affecting the contribution of these crops to food security and nutrition, as well as research on specific crops considering geographic distribution and institutional involvement, is also needed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reorienting research investments toward under‐researched crops for sustainable food systems

Munialo,

Siddique,

Barker

et al. 2024

Food and Energy Security

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show abstract

“…Additionally, advances in aeration and preservation technologies, inventive packaging, biowax coating, effective pulse processing technology, and the creation of cool stores are all contributing to increases in food access (Fedotova, 2021). The use of advanced cleaning, grading, and packing techniques, low-cost refrigerated vehicles, low-cost solar dryers, and vacuum or hermetic sealing systems can signi cantly increase food access in several African nations (Sibanda & Mwamakamba, 2021).…”

Section: Knowledge Based Scm and Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing Food Insecurity Through Knowledge-based Supply Chains: Case of the Food Industry in Zimbabwe

Munuhwa¹,

Chikwere²,

Dzingai³

2022

Preprint

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This paper discusses the influence and relevance of cutting-edge technologies in the development of a knowledge-based supply chain to enhance food security. The application of technologies is based on the background that food supply chains require real-time monitoring and effective information flow from farm to farm with regards to food availability, preservation of quality, health, safety, and accessibility of food from production to the final user. The study used a quantitative approach and drew a sample of 65 employees and suppliers from three food manufacturing organizations (Probrands, Delta Beverages, and National Foods) that are currently using various cutting-edge technologies in Zimbabwe. Further, 80 downstream consumers were drawn from the commonly known food insecure remote areas in Zimbabwe to provide a fair review of the effectiveness of the current food supply chain system (using modern technology). Results show that a number of technologies can be effectively employed when developing a knowledge-based food supply chain. These include artificial intelligence, big data analytics, the internet of things, machine-learning, robotics, additive manufacturing, or virtual reality, among others. These technologies were found to be effective in resolving supply chain management challenges. As a result of reducing supply chain management challenges, food security was found to be improved and customer satisfaction enhanced. However, in the absence of such technologies, it was found that it is difficult to develop effective and sustainable knowledge-based food supply chains in Zimbabwe. It is recommended that all food producers, intermediaries, suppliers, consumers, and other stakeholders make use of knowledge-based food supply chains that are enhanced by different technologies to ensure food security and customer satisfaction.

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“…Food insecurity and hunger are increasing globally, with above 30 percent of the worldwide population presently facing food insecurity (Sibanda and Mwamakamba, 2021). Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nation FAO (2021) reported that about 927.6 million people suffered food insecurity in diverse and several periods in 2020.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Climate Change and Population Growth on Food Security in Nigeria

AROYEHUN

2023

Black Sea Journal of Agriculture

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Food production in Nigeria has not matched with the rate of population growth leading to reduction of national food independence and self-reliance. As a result, Nigeria is facing serious food insecurity. Therefore, this study examined the impacts of climate change and population growth on food security in Nigeria. Annual time-series of food security (proxy of food production index), annual rainfall, annual temperature, population growth rate, urban population rate and agricultural land used from 1980 to 2019 were used. The study used Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) unit root test, Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model, Johansen Cointegration test and Vector Error Correlation Models (VECM) were used to analyze the data. ADF unit root test result shows that all variables were completely stationary at the first different orders I(1) at both at intercept and intercept with trend at level of significance of 1%. Three (3) lags were conclusively selects as the optimum lag in the VAR model. The result of the estimation indicates that the Johansen cointegration shows an existence of long-run relationship among the variables used in the study. The result of the VECM estimation shows that rainfall, temperatures, population growth rate and agricultural land used were negatively significantly related to food security at various levels of significance (1%, 5% and 10%). At the long-run all the variables were adversely related to food security in Nigeria. The coefficient of multiple determination (R2) indicates about 91%, the adjusted R2 of 0.86 was obtained and Durbin-Watson of 2.1 was obtained which implies that the tools were good fit to estimates the data. Decomposition of variance shows dwindling in food security. The study therefore recommends public enlightenment campaign on birth control; and appropriate climate change adaptation methods should be adopted to enhance food security in Nigeria among others.

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Policy Considerations for African Food Systems: Towards the United Nations 2021 Food Systems Summit

Cited by 18 publications

References 53 publications

Reorienting research investments toward under‐researched crops for sustainable food systems

Reorienting research investments toward under‐researched crops for sustainable food systems

Managing Food Insecurity Through Knowledge-based Supply Chains: Case of the Food Industry in Zimbabwe

Impacts of Climate Change and Population Growth on Food Security in Nigeria

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