Tag: food
Integrated Risk Assessment in Gliricidia Based Farming Systems in Dryland Areas of Dodoma Region, Tanzania
Ensemble species distribution modelling with transformed suitability values
Developing integrated options and accelerating scaling up of agroforestry for improved food security and resilient livelihoods in Eastern Africa – Trees for Food Security – 2 (FST/2015/039 )
Agroecology, Food Security, and Nutrition in the Highland of Thailand
Malnutrition and food security remain serious problems in Thailand, particularly amongst ethnic minorities living in remote, upland areas. Sustainably improving local food availability through improved agricultural production has the potential to address these issues. Four Karen and 4 Lawa hill-tribe villages in Mae Chaem district, Chiang Mai, Thailand, have been investigated for their food security and nutrition status in order to formulate nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions. A total of 172 households (98 HHs of the Karen tribe and 74 HHs of the Lawa tribe) were surveyed for their situations on food security, dietary diversity, and child-feeding practices, using household questionnaires. Focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews (with village representatives and local authorities) on agricultural and food-security issues were also done. The FGDs were done in male and female groups of both tribes. For the first (out of 3) year, it has been found out that they practice both shifting cultivation and permanent-field agriculture, with rice as the main crop. Food is locally grown, bought from the market, and gathered from the vicinity of the villages. The studied population is 50% food secure, and their dietary diversity was about 40%. Only 4 % of 209 children aged 0-5 years old had a minimum acceptable diet. Results of the FGDs showed that the female and the males managed their food systems differently. Potential interventions have been formed based on ideas from local stakeholders and international research partners in order to be tested in the second year of the project, and it will be concluded whether the interventions work or not, in the third year.
Can integration of trees and crops contribute to enhanced agricultural productivity, resource utilisation and livelihoods for smallholder farmers? An evaluation of the multifunctionality of agroforestry systems
More trees are needed on farms and in agricul – tural landscapes to produce firewood, timber, fodder, food, and to alleviate erosion and other environmental problems. Trees will also contri – bute to sequester carbon, build soil fertility and restore other ecosystem services, as well as contri – bute to climate change adaptation. This project has investigated whether the integration of trees in crop and livestock production can contribute to enhance agricultural productivity and resource utilization, and thereby contribute to improved living conditions for smallholders. We have evalu – ated the productivity and multi-functionality of agroforestry systems at different scales (field, farm, landscape) by empirical studies (measurements, sampling, interviews), and have surveyed farmers’ strategies to adapt to climate change. We have also studied which soil properties are required for Allanblackia , an African tree with oil-rich fruits that are now being domesticated to be grown by smallholder farmers, to thrive. The results show that in the study areas, farmers are integrating trees into their production systems in order to get products and services including increased adap – tion capacity to climate change. They use a variety of tree species that have different functions in order to obtain synergies and reduce trade-offs with other farm components. This has been a collabo – rative project between SLU and partners in Kenya ( Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, the Vi Agroforestry and the World Agroforestry Centre-ICRAF). Two PhD students have participated in this work and several student and educational projects have been implemented. We have also participated in conferences and orga – nized courses for advisors, farmers’ organizations and farmers
Carbon finance in extensively managed rangelands: issues in project, programmatic and sectoral approached
Considering their vast geographic area and the documented carbon (C) sequestration effects of a variety of rangeland management practices, there is considerable interest in the potential of C finance in rangelands, where it is still very much in its early stages. Pilot projects are essential to exploring this potential in practice. Ex ante assessments at the project level show areas of positive potential, but have identified several areas where documentation is insufficient, and critical constraints that exist in some contexts. This chapter summarizes these potentials and constraints, and then discusses opportunities and challenges in view of the major options currently being considered for a post-Kyoto agreement that includes agricultural land use: project, programmatic and sectoral approaches (including unilateral mitigation actions, supported mitigation actions and sectoral crediting approaches). The paper describes this emerging architecture for future mitigation options, and analyses the requirements for developing project, programmatic and sectoral approaches. It concludes by highlighting key actions required to promote the development of project, programmatic and sectoral approaches to rangeland-based mitigation
A new trend in palm oil production in the context of changing global demands: a portrayal of oil palm development in Riau Province, Sumatra, Indonesia
• Widespread expansion of oil palm plantations by independent growers, coupled with the emergence of new private actors (operating within a land area of a couple of hundred hectares) are clearly contributing to transboundary environmental problems.• Spontaneous frontier development has extended beyond the Indonesian government’s control, and in many cases these areas are being unsustainably managed, infringing the principles of environmental conservation.• Field observations revealed that oil palm expansion by independent players, including smallholders, involves massive land transfer. Local communities play an important role facilitating the expansion of oil palm plantations in these areas• From the State’s perspective, independent oil palm growers, who are mostly excluded in the official data, should be seen as major actors in landscape management.
Nutritional variation in baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) fruit pulp and seeds based on Africa geographical regions
Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) is an indigenous fruit tree associated with the Savannah drylands of sub-Saharan Africa. Local communities mainly utilize the leaves, pulp, and seeds of baobab as a source of food and for income generation. The present study was conducted to determine the nutritive attributes of baobab fruit pulp and seeds across provenances in east, west, and southern Africa and to determine whether the nutrient content varied with the provenance of origin. Pulp and seed proximate composition and mineral element concentration were determined using the AOAC 1984 methods and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), respectively. The results showed that there exist significant variation (p < .05) in pulp moisture, protein, fiber, ash, and elemental content among provenances. The highest mean pulp crude fiber (8.68 g 100 g1 dw) was recorded in Kenya. At country level, Malawi had the highest mean pulp potassium (22.2 mg g1), calcium (4,300 mg kg1), magnesium (2,300 mg kg1), sodium (1,000 mg kg1), and phosphorus (1,100 mg kg1) levels. Kenya had the highest mean pulp iron (57.4 g g1) and manganese (27.2 g g1) content, while Mali had the lowest iron (13.1 g g1) and manganese (8.6 g g1). At country level, the mean seed calcium content was highest (3,200 mg kg1) in Malawi and lowest (2,000 mg kg1) in Kenya. The highest mean iron content of 63.7 g g1 was recorded in seeds from Kenya, while the lowest (25.8 g g1) was in Mali. Baobab seed mineral and proximate content varied significantly (p < .001) among the selected countries. Overall, baobab fruit pulp and seeds contain significant amounts of nutritionally essential minerals and proximate components but the amounts varied significantly among the selected countries. This variation offers opportunities for selecting provenances to concentrate on during germplasm collection for conservation and domestication of baobab.
Sustainable potato production and the impact of climate change
The potato is a significant food around the globe in the grand scheme of consumption. However, changes in the Earth’s climate are threatening to negatively impact the growth and production of agriculture, namely potatoes, which in turn will greatly alter the dimensions of food. Sustainable Potato Production and the Impact of Climate Change is an authoritative publication that provides the latest research on potato production in the future climate change scenario. Featuring exhaustive coverage on a variety of topics associated with food fundamentals such as, availability, stability, utilization, and accessibility, this reference work is an essential source for professionals, researchers and students seeking current research on the importance of potato cultivation. © 2017 by IGI Global. All rights reserved.