Food Security

Inclusive malt barley business and household food security in Lay Gayint district of northern Ethiopia Abstract Food security has become a major problem in Ethiopia. To reverse the situation, inclusive businesses, such as malt barley production, are being promoted. However, the determinants of inclusion in the malt barley industry and the food security impacts of inclusion have not been studied systematically. Thus, the objectives of the present research were twofold, namely to investigate the reason for inclusion in, or exclusion from, the malt barley industry, and to examine the food security impacts of inclusion in three villages in Lay Gayint district, northern Ethiopia. The research used a mixed method approach. Survey data were collected from 140 non-included and 103 included farm households. In addition, focus group discussions were held with 18 included and 18 non-included households, as well as with six officials. Three multiple dimensions of food security were considered: food availability, measured by months per year during which households reported having an adequate food supply; food access, indicated by coping strategies employed by the households to secure sufficient food; and food utilisation, measured by food calorie intake, food variety and diet diversity scores, and three anthropometric measures for children under 5 years of age. Quantitative data were analysed using a two stage least square regression model, while qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results indicate that inclusion in the malt barley industry is determined by higher economic status. Older farmers and farmers living far from the main town of the district were excluded. We also show that inclusion in the malt barley industry results in higher incomes, better food access and higher diet diversity scores, but has less impact in terms of food availability, food variety score, per capita kilocalorie consumption and child growth. Based on these findings, we suggest that, in the context of inclusive business for those at the 'bottom of the pyramid', one needs to re-frame the targeting process of chain governance and integrate other actors who work on food and nutrition components of rural livelihoods.

An assessment of the global food security index Abstract Several measures of food insecurity, whether at the household or at the national level, have been introduced during the past two or three decades. Some concentrate on the determinants of food security while other emphasize more the consequences of food insecurity. The main focus of this paper is on the food security indicators introduced by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the Global Food Security Index (GFSI). The paper has two goals. It first checks whether the set of weights selected by the panel of experts of the EIU plays a crucial role in the ranking of countries by level of food security. Then it examines to what extent the ranking of countries given by the GFSI is sensitive to the list of indicators selected. The empirical analysis conducted, based on statistical techniques such as principal components and efficiency analysis, led us to conclude that both the weights selected and the choice of indicators give a reasonable ranking of countries by level of their food security.

The threat of alien invasive insect and mite species to food security in Africa and the need for a continent-wide response Abstract Alien invasive insect and mite species (AIS) represent a major challenge for agriculture, food production, and biodiversity in Africa. However, the lack of awareness and appreciation of AIS threats continues to hinder the development of appropriate policies and practices for their management in sub-Saharan Africa. The objectives of this review are to (1) provide a synthesis of current and future threats to food production and the economic impacts of AIS, (2) identify challenges to their management at national and regional levels, and (3) propose a strategy for a concerted pan-African response. The review identifies a total of 16 alien invasive insect and mite pests, affecting all categories of food crops, causing combined losses in excess of US$ 1 billion annually across Africa. Various models predict that AIS threats will continue to increase due to expansion of the geographic distribution and host range of existing invasions, thus threatening the already tenuous food situation on the continent. The review also reveals that only 16.7% of the countries have adequate border control procedures, while over 66.7% do not have comprehensive AIS management strategies. Therefore, we propose development of a pan-African strategy for effectively responding to AIS threats, and achieving the continental visions of free trade and collective food security. We recommend that biosecurity be considered as a food security intervention complementing yield improvement technologies, and implemented as a core element of national and regional strategies.

In this issue

Shashidhara Kolavalli and Marcella Vigneri: The Cocoa Coast: The Board-Managed Cocoa Sector in Ghana

Fabien Girard and Christine Frison (eds): The commons, plant breeding and agricultural research: challenges for food security and agrobiodiversity

Research on agro-food sustainability transitions: where are food security and nutrition? Abstract The main outcome of sustainable agro-food systems is food and nutrition security. Nevertheless, about half of the global population is affected by food insecurity and malnutrition, a symptom of the dysfunctions of the current food system. This paper provides a review of the state of research on the sustainability of agro-food transitions, and the extent to which and in what ways such research examines food and nutrition security. A search carried out on Scopus in January 2018 yielded 771 documents; 120 of these were included in the systematic review. Agro-food represents a small share of the sustainability transitions research field. Most of the available research focuses on crops and the production stage. In general, it is assumed that a transition to sustainability in the agro-food arena would lead to increased food availability, improved food access, better food utilisation and increased food system stability and resilience. However, scholars also point out that the quest for food security (especially through intensification) may undermine transition towards sustainable agriculture and food systems. Likewise, it is assumed that a transition towards sustainable food systems implies changes in dietary patterns and nutrition habits. Nevertheless, food security and nutrition are still marginal topics in the literature on agro-food sustainability transitions. Furthermore, transformation of food systems, which should guide agro-food sustainability transitions, is the exception rather than the rule in the research field. This systematic review represents a useful contribution to research on transitions towards sustainability in agriculture and food sectors, and provides insights into how such research can contribute to addressing the grand challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition. The paper suggests the need to move beyond silos by fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and the integration of the agro-food sustainability transitions and food security research fields.

Food security and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES): ensuring progress by 2030

Food insecurity as a determinant of international migration: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa Abstract In this paper, we examined how food insecurity can affect international migration aspirations and subsequent actions taken in preparation to move internationally from Sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on a conceptual framework of the determinants of migration, we developed a three-stage regression model and tested it using data from the 2014 Gallup World Poll. The results indicate that multiple determinants play different roles in the migration decision process, which is characterized by aspirations, planning and final decision to migrate. Specifically, food insecurity is an important determinant of both the desire and the decision to migrate: food insecurity raises the probability of desiring to migrate internationally, with the probability of the desire increasing along with the severity of food insecurity. However, the probability of actually deciding to migrate internationally decreased as food insecurity worsened. These findings are in line with migration literature stating that the very poor, despite wishing to migrate, face tremendous constraints in transforming this desire into concrete decisions. Our results suggest that removing or reducing constraints to migration will benefit the poorest/most food insecure and highlight the need for an increased and effective coordination between food security and international migration policy agendas.

Heterogeneous factors predict food insecurity among the elderly in developed countries: insights from a multi-national analysis of 48 countries Abstract This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of food insecurity and its association with demographic and socioeconomic factors that characterized elderly survey respondents in 48 developed countries. Cross-sectional data came from the Gallup World Poll for the years 2014 to 2017 based on respondents aged ≥60 years (n = 53,556). Food insecurity was assessed using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, a direct measure of experience-based food insecurity. Descriptive statistics of target populations and the prevalence of food insecurity were produced. Demographic variables included age, gender, marital status, household size, education level, social support, and wellbeing. For socioeconomic variables, income, employment status, urbanicity, and the Community Basics Index were evaluated. A binary logistic regression model was used and the level of statistical significance was set at 5%. Respondents aged 60 to 69 years were the most food insecure. Food insecure individuals were more likely to live alone, not have a partner, and tended to have poorer scores for social support and wellbeing. Also, poor community infrastructure was associated with food insecurity of elderly people, and there were more food insecure elderly people in urban areas. At the multinational level, results indicated wide and statistically significant disparities among continents. The study concluded that not only personal factors but also social conditions could prevent the elderly from achieving full food security status.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
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6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com