Alerts for policy makers extracted from papers published during 2014 in volume 6 of food security

Abstract

1. Pressure on land in Kenya: T. S. Jayne and Milu Myanga draw attention to the sharp decline in productivity in Kenya when populations rise above 600–650 persons per km. They suggest that there is scope for promoting equitable access to arable land that is still unutilized through investment in infrastructure (pp. 399–421). 2. Soil fertility and persistent food insecurity: Emma Stephens and associates draw attention to the poverty trap engendered by low soil fertility and consequent low productivity and food insecurity (pp. 423–439). 3. Socio-economic and political factors in relation to drought vulnerability: Elisabeth Simelton and associates show that rice, wheat and maize production in middle income countries are particularly vulnerable to drought. Moreover, vulnerability was greater in authoritarian regimes and flawed democracies than hybrid regimes and full democracies (pp. 163–179). 4. Land and water availability in India: M. Dinesh Kumar and co-authors point out that there is a mismatch between the availability of arable land and water. They suggest as correctives, the judicious investment in surface water projects which encourage direct irrigation, replenishment of over-exploited aquifers, better use of green water and a shift to low water consuming crops (pp. 539–556). 5. Rainfall variability: Mintewab Bezabih and Salvatore Di Falco found that the uncertainty of rainfall prevented farmers from choosing high risk—high return crops and suggest that this could be mitigated by weather insurance policies and crop diversification (pp. 557–567).