Abstract Maize breeding programmes have developed a new generation of hybrid varieties to improve smallholders’ productivity and enhance climate resilience. However, varietal turnover in Kenya remains low, suggesting that new hybrid maize varieties may not fully address smallholders’ needs or that knowledge about them remains limited. In this exploratory study, we applied a method referred to as means-end chains to understand the attributes smallholders consider when differentiating maize seed products, and the importance and value of these attributes. We interviewed 82 smallholders in two counties in Kenya and analysed the data by county and gender. Smallholders used a range of attributes to differentiate maize seed products, indicating familiarity with most maize varieties included in the study. However, the attributes that farmers used to distinguish between maize seed products were not always those of highest value when choosing seeds for planting. Preferences for attributes differed between counties and were shaped by climate and the importance of maize in livelihoods. Women and men used and preferred similar attributes, yet their choices were informed by different underlying motivations and values. Overall, participants highly valued ‘higher yield’, ‘harvest assurance’ and ‘earliness’, reflecting diverse household uses of maize to support food security, income generation and well-being. The findings suggest that farmers use a portfolio of maize varieties to meet different household needs. These results have implications for efforts to promote varietal turnover and complement previous studies by offering guidance for demand-led breeding programmes and other seed systems actors working to strengthen food security for smallholder farmers.

Abstract In 2024, stunting affected over 150 million children under five worldwide, with India being one of the countries with the highest prevalence. The links between stunting, animal health and the health of the environment make a multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach essential to combatting childhood stunting in affected countries. This study examined the egg value chain in Hyderabad, India, investigating its potential influences on childhood stunting. Semi-structured interviews with ten key informants gathered data on the egg value chain’s spatial, logistical, economic, and social dimensions. The interviews were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis. A conceptual framework was developed showcasing the links between food value chains and stunting and used as a lens through which to analyse deductively the qualitative data. Reflexive thematic analysis generated themes encompassing the nutritional quality and food safety of eggs accessed by children, how seasonality affected consumption, and the lack of regulation, which forces actors in the chain to depend on trust. The incorporation of a nutrition-sensitive perspective into the value chain analysis revealed stunting-related opportunities and constraints. These findings offer a basis for dialogue with public and private stakeholders to develop targeted interventions that can support efforts to combat stunting in Hyderabad. Additionally, they underscore the method’s utility in generating a comprehensive understanding of stunting determinants and showcase the potential of value chain interventions in addressing the factors contributing to stunting.

Abstract Internet access in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries is expanding at a rapid rate and affects how people produce and consume food and other goods and services. This may have implications for the incomes and diets of smallholder farm households, where poverty and undernutrition are still commonplace. In this study, we use primary data collected from 720 farm households in Bangladesh to analyze how internet use affects agricultural production and food consumption. Employing propensity score matching and instrumental variable methods, we show that internet use is positively associated with farm production diversity, commercialization, and income. We also find positive effects on dietary diversity, even though the results depend on the specific dietary indicators used. Internet use increases household and women’s dietary diversity, whereas the effects on child dietary diversity are statistically insignificant. Internet use encourages the production of certain nutritious foods but does not always lead to an increase in their consumption. Our results highlight the important role of the internet in enhancing farm productivity, income, and potentially diets.