Affect Food Availability Research Articles

Food consumption in East Kazakhstan region - focus on stability of indicators

Consumption of food products by the population is an important indicator of food security, as this concept includes not only food independence, but also the availability of food products. The aim is to assess the relationship between economic indicators and sustainable development of agro-industrial complex in East Kazakhstan for 2012-2023, with emphasis on the impact of the existing conditions and factors on food consumption patterns. Methods include econometric modeling, statistical estimation, data synthesis and regression analysis to study the obtained data, identify patterns and summarize suggestions and recommendations. Innovative econometric techniques supported by Eviews 12.0 software allow the interaction between different variables to be quantified with precision. Results show that growth in gross regional product per capita is correlated with improvements in dietary diversity and nutritional quality, increasing food security. The authors note that fluctuations in agricultural production significantly affect food availability and prices. An analysis of the level of food utilization is presented, which makes it possible to determine the state and prospects for the development of key branches of the agricultural sector of the region and the achievement of import substitution policy. The negative point is the problem of economic availability of food products in the region in the necessary volumes and assortment for residents with low incomes, which is caused by the growth of inflation and the decline in real money. It is shown that economic parameters explain about 95% of the variability in food consumption. The subsistence minimum plays an important role in food consumption. Its growth leads to an increase in food expenditures, which in turn affects the overall level of food consumption. Regular adjustments to social standards are needed. Conclusions - the possibilities of food stability in the country depend on the demand trends in the food market. There is a direct correlation between the productivity of agricultural production and the structure of consumer demand for food products. The state policy in the sphere of food consumption and provision of the population with food should include mechanisms to reduce income differences, stabilize prices, focus on balanced nutrition, and a comprehensive approach to forecasting consumer preferences.

Mitigation strategies for greenhouse gases to ensure food security

Global warming and food insecurity are global concerns, with agriculture being a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, from agricultural activities significantly impact climate change. Approximately 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. Nitrous oxide is 300 times stronger than carbon dioxide and is mainly produced from organic manure and fertilizers. Methane, another potent greenhouse gas, is released during fermentation, manure management, and burning of residues. Carbon dioxide, a major contributor to climate change, is emitted through farming practices, fertilizers, pesticides, and deforestation. Climate change affects food security by directly impacting crop production and indirectly affecting food availability, cost, and supply chains. Hunger rates have been increasing globally, emphasizing the need to control global warming to reduce food insecurity. This review highlights various mitigation strategies for controlling greenhouse gases from agriculture with improved crop productivity. Soil characterization techniques, such as X-ray computed tomography, tracer and chamber-based methods, help to understand the soil composition for greenhouse gas mitigation strategies. Soil amendments, like biochar application can effectively reduce emissions by modifying microbial activity and biogeochemical processes. Controlled irrigation practices, minimum and zero tillage, and efficient nitrogen fertilizer usage also contribute to greenhouse gas mitigation and improves crop productivity. Strategies such as slow release of fertilizers and the use of inhibitors help to increase nitrogen usage efficiency and reduce nitrous oxide emissions. Implementing these strategies globally is crucial for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, reducing global warming, and ensuring food security.

An analysis of the relationship between domestic trade costs and the dietary quality of Chinese residents

Abstract Domestic trade flow in China is an indispensable factor affecting food availability to the public. The aim of this study is to focus on the cost of domestic trade within China and the dietary health of Chinese residents. Based on the China-regional input-output tables and the CHNS micro-database, we calculated China’s domestic trade costs and Healthy Eating Index (HEI) of Chinese urban and rural residents. We find that domestic trade costs are negatively correlated with residents’ whole grain and mixed beans, vegetables, fruits, beef, mutton, poultry, and aquatic products consumption, having a significant negative influence on residents’ dietary quality score. Domestic trade costs can influence residents’ food consumption structure by affecting income and traditional market scores. Domestic trade costs have a greater negative influence on the dietary quality of rural residents, low-income residents, and elderly residents. The results suggest that reducing domestic trade costs increased residents’ food consumption and improved their dietary quality. Increasing the people’s income and stimulating traditional markets can alleviate the decline in dietary quality of the population caused by an increase in domestic trade costs.

Household Food Insecurity and COVID-19 Social Safety Nets in Cavite, Philippines

The COVID-19 restrictions have caused economic losses that affected food availability and accessibility, thereby compromising people’s lifestyles and putting the already existing poor households into severe food insecurity. As such, national government agencies and local government units in the Philippines provided emergency cash assistance and food aid as safety nets during the pandemic to help vulnerable households cope with the impending economic crisis and to improve food security in the country. This cross-sectional study assesses the association of social safety net programs with household food security (i.e., food secure, consistently food insecure, and newly food insecure) in Cavite province, Philippines. Findings show that being beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the Social Amelioration Program are associated with being consistently and newly food insecure. Furthermore, households that obtained food from the community pantry, a volunteer-led movement during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic are also associated with food insecurity. On the other hand, the households that were provided with food packs, across different socioeconomic conditions, are not significantly associated with food insecurity. The study also affirms that households most vulnerable to food crises in the context of COVID-19 are those who are consistently food insecure and were already exposed to critical food and dietary deprivations before the onset of the pandemic. There is much to be done to improve the safety net programs in the country. The study results can add information and policy recommendations toward strengthening the services for vulnerable population groups to withstand short- and long-term food system disruptions and eventually build food-resilient households and communities.

Impact of the total expenditure shocks on food security: VAR model

Purpose. This study examines the causal relationship between total expenditures and food availability and identifies their shocks in food availability in Saudi Arabia. Methodology / approach. The study uses a multivariate modeling technique of the Vector Autoregression (VAR) and its environment, the Granger Causality Test, Forecast Error Variance Decomposition (FEVD), and Impulse Response Function (IRF) for the observation period of 2000–2020 in Saudi Arabia. Results. The results of the Granger causality show that investment expenditure has a significant impact on food availability in Saudi Arabia. However, consumption and government expenditures do affect food availability in Saudi Arabia, but have an indirect effect. The Impulse Response Functions show that the shocks of the selected variables require a long period to reach the long-run equilibrium level and the greatest response of the food availability variable is explained by its own shock and investment expenditure shocks. Originality / scientific novelty. The novelty of this study is related to the investigation of a new model and focus on a new perspective. While traditional food security research has mostly concentrated on agricultural production, availability, and accessibility of food, as well as nutrition and health outcomes factors, this research conveys a new dimension by highlighting the link between total expenditure and food security. Their contribution expands the scope of food security research and highlights the impact of recognising the role of total expenditure in implementing and supporting food security at the household level. Practical value / implications. It is important to design strategies and develop a budgeting plan to allocate a reasonable portion of total consumption and government expenditures on food items. Adding, regularly reviewing, and adapting the budgeting plan based on new challenges, and evolving priorities are essential to address the dynamic nature of food security.

Spatial Disparity of Neighborhood Food Environment by Socioeconomic Status: Application of Urban Network Analysis

There is a large amount of academic research to date on food environments that has been widely conducted in Western countries. This is due to the high population density of Asian megacities, the advancement of public transportation systems, and the relatively low dependence on private vehicles, which has led to a lack of attention, relatively, to the surrounding food environments. Thus, this study aimed to analyze food environments at the neighborhood level by considering demographics, households, land use, and physical environmental factors in Seoul, South Korea. We employed urban network analysis methods to assess food access and availability in various neighborhoods. The primary findings indicate that Seoul’s food environment is significantly related to the elderly population, aging infrastructure, and proximity to public transportation. In particular, a higher concentration of elderly residents negatively affects food availability and access, irrespective of income level, potentially exacerbating social inequality based on income. Our findings identify various factors that contribute to spatial disparities in local food environments and provide policy implications to mitigate inequalities in neighborhood food environments.

Coupling effect of key factors on ecosystem services in border areas: a study of the Pu'er region, Southwestern China.

The coupling effects created by transboundary and local factors on ecosystem services are often difficult to determine. This poses great challenges for ecosystem protection and management in border areas. To decrease uncertainty, it is crucial to quantify and spatialize the impact multiple factors have on ecosystem services within different scenarios. In this study, we identified key transboundary and local factors from a set of 15 sorted factors related to four main ecosystem services. We employed a Bayesian Network-Geographic Information System (BN-GIS) model to simulate 90 scenarios with multiple factors combinations, quantifying and spatializing the coupling effects on the main ecosystem services. These simulations were conducted in the Pu'er region, which is situated alongside three countries, and serves as a representative border area in southwest China. The results showed that: (1) The coupling effects of multiple factors yield significant variations when combined in different scenarios. Managers can optimize ecosystem services by strategically regulating factors within specific areas through the acquisition of various probabilistic distributions and combinations of key factors in positive coupling effect scenarios. The outcome is a positive coupling effect. (2) Among the four main ecosystem services in the Pu'er region, food availability and biodiversity were affected by key transboundary and local factors. This suggests that the coupling of transboundary and local factors is more likely to have a significant impact on these two ecosystem services. Of the 45 combination scenarios on food availability, the majority exhibit a negative coupling effect. In contrast, among the 45 combination scenarios on biodiversity, most scenarios have a positive coupling effect. This indicates that food availability is at a higher risk of being influenced by the coupling effects of multiple factors, while biodiversity faces a lower risk. (3) Transboundary pests & diseases, application of pesticides, fertilizer & filming , population density, and land use were the key factors affecting food availability. Bio-invasion, the normalized differential vegetation index, precipitation, and the landscape contagion index were the key factors affecting biodiversity. In this case, focusing on preventing transboundary factors such as transboundary pests & disease and bio-invasion should be the goal. (4) Attention should also be paid to the conditions under which these transboundary factors combine with local factors. In the areas where these negative coupling effects occur, enhanced monitoring of both transboundary and local factors is essential to prevent adverse effects.

Impact of climate change on environmental health: Challenges and opportunities to improve quality of life

Global climate change has become an urgent and complex issue in this modern era. In addition to its broad impact on the environment, climate change also has significant implications for human health. This article describes the relationship between climate change and environmental health, and identifies challenges and opportunities in addressing its impacts. Research shows that climate change is contributing to increasing global temperatures, extreme weather patterns, and overall environmental change. These impacts can affect air, water and soil quality, and increase the risk of communicable diseases, allergies, respiratory diseases and other chronic diseases. In addition, climate change can also affect food availability, food security, and the distribution of disease vectors such as mosquitoes that carry viruses. This presents new challenges in maintaining public health and dealing with threats related to climate change. However, amidst these challenges, there are also opportunities to improve quality of life and reduce the negative impacts of climate change on environmental health. Implementation of mitigation and adaptation policies that focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, developing renewable energy, preventing air pollution, sustainable water management, and disease monitoring and control, are some of the steps that can be taken to protect public health. In addition, public education and awareness about the relationship between climate change and environmental health also needs to be increased. With a better understanding of these impacts, society can engage in collective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adopt sustainable practices, and protect environmental health.

IMPACTS OF INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE ON BIRDS: A REVIEW

Intensive agriculture has had a negative impact on biodiversity and human health across the world. Specifically, bird populations have declined for many years due to soil degradation and agrochemical pollution. This review, which draws on 890 sources, including research articles and literature reviews, examines the interaction between birds and intensive agriculture to better understand its effects and conservation implications. Intensive agricultural activities have resulted in significant population declines among insectivorous and carnivorous birds, while generalist bird populations have increased. The heavy use of pesticides in intensive agriculture affects food availability for birds by reducing invertebrate and vertebrate populations as well as natural vegetation cover, which has a significant impact on bird diversity. Additionally, the accumulation of toxic compounds reduces bird reproductive success. In general, intensive agroecosystems have consistently had lower avian diversity than forest habitats and even lower-impact agricultural systems. However, some agroecosystems, such as rice fields, agricultural drainages, and canal systems, create alternative habitats that can benefit waterfowl. Future work should consider strategies such as restoring and enhancing vegetation edges, preserving natural vegetation, implementing organic farming practices, maintaining water bodies, and providing economic incentives for landowners to conserve biodiversity on their land to promote bird diversity conservation.

Analisis pengeluaran pangan dan non pangan, pola konsumsi, dan asupan energi dan protein di provinsi jawa timur sebelum dan selama pandemi Covid-19

Background: The impact caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has not only had an impact on health but also on social, economic and food activities. The impact of the pandemic on food security and nutrition, with restrictions on movement both within and across countries, will hamper food logistics and affect food availability. It can endangering family food security, especially for low-income families.Objectives: Assessing changes in expenditure patterns, calorie and protein intake, and food diversity in East Java Province before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: Cross-sectional study using secondary data is SUSENAS Data (National Social and Economic Survey) by the Central Bureau of Statistics for 2019, 2020 and 2021. The sample is 32,630 households divided into 5 income quintile groups, every 20% of the group with lowest to highest income. Microsoft Excel 2019 was used for data analysis then processed and data only analyzed descriptively.Results: Incline in household expenditure (food and non-food) during the pandemic compared to 2019 before the pandemic. The overall energy and protein intake declined (urban and rural) during the pandemic in 2020 but increased in 2021 compared to before. A similar trend was seen for the DDP score, which increased from 82,4 (2019) to 83,2 (2021) overall.Conclusion: Comparison before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in East Java Province is food expenditure has increased and non-food has decreased in 2020 and 2021. Energy, protein intake, and food diversity decreased during the pandemic especially in low-income. Low income households in rural and urban areas are indicated as food insecurity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Emphasizing Food Expenditure as a Food Waste Mitigation Initiative at Restaurants in Banyumas, Indonesia

Food waste can be defined as waste at the final stage of the food supply chain related to retailers and consumer behavior (distribution and market, consumption). The population expected to increase over the years, will also affect food availability and consumption. The problem can be solved by increasing food production, but it does not help much if the quantity of loss and waste is not minimized. In Indonesia, consumption activities are not only to fulfill hunger but also become a lifestyle such as visiting restaurants. Restaurants have a high potential to create food waste and in Banyumas the restaurant contribute more waste after households. the study aims to find the role of food expenditure at restaurant to reach food waste management initiatives. It relates to how restaurants see food expenditures as a strategy to procure and sell the menu based on portion adjustment. The method used was quantitative and obtained data by distributing questionnaires to 103 restaurants in Banyumas using ANOVA. The result showed the demographics affect food expenditure at restaurants in Banyumas. The restaurants can conduct food waste mitigation initiatives by enhancing restaurant services, adjusting the meal menu with consumers, forecasting procurement quantity, considering storage for raw material, and focusing on food consumption. Furthermore, the restaurant shall consider to manage menu to avoid food waste by adding more refrigerator or utilizing the waste.

Diet flexibility in three harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex spp.): effects of grazing and natural variations in the availability of seeds

The study of diet and its relationship with available resources allows us to evaluate how species that differ in their degree of ecological flexibility respond to natural and anthropogenic variations that affect food availability. In the central Monte desert, extensive cattle ranching reduces the abundance of grass seeds, the most consumed and preferred food by the harvester ants Pogonomyrmex inermis Forel, 1914, Pogonomyrmex mendozanus (Cuezzo & Claver, 2009), and Pogonomyrmex propinqua (Johnson, 2021). We studied the diet of these species in grazed and ungrazed habitats over 4 years, including a period during which the abundance of grass seeds naturally decreased. We expected that ants would modify their diet in grazed sites and that the response would be different among species depending on their ecological flexibility. The three species presented a mainly granivorous diet in both grazing conditions and during the 4 years, but showed differences in the breadth of their diet. Pogonomyrmex inermis and Pogonomyrmex propinqua always had a narrow diet that consisted mainly of grass seeds, while Pogonomyrmex mendozanus modified its diet to include higher proportions of shrub seeds and other items when the abundance of grass seed decreased. In a scenario of scarce resources, this flexibility could represent an advantage over a more strict graminivorous diet.

Assessing the Impact of Oil Price Volatility on Food Prices in Saudi Arabia: Insights From Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lags (NARDL) Analysis

Abstract This research investigates the impact of oil price fluctuations on food prices in Saudi Arabia between 1979 and 2020 using Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lags (NARDL) methodology. The study employs Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) and Phillips Perron (PP) tests to determine the integration order of the variables and Bounds testing to confirm the existence of long run cointegration relationships between each variable. The results indicate that oil shocks influence food prices through several mechanisms. Firstly, the cost of energy increases due to the rise in oil prices, affecting the agricultural commodity market, including farm equipment, food processing, packaging, and distribution costs. Secondly, the demand for agricultural commodities to produce biofuels affects food availability and thus food prices. Thirdly, as an oil-based economy, the oil price shock affects food prices through its impact on government spending, which affects aggregate demand and liquidity. Therefore, Saudi Arabia should adopt appropriate policies to mitigate the impact of oil price shocks on food prices, including investing in renewable energy sources, diversifying its economy, and improving food production and supply chain efficiency. Additionally, implementing appropriate fiscal policies to ensure sufficient budget allocation for food support programs is crucial. However, Investing in groundwater exploration can contribute significantly to the development of Saudi agriculture and to gradually achieving food self-sufficiency.

Effect of urbanization and parasitism on the gut microbiota of Darwin's finch nestlings.

Host-associated microbiota can be affected by factors related to environmental change, such as urbanization and invasive species. For example, urban areas often affect food availability for animals, which can change their gut microbiota. Invasive parasites can also influence microbiota through competition or indirectly through a change in the host immune response. These interacting factors can have complex effects on host fitness, but few studies have disentangled the relationship between urbanization and parasitism on an organism's gut microbiota. To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated the effects of urbanization and parasitism by the invasive avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi) on the gut microbiota of nestling small ground finches (Geospiza fuliginosa) on San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos. We conducted a factorial study in which we experimentally manipulated parasite presence in an urban and nonurban area. Faeces were then collected from nestlings to characterize the gut microbiota (i.e. bacterial diversity and community composition). Although we did not find an interactive effect of urbanization and parasitism on the microbiota, we did find main effects of each variable. We found that urban nestlings had lower bacterial diversity and different relative abundances of taxa compared to nonurban nestlings, which could be mediated by introduction of the microbiota of the food items or changes in host physiology. Additionally, parasitized nestlings had lower bacterial richness than nonparasitized nestlings, which could be mediated by a change in the immune system. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the complex effects of anthropogenic stressors on the gut microbiota of birds.

Demographic and socioeconomic effects of environmental policies: the 1927 special goat tax and mountain depopulation in Italy

The research aims to assess the demographic impact related with the implementation of an environmental policy, which affects food availability in economically and environmentally fragile settings, dependent on few, unstable resources. The paper addresses this topic from a particular perspective, namely the special goat tax issued in Italy in 1927. I focus on the goat breeding because of its ecological footprint and the key role on population’s livelihood in marginal lands. Methodologically, the paper combines quantitative and qualitative sources. The analysis of demographic dynamics in a broad set of Italian mountain municipalities over the period 1911–1971 is matched with a qualitative part, based on a careful reading of the coeval survey on mountain depopulation. Findings of the analysis highlight that the goat tax undermined food security promoted outmigration and shrinkage in municipalities that were more dependent on goat breeding only. In addition, the 1927 law generated power struggles between landowner and local communities and between collective and private properties. Such results show that socially-blind, top-down environmental policies could exacerbate inequalities, food insecurity and power conflicts that threaten the effective implementation of the law. An ecological transition must be combined with social inclusion, constant care to the governance and power relations in order to extend public support and make regulations more effective.

COVID-19, Climate Change, and Conflict in Honduras: A food system disruption analysis

In Honduras, as in many settings between 2020 and 2022, food security was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and conflicts—what some refer to as “The Three Cs.” These challenges have had overlapping impacts on food supply chains, food assistance programs, food prices, household purchasing power, physical access to food, and food acceptability. This article applies a food system disruption analysis—adapted from a fault tree analysis originally developed for a municipal context in the United States—to the context of Honduras to systematically examine how the Three Cs affected food availability, accessibility, and acceptability. This article demonstrates the value of approaching food security through a disruption analysis, especially for settings impacted by multiple, interconnected, ongoing crises.

The reproductive behavior of Neotropical dung beetles

Dung beetles display complex reproductive behaviors involving sexual findings, sexual recognition, fighting for mates and food used for nesting, sperm competition, and parental care. Over the past 40 years, significant advances have been made regarding the knowledge of various aspects of the sexual and nesting behavior of Neotropical dung beetles. However, human activities modify the natural habitats of dung beetles at an alarming rate, affecting food availability and altering the ecological functions performed by the species in their different habitats. A deeper understanding of the reproductive behavior of dung beetles may contribute significantly in understanding the evolutionary diversification of these insects and their response to environmental changes. The present study reviews and analyzes studies regarding the sexual and reproductive behavior of Neotropical dung beetle species under field and laboratory conditions. We gathered 132 studies and 146 species; 42% of the available data were based on field observations, 23% on laboratory observations, 30% under both field and laboratory conditions, and 5% unspecified. Our review detected significant knowledge, geographic, and habitat gaps regarding the reproductive behavior of Neotropical dung beetles. Based on our findings, we propose future research goals and alternative methods to measure the behavioral responses of Neotropical dung beetles to the impacts of human activities.

Analysis of Changes in the Carrying Capacity of Food Agriculture in Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta

Abstract: The increase in the population impacts the increasing demand for food and non-food. Hence, to fulfill non-food needs, agricultural food land is converted into non-agricultural. It affected the carrying capacity of food agriculture. This paper aimed to analyze changes in the carrying capacity of food agriculture and the factors that influence the carrying capacity of food agriculture in the Kulon Progo Regency. This study used a descriptive-quantitative approach with spatial-temporal analysis techniques on secondary data, including population, rice field area, and rice field productivity for 2011, 2015, and 2019. The results showed that in 2011 Kulon Progo Regency could not be self-sufficient in food. However, in 2015, the research area had a great carrying capacity for food agriculture and continues to increase. This increase was influenced by the addition of rice fields and increased productivity. On the other hand, the reduction of rice fields decreased the productivity of rice fields, and the increase in the population led to a decrease in the carrying capacity of food agriculture in the Nanggulan, Kalibawang, and Samigaluh Districts. The rice field area and the productivity of rice fields affect food availability, while the population affects food needs. This paper showed that land-use changes in agri-food land (rice field area and productivity of rice fields) and the number of populations resulted in changes in the carrying capacity of food agriculture. Keywords: Carrying capacity, land use change, food self-sufficiency, rice field, population growth

Building Resilience: Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Rice Production Based on Agricultural Infrastructure in West Java Province, Indonesia

Climate change threatens the sustainability of the agricultural sector and has the potential to affect food availability in West Java, Indonesia’s rice production centre. This study aims to examine how agricultural infrastructure has developed over the past five years and how this has affected the vulnerability index. Climate, production, agricultural infrastructure and facilities data were collected from various sources, including the Central Statistics Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Directorate General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities. The data were analysed to obtain Pearson correlation values and vulnerability levels based on the ratio of production inputs to harvested area. The results show that climatic elements affect rice production in West Java, especially rainfall (r = 0.82), which is negatively correlated with production. The increase in rainfall causes significant flooding, which leads to crop failure. Production inputs such as agricultural machinery, ponds and rehabilitated tertiary irrigation networks (RTIN) support production and mitigate climate impacts. Rice production has a high Pearson correlation with the vulnerability index (r =0.75). The vulnerability ratio for West Java in 2022 was 0.0015, which means it is classified as vulnerable.

UPAYA MASYARAKAT WAYKANAN DALAM MENGATASI PANDEMI DAN PENGUATAN PEMBELAJARAN DARING AGAR BERJALAN EFEKTIF

The purpose of this research is to find out the community's efforts in overcoming the pandemic and strengthening online learning during the pandemic. Covid-19 has a broad impact on various sectors, including agriculture, education, and other MSMEs that affect food availability and distribution. Strengthening local food productivity at the household or community scale is the key to anticipating food shortages. This study uses a quantitative descriptive approach, data obtained from journals, interviews, and field observations. The selection of respondents used purposive sampling with inclusion criteria, namely community houses and education personnel