Food Security Assessment Research Articles

ENSURING FOOD SECURITY UNDER GLOBAL CHALLENGES

The article is aimed at assessing the state of food security of Ukraine. The level of food security in Ukraine is checked according to the internal system of parameters and international methodologies. Analysis of the level of food security in Ukraine by the Global Food Security Index shows that it lags far behind not only the leading countries but also from neighboring countries. The situation requires consideration of not only existing but also promising challenges and threats to the maintenance of food security. In the future, this will increase the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises in the global food market. To achieve this goal, general scientific and special research methods were used, the main of which are the following: dialectics, scientific abstraction, statistical, and graphic analysis. The study substantiates the use of a methodology for assessing food security, which involves the calculation of four components and an integral index of food security of the state. As a result of the use of the proposed methodology, an assessment of the state of food security of Ukraine is implemented. The obtained results served to compare them with similar indicators of the countries of the world and Europe. The calculations show that food security, first of all, should be considered from the standpoint of ensuring economic security, taking into account the fact that the latter reveals internal opportunities and determines strategic alternatives to socio-economic growth to ensure public welfare under conditions of market relations. The article proposes tools for strengthening food security based on compliance with the requirements of the principles of ensuring food security, including self-sufficiency, multifunctionality, social justice, independence, stability, balance and rationality. To strengthen food security, it is proposed to strengthen such components as physical accessibility and economic accessibility of food, as they guarantee the quality and safety of agriculture, and it is also worth paying attention to improving natural resources and sustainability. The challenges and problems of the domestic agro-industrial complex, which plays a significant role in the world market and ensures food security, are analyzed. Measures to ensure increased food security are proposed.

Effect of Seasonal Floods on Farmers’ Household Food Security in the Kassena Nankana Municipal of Ghana.

The Kassena Nankana Municipality has experienced an increase in the frequency and severity of seasonal floods, threatening the livelihoods of local farmers. These floods disrupt agricultural activities and exacerbate regional food insecurity. This study examined the extent to which floods affected local farmers’ food security. Interviews were conducted with 150 farm households from five different communities. To understand the nature, scope of the flooding and damages caused by the floods, descriptive statistics were employed. The floods’ effect on farmers’ food security were examined using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) econometric modelling. The Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance (FANTA) Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Consumption Score (FCS) models were used to assess food security levels. The majority of the floods in the area were caused by heavy rains. These floods resulted in total asset losses of GHS 653,640.6 (USD 116,722.00), with maize crops bearing the brunt of the damage at GHS 106,712.00. (USD 19,056.00). Properties worth GHS 276,275.00 (USD 49,335.00) were destroyed, including houses, animal pens, storage rooms, bicycles, and motorbikes, and with estimated loss of 3,383 birds. Due to the floods, two people died and 201 people became ill. Food security was found to be positively associated with factors such as male-headed households, age, income, and access to credit. The size of a household had a negative impact on food security. The study recommended targeted policies to improve agricultural productivity and support smallholder farmers, such as loan and social security schemes, women’s empowerment, and the establishment of irrigation facilities to improve regional food security.

Food Security and Household Influencing Factors in Dire Dawa and Harar, Eastern Ethiopia, 2021

Background: Many households in urban areas suffer from severe food insecurity, and the current economic recession, pandemic, and conflict in the region have disproportionately aggravated the problems. Even if it is a social and public health challenge, the problems have been overlooked in the planning area. Measuring food security status in an urban setting is crucial to developing a sustainable and effective intervention. This study is designed to assess food security and household influencing factors in the eastern part of urban areas in Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess 616 households. Of the total of 616 samples, 405 were from Dire Dawa and 211 were from Harar, using simple random sampling. Validated questionnaires from previous studies were accustomed to collecting information. Three kebeles from Dire Dawa and three kebeles from Harar were selected using lottery methods. The data were collected by health extension workers. The information was entered into Epi-data version 3.02 and exported to SPSS version 21. To identify significant factors influencing household food insecurity, binary regression analysis was performed, and a P < 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval (CI) was considered statistically significant. Model fitness was checked using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test with a P > 0.05. Results: The prevalence of household food insecurity among urban residences in Dire Dawa and Harar was 41.7% [95% CI: 37.4–45.6]. The following factors were identified as influencing factors: household head sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.08–2.84), household head education status (primary level) (AOR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.33–0.99), household mother occupation (private business workers) (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.19–0.57), households with the medium wealth index (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.06–2.78) and households with the poorest wealth index (AOR = 4.01, 95% CI: 2.35–6.86). Conclusions: In this study, mild and moderate household food insecurity is increasing alarmingly. However, the prevalence of household food insecurity is low compared to the other findings. It is essential to design and implement appropriate small-scale household income generation systems for urban areas to tackle the food insecurity problem in the eastern parts of urban areas in Ethiopia.

The status of research on malnutrition among children under 5 years in Southern Africa: a systematic review

Malnutrition rates remain alarming with stunting declining too slowly while wasting still impacts the lives of many young children. Globally, 5.6 million children die before their fifth birthday annually, with 80% of these deaths occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. A total of 29 most relevant articles were included, which followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses for protocols (PRISMA-P). The literature search was conducted in multiple electronic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, and Research Gate. A large proportion of the literature focused on determining factors associated with malnutrition. Similarities were found amongst various articles with findings highlighting household food insecurity as a major threat that leads to inadequate feeding practices and consequently resulting in undernutrition. This review assessed the state of knowledge on malnutrition in Southern Africa. The authors identified knowledge gaps that should be considered for future research. We did not come across any evaluation studies assessing food security interventions in response to malnutrition. Moreover, sanitation in relation to malnutrition is not broadly researched. We recommend future studies to apply a cross-sectional analytic design with mixed methods, combining survey data, geographical data, household and key informant interviews. There is a need to map the prevalence of malnutrition in children under five years and providing more knowledge on vulnerability and contexts that influence malnutrition including socio-economic, environmental and infrastructural conditions. We further recommend the use of GIS databases to generate information on spatio-temporal patterns of malnutrition.

Food Insecurity among Division I Student-athletes at a California State University: A mixed methods study

According to the 2020 Hope Survey, 38% of two-year college students and 29% of four-year college students experienced food insecurity. The distinct lifestyle of student-athletes may place them at an even greater risk for experiencing food insecurity and its consequences as compared to non-student-athletes. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence of food insecurity among 98 student-athletes at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and explored its impact on their athletic and academic performance, and emotional well-being. The current study utilized a mixed-methods, cross sectional design. An online survey was used to assess food security status, fruit and vegetable intake, reliance on athletic department fueling stations, and other sociodemographic variables. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the impact of food insecurity on athletic performance, academic performance, and emotional well-being. Of the 98 student-athletes, 34.7% were food insecure. Reliance on the fueling station as a primary source of food for the day and reduced fruit and vegetable intake were identified as significant predictors of food insecurity. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted and revealed that food intake impacts energy levels during athletic events and overall quality of athletic performance, as well as energy levels in class and ability to focus during class. Additionally, unequal access to resources within the fueling station were seen as a barrier to their success. Future research should investigate the prevalence of food insecurity among student-athletes and assess the use of the athletic department fueling station as an intervention to mitigate food insecurity among this population.

Relationships Among Food Choice Motivators, Food Insecurity, and Academic Outcomes

ABSTRACT To identify relationships between food choice motivators (FCM) and food security in university students, a questionnaire assessing food security and FCM was distributed in Winter 2020 to 10,000 university students (1,535 responses; 1,408 included in demographic analysis, 1,189 included in other analyses). Chi-square test of independence, logistic and linear regressions assessed associations among food security, FCM, and demographics. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) determined factors of FCM. Kendall’s tau assessed association between FCM and food insecurity. EFA identified three factors of FCM: (1) Hedonics, (2) Constraints, and (3) Nutrition Knowledge. Food insecurity was associated with Hedonics, Constraints, and other demographics.

Self-Reported Food Security in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Association with Hemoglobin A1c and Mental Health Symptoms Independent of Household Food Security

BackgroundTypically, child exposure to food insecurity is assessed by caregiver reports of household food security. Child report has the potential for greater accuracy because it pertains only to the child whose experiences may differ from caregiver reports. ObjectiveWe assessed if adolescent-reported food insecurity was associated with levels of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), acute diabetes-related complications, depressive symptoms, and disordered eating behaviors in adolescents with type 1 diabetes, independently from household food security. MethodsIn a cross-sectional analysis of the multicenter SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Cohort Study (phase 4, 2016–2019) including 601 adolescents aged 10–17 y with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers, household food security, and adolescent-reported food security were assessed using the 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module and the 6-item Child Food Security Assessment questionnaire. Age-stratified (10–13 and 14–17) regression models were performed to estimate independent associations, adjusting for sociodemographics, clinical factors, and household food security. ResultsFood insecurity was reported by 13.1% (n = 79) of adolescents and 15.6% (n = 94) of caregivers. Among adolescent–caregiver dyads, 82.5% (n = 496) of reports were concordant and 17.5% (n = 105) discordant, Cohen’s κ= 0.3. Adolescent-reported food insecurity was not independently associated with HbA1c, diabetic ketoacidosis, and severe hypoglycemia, including in age-stratified analyses. Adolescent-reported food insecurity was independently associated with elevated odds of depressive symptoms [odds ratio (OR): 3.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3, 10.3] and disordered eating behaviors (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.4, 4.6) compared with adolescents reporting food security; these associations remained in both age groups for disordered eating behaviors and in the older group for depressive symptoms. ConclusionsAdolescents with type 1 diabetes may experience food insecurity differently than caregivers. Adolescent-reported food insecurity was independently associated with depressive symptoms and disordered eating behaviors and thus may be an important attribute to assess in addition to household food security in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Assessment of Food Security, Food Independence and Community Welfare in Food Insecure Areas

This study aims to analyze the factors that affect food security and its impact on the welfare and economic growth of Javanese society. This research method is correlation analysis with primary sources in the form of books and secondary sources in the form of articles and internet pages. This research is the result of a long-term correlation analysis as an effort to improve economic stability has an attachment between variables that affect the functions of Food Security, Food Independence, and Welfare which affect each other not enough with just one element standing alone. Food Security has a two tailed Pearson correlation that shows strong and positive results on food self-sufficiency and welfare. Food security, food self-sufficiency and welfare are very complex. The success of the program is also the shared responsibility of all components of the Nation and the Republic of Indonesia.

Association of nutritive value and cognitive performance in adolescent girls of eastern Uttar Pradesh

Introduction: Food insecurity (FI) is a pressing concern affecting millions globally, particularly adolescents, impacting physical and cognitive health. Studies highlight its association with poor cognition, emphasizing the critical need for understanding and addressing this issue. Materials and Methods: The study, conducted in urban slums of Saharanpur district, India, employed a community-based, cross-sectional design. Systematic random sampling was utilized, with 384 adolescent girls selected. Data collection included socio-demographic profiles, household food security assessment, cognitive performance evaluation, and morbidity analysis. Results: Findings revealed a significant prevalence of morbid conditions among adolescent girls, including anemia, dental issues, and respiratory problems. Household food insecurity correlated with socio-demographic factors and significantly impacted cognitive performance, manifesting in high levels of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. Conclusions: Over 50% of adolescent girls in the study faced household food insecurity, with notable cognitive impairment and numerous morbidities. These results underscore the urgent need for public health interventions addressing food insecurity and socio-economic disparities, particularly in urban slum settings. Effective strategies should ensure access to nutritious food and promote socio-economic stability to mitigate the adverse effects of food insecurity on adolescent health and well-being. Keywords : Cross-sectional study, Household food insecurity, Cognition, Adolescent girl, Urban slum, ICD 11

Assessing food security post-earthquake in Majene, Indonesia: An analysis of food availability, consumption patterns, and dietary quality

This study examines food security in Majene, West Sulawesi, following the 2021 earthquake, focusing on food availability, consumption, and dietary patterns. The research utilizes a descriptive qualitative approach and relies on secondary data from the Food Security Service Office of the Majene Regency. The data are supplemented by information from the Central Statistics Agency and interviews with informants. The findings reveal that the primary nutritional parameters—energy, protein, and fat—are adequately met. The availability of energy from vegetable sources exceeds the recommended 984 kcal/capita/day. Protein availability, mainly from animal sources, meets the 63 grams/capita/day guideline. Fat availability, primarily from vegetable fats, also aligns with the recommended 72.17 grams/capita/day. During the earthquake, food supplies, which included 11 staple types, were sufficient, evidenced by available quantities surpassing consumption levels. For instance, rice availability stood at 29,277 tons against a consumption level of 20,084.70 tons. The study also assesses dietary patterns, finding that grains, oils, fats, oily fruits/seeds, sugars, and vegetables meet desirable dietary scores, while tubers, animal products, and legumes fall short.

Examining the effect of demographic and socioeconomic factors on household food insecurity in Lideta subcity, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Food security and vulnerability assessments in Ethiopia have traditionally focused on rural regions. In contemporary policy discussions, urban food security has garnered significant attention. Notably, there is a lack of empirical substantiation of urban food security and its impact on the livelihoods of city dwellers as they grapple with escalating food prices. The present study aims to determine the extent of household food insecurity and identify correlated factors among 692 households in three randomly selected Woredas (districts) within Lideta sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Six Ketenas (villages) were selected using a probability proportional-to-size technique from three Woredas between February and March of 2023. Data were collected through a validated survey administered by trained individuals, and household income and expenditure were used to measure food insecurity access. Chi-square (χ2) and logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with food insecurity in the region. The overall prevalence of household food insecurity in the study area was found to be 66.5%. Regression results indicate that seven of the hypothesized nine demographic and socioeconomic determinants of household food insecurity significantly influence the probability of experiencing food insecurity (p < 0.05). Household food expenditure, household dependency ratio, age, sex, educational status of the household head, access to savings and credit, and the urban productive safety net program were identified as significant determinants of urban household food insecurity. This study underscores that food insecurity in Ethiopia is not limited to rural areas but also affects urban regions, mainly due to high urban poverty rates. Strategies to reduce household size, improve the household dependency ratio, and enhance socioeconomic factors can empower households to build resilience against food insecurity. Policymakers should adopt measures to stabilize the food insecurity improve living standards, and enhance the economic capabilities of urban households.

The Application of Artificial Intelligence Models for Food Security: A Review

Emerging technologies associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) have enabled improvements in global food security situations. However, there is a limited understanding regarding the extent to which stakeholders are involved in AI modelling research for food security purposes. This study systematically reviews the existing literature to bridge the knowledge gap in AI and food security, focusing on software modelling perspectives. The study found the application of AI models to examine various indicators of food security across six continents, with most studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. While research organisations conducting AI modelling were predominantly based in Europe or the Americas, their study communities were in the Global South. External funders also supported AI modelling research on food security through international universities and research institutes, although some collaborations with local organisations and external partners were identified. The analysis revealed three patterns in the application of AI models for food security research: (1) the exclusive utilisation of AI models to assess food security situations, (2) stakeholder involvement in some aspects of the AI modelling process, and (3) stakeholder involvement in AI modelling for food security through an iterative process. Overall, studies on AI models for food security were primarily experimental and lacked real-life implementation of the results with stakeholders. Consequently, this study concluded that research on AI, which incorporates feedback and/or the implementation of research outcomes for stakeholders, can contribute to learning and enhance the validity of the models in addressing food security challenges.

Cash Economy and Store-Bought Food Biases in Food Security Assessments of Inuit Nunangat

Researchers, community organisations, and Inuit leaders increasingly question the suitability of methods to assess the prevalence of food insecurity in Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland in Canada). Of particular contention is the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM), applied in modified form as part of Health Canada’s nationwide Canadian Community Health (CCHS) and Aboriginal Peoples Surveys. The 18-question HFSSM is the primary survey tool used by the Government of Canada to assess food security prevalence, yet the Module asks only about the affordability of store-bought foods (also termed ‘market foods’ elsewhere in literature) when collecting data to designate food security status. This is despite communities in Inuit Nunangat having complex ‘dual’ or ‘mixed’ food systems and foodways: relying on foods harvested from ancestral lands (country foods) in combination with store-bought foods to sustain mixed cash-subsistence economies and diets. Sourcing country foods requires money for the purchase of equipment and machinery. However, they also have numerous access and availability criteria dictated by non-financial factors. In this paper, we explore the problem of the monetary bias (the focus on an individual or household’s ability to purchase foods) in the HFSSM and discuss the knock-on effects of using monetary metrics as the sole means of measuring and monitoring food security in dual food environments. We contend that relying on monetary access as a measure presents an incomplete picture of the reality of food insecurity in Inuit Nunangat. Presently, there is little consideration of the nuance of social norms and cultural values that govern dual food systems or the importance of less tangible non-financial factors that might affect food access (e.g. knowledge of where and how to harvest and maintain machinery, suitable environmental conditions for travel, conducive harvest regulations, social relationships, and ecological stability). Ultimately, this contributes to restricted policy-level understandings of what it means to ensure stable, culturally adequate, and just food systems, and limits self-determination in northern food environments.

Assessment of food security under post-pandemic: case of the Republic of Kazakhstan

This research article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in Kazakhstan. The purpose of the study is to identify the main factors influencing the level of food security during the pandemic and to propose directions for improving it. The research methodology includes a literature review, analysis of statistical data using various logical methods of scientific knowledge such as analysis, synthesis, abstraction, generalization, induction, deduction, and analogy. The study is comprehensive and covers a wide range of aspects influencing food security, providing valuable insights into the underlying causes of food security issues and suggesting practical solutions to enhance food security in the country. The main results of the study show that the pandemic has had a negative impact on the level of food security in Kazakhstan due to disruptions in food supply chains and the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. The analysis of statistical data highlights the need to focus on improving local food production and reducing dependence on imported food products. The study contributes to the field of food security by providing empirical evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in Kazakhstan and proposing specific directions for improving it. The practical significance of this research is that it can inform policymakers and stakeholders in the food industry about the measures that need to be taken to ensure food security in Kazakhstan during and after the pandemic.

Enhanced Soil Moisture Retrieval through Integrating Satellite Data with Pedotransfer Functions in a Complex Landscape of Ethiopia

Remotely sensed soil moisture products potentially provide a valuable resource for monitoring agricultural drought and assessing food security. The agriculture dominated countries of Eastern Africa experience high inter-annual variability of rainfall, but the monitoring and assessment of the predominantly rainfed agriculture systems is hindered by an absence of ground-based observations. This study evaluates the accuracy of three soil moisture products: ASCAT SWI 12.5 km, SMAP soil moisture data 9 km (SPL3SMP_E), and enhanced surface soil moisture map derived through integrating ASCAT SWI and Pedotransfer Functions (PTFs) (ASCAT_PTF_SM), in Ethiopia, through comparison with in situ-observed soil moisture datasets. Additionally, a new water retention PTF, developed for Ethiopian soils, is integrated with a high-resolution soil property dataset to enhance the spatial resolution of the soil moisture product. The results show that the new integrated dataset performs better in terms of unbiased root mean square error (ubRMSE = 0.0398 m3/m3) and bias (0.0222 m3/m3) in comparison with ASCAT SWI 12.5 km (ubRMSE = 0.0.0771 m3/m3, bias = 0.1065 m3/m3). SMAP is found to have limitations during the wet season, overestimating soil moisture. The finer spatial resolution of the data allows for a better depiction of heterogeneity of soil moisture across the landscape and can be used to identify water-related issues and improve hydrological models for agricultural water management.

Crop models and their use in assessing crop production and food security: A review

AbstractAgriculture is directly related to food security as it determines the global food supply. Research in agriculture to predict crop productivity and losses helps avoid high food demand with little supply and price spikes. Here, we review ten crop models and one intercomparison project used for simulating crop growth and productivity under various impacts from soil–crop–atmosphere interactions. The review outlines food security and production assessments using numerical models for maize, wheat, and rice production. A summary of reviewed studies shows the following: (1) model ensembles provide smaller modeling errors compared to single models, (2) single models show better results when coupled with other types of models, (3) the ten reviewed crop models had improvements over the years and can accurately predict crop growth and yield for most of the locations, management conditions, and genotypes tested, (4) APSIM and DSSAT are fast and reliable in assessing broader output variables, (5) AquaCrop is indicated to investigate water footprint, quality and use efficiency in rainfed and irrigated systems, (6) all models assess nitrogen dynamics and use efficiency efficiently, excluding AquaCrop and WOFOST, (7) JULES specifies in evaluating food security vulnerability, (8) ORYZA is the main crop model used to evaluate paddy rice production, (9) grain filling is usually assessed with APSIM, DAISY, and DSSAT, and (10) the ten crop models can be used as tools to evaluate food production, availability, and security.

Assessing food security performance from the One Health concept: an evaluation tool based on the Global One Health Index

BackgroundFood systems instantiate the complex interdependencies across humans, physical environments, and other organisms. Applying One Health approaches for agri-food system transformation, which adopts integrated and unifying approaches to optimize the overall health of humans, animals, plants, and environments, is crucial to enhance the sustainability of food systems. This study develops a potential assessment tool, named the global One Health index-Food Security (GOHI-FS), aiming to evaluate food security performance across countries/territories from One Health perspective and identify relevant gaps that need to be improved for sustainable food systems.MethodsWe comprehensively reviewed existing frameworks and elements of food security. The indicator framework of GOHI-FS was conceptualized following the structure-process-outcome model and confirmed by expert advisory. Publicly available data in 2020 was collected for each indicator. The weighting strategy was determined by the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process. The data for each indicator was normalized and aggregated by weighted arithmetic mean. Linear regressions were performed to evaluate the associations of GOHI-FS with health and social-economic indicators.ResultsThe GOHI-FS includes 5 first-level indicators, 19 second-level indicators and 45 third-level indicators. There were 146 countries/territories enrolled for evaluation. The highest average score of first-level indicators was Nutrition (69.8) and the lowest was Government Support and Response (31.3). There was regional heterogeneity of GOHI-FS scores. Higher median scores with interquartile range (IQR) were shown in North America (median: 76.1, IQR: 75.5–76.7), followed by Europe and Central Asia (median: 66.9, IQR: 60.1–74.3), East Asia and the Pacific (median: 60.6, IQR: 55.5–68.7), Latin America and the Caribbean (median: 60.2, IQR: 57.8–65.0), Middle East and North Africa (median: 56.6, IQR: 52.0–62.8), South Asia (median: 51.1, IQR: 46.7–53.8), and sub-Saharan Africa (median: 41.4, IQR: 37.2–46.5). We also found significant associations between GOHI-FS and GDP per capita, socio-demographic index, health expenditure and life expectancy.ConclusionsGOHI-FS is a potential assessment tool to understand the gaps in food security across countries/territories under the One Health concept. The pilot findings suggest notable gaps for sub-Saharan Africa in numerous aspects. Broad actions are needed globally to promote government support and response for food security.

Measuring Food Security among American Indian and Alaska Native Adults: Validity Evidence Supports the Use of the US Department of Agriculture Module

BackgroundInequities in access, availability, and affordability of nutritious foods produced by settler colonialism contribute to high rates of food insecurity among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) households. Efforts to understand the influences of food security programming among AI/AN individuals in the United States are constrained by the absence of validity evidence for food security assessments for this population. ObjectiveThis study assessed whether AI/AN adult responses on the Food Security Survey Module provide an accurate assessment of food security prevalence, especially when compared with other racial and ethnic groups. DesignA correlational design with the cross-sectional 2019 National Health Interview Survey was used to address the research objective. Participants and settingThe 2019 National Health Interview Survey contains a sample (N = 30,052) representative of the resident civilian noninstitutionalized population. Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was food security, as characterized by the 10-item US Department of Agriculture Adult Food Security Survey Module. The module evaluates whether insufficient finances result in perceived food shortages and a reduction in the quantity and/or quality of food intake during the prior 30 days. Statistical analyses performedData were analyzed by racial and ethnic subsamples to assess scale dimensionality (confirmatory factor analysis), Item Response Theory item analysis, differential item functioning, and external validity (χ2 tests). ResultsResults supported the use of the 10-item module for racial and ethnic groups. However, differential item functioning effect sizes exceeded criteria for the Asian, AI/AN, and Hispanic respondents when compared with White respondents. Food security was not significantly related to all expected correlates in the AI/AN subsample. ConclusionsCompelling evidence is presented for validity of the FSSM scores in determining food security status of AI/AN adults. Qualitative inquiry that explores how culture influences the way food security is conceptualized and experienced is warranted.

A Global Systematic Review of Improving Crop Model Estimations by Assimilating Remote Sensing Data: Implications for Small-Scale Agricultural Systems

There is a growing effort to use access to remote sensing data (RS) in conjunction with crop model simulation capability to improve the accuracy of crop growth and yield estimates. This is critical for sustainable agricultural management and food security, especially in farming communities with limited resources and data. Therefore, the objective of this study was to provide a systematic review of research on data assimilation and summarize how its application varies by country, crop, and farming systems. In addition, we highlight the implications of using process-based crop models (PBCMs) and data assimilation in small-scale farming systems. Using a strict search term, we searched the Scopus and Web of Science databases and found 497 potential publications. After screening for relevance using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 123 publications were included in the final review. Our results show increasing global interest in RS data assimilation approaches; however, 81% of the studies were from countries with relatively high levels of agricultural production, technology, and innovation. There is increasing development of crop models, availability of RS data sources, and characterization of crop parameters assimilated into PBCMs. Most studies used recalibration or updating methods to mainly incorporate remotely sensed leaf area index from MODIS or Landsat into the WOrld FOod STudies (WOFOST) model to improve yield estimates for staple crops in large-scale and irrigated farming systems. However, these methods cannot compensate for the uncertainties in RS data and crop models. We concluded that further research on data assimilation using newly available high-resolution RS datasets, such as Sentinel-2, should be conducted to significantly improve simulations of rare crops and small-scale rainfed farming systems. This is critical for informing local crop management decisions to improve policy and food security assessments.

Food insecurity in international and domestic students at an Australian university 2 years into the global COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectivesThe aim of this article is to explore the differences in the prevalence, sociodemographic determinants, and effects of food insecurity between international and domestic students in an Australian university during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsThis study uses a cross-sectional online survey. The questionnaire contained the 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module to assess food security status. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between student characteristics and food insecurity. A total of 467 students (376 domestic and 91 international) attending a large university in Sydney completed the survey between October 2021 and May 2022. ResultsCompared with domestic students (13.0% food insecure), international students (18.7% food insecure) had higher odds of being food insecure in our sample (odds ratio = 2.02; 95% CI, 1.01–4.07; P = 0.013). Different risk factors for food insecurity were identified in these two student groups (e.g., being undergraduates and living outside the parental home, for domestic students, and, for international students, living in accommodation that provided meals that did not suit their preferences and experiencing changes in living arrangements due to the pandemic). Lower fruit intake was reported by food-insecure domestic students. Poor well-being was reported by both food-insecure domestic and international students. International students with food insecurity were more likely to use food assistance services than food-insecure domestic students. ConclusionsInternational students experienced a higher risk of food insecurity than domestic students during the pandemic in Australia. More tailored interventions to address food insecurity need to be developed for international and domestic students by considering their different experiences.