Domestic Food Security Research Articles

A step toward the modern and sustainable agriculture: Evaluating the impact of information and communication technology on cereal production in China

AbstractAchieving food security has become a critical concern for many nations. China has also made significant efforts to ensure domestic food security. In order to provide an adequate food supply in the future, this research explores the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on grain production. Pool Mean Group (PMG) method is used to estimate a panel dataset for 31 Chinese province administrative regions from 2005 to 2021. To ensure that the panel dataset is suitable for use with the PMG model, cross‐sectional independence tests, unit root tests, and co‐integration tests are performed. The empirical analysis shows that ICT boosts cereal crops yields over time. In particular, a 1% increase in fixed broadband users and cell phones boosts cereal production by 0.03% and 0.06%, respectively, in the long run. As a result, in order to increase yields, China must expand its use of ICT in agricultural production.

Food security in Ukraine today’s conditions

The system-forming element of national security is food security, which guarantees effective management of the food system, ensuring the food needs of the appropriate quantity and quality of each country’s citizen. Despite the significant potential of the agricultural sector, which forms the basis of food security, the need to analyse the state of food security in the current situation is due to military operations on the territory of Ukraine, which led to its negative global results. In this regard, the need to develop effective strategies and legal regulation is essential to ensure national and global food security, which in turn requires coordination of efforts of all countries and international organisations through international cooperation. The study aims to establish a pattern regarding the current state of food security by analysing the impact of availability, access, usefulness and stability of food supply on food security. Research methods: comparative analysis; taxonomic analysis; systematisation, generalisation. The survey found that Ukraine’s position in the Global Food Security Index (FSI) among 113 countries in 2022 worsened by 13 points, where the worst indicators for domestic food security are sustainability and adaptability (43.5 points out of 100 and 94th place globally) and economic affordability of food (48.1 points out of 100 and 93rd place in the world). It was found that the actual consumption of vegetables, melons, potatoes, and oil in 2021 was slightly higher than the rational norm, indicating sufficient consumption of these products, while the actual consumption of products that are lower than the rational norm includes meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, fish and fish products, and fruits, berries, and grapes. It has been determined that since 2016, the number of kilocalories in the daily diet of the population of Ukraine has not reached the minimum norm of consumption of basic foodstuffs for the working population. It has been established that in 2020 and 2021, the value of the taxonomic indicator for assessing the level of food security (I) has been decreasing, i.e. the distance to the reference vector has been increasing, which indicates a decrease in the level of food security. The forecasting results suggest a downward trend in the food security index for the period 2022–2027, and there is an urgent need to take measures to eliminate this trend and improve the value of the index, which is extremely important for the security of the state, especially in times of war.

Демографические и социальноэкономические аспекты развития рынка труда агропромышленного комплекса: вызовы и среднесрочные тренды развития

The presented work examines the features of the current stage of labor market development in the agro-industrial complex of the Russian Federation. Agriculture has become a booming industry in recent years. Fully ensuring domestic food security, the Russian Federation is becoming one of the largest suppliers of food to the world market, since in recent years agricultural exports have traditionally ranked second after oil and gas revenues in export volume. However, the industry is facing serious challenges for further growth, the main of which are negative trends in the industrial labor market. The shortage of labor, aggravated by the "SMO effect", becomes a natural constraint on the further development of the industry.

Assessing sustainable future of import-independent domestic soybean production in China: policy implications and projections for 2030

Soybean production, integral to sustainable agriculture and reliant on imports, faces vulnerability to international risk factors impacting domestic food security. The 2021 Central Rural Work Conference advocated strategic adjustments for sustainable soybean production amidst resource constraints, trade conflicts, and the lingering impact of COVID-19. This study scrutinizes the developmental framework of China’s soybean industry within current domestic policies. This paper uses the soybean sown area and soybean production in each province of China from 1995 to 2020 to measure China’s soybean concentration, production layout, and comparative advantage of regional scale, to analyze in depth the overall situation of China’s soybean production as well as the differences between regions, and to pave the way for the subsequent soybean production forecast. Further, taking the domestic soybean supply and demand situation in China in 2020 as the base period, while considering the growth values of soybean production under different scenarios, the potential forecasting model is utilized to estimate China’s soybean production under different scenarios. The results show that, in terms of inter-annual variability, revealing an upward trajectory from 1995 to 2020, with a shift to major soybean producing areas, notably in the northeast and the Huanghe-Huaihe-Haihe area. From inter-provincial changes, Soybean production on the left and right sides of the “Hu-Huanyong line” has significant heterogeneity; specifically, east of the “Hu-Huanyong line,” soybean production advantages are more obvious. Additionally, the study considered the actual planting situation of soybeans and envisaged two scenarios of compound planting and strip planting. The soybean production range in 2030 is expected to be 20.73–22.32 million tons and 21.15–27.55 million tons, with self-sufficiency rates varying from 18.57 to 19.98% and 18.95 to 24.68%, respectively. The research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of China’s soybean industry and its potential trajectories, employing a model combining historical trends, policy analysis, and technological advancements. Results suggest a promising future with strategic adjustments in planting structures. Recommendations emphasize policymakers’ prioritization of technological investments and sustainable planting practices to achieve projected production targets. Policy interventions must address challenges tied to resource limitations, trade conflicts, and the ongoing COVID-19 effects, ensuring soybean industry resilience.

THE IMPACT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE ON FOOD SECURITY: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

This study examines the intricate relationships between foreign direct investment (FDI), gross domestic product (GDP), imports, international trade, and food security in Southeast Asia. Utilizing panel data from 2002 to 2022, the research employs the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to analyze the dynamic interactions among these variables. The findings indicate that FDI significantly enhances both GDP and food security, highlighting its crucial role in the region's economic development. Conversely, while imports have a positive effect on GDP, GDP does not significantly influence import levels, suggesting that imports are more driven by external factors. Additionally, international trade positively affects imports but does not have a direct significant impact on food security. These results underscore the importance of fostering FDI and trade while also emphasizing the need for comprehensive policies that bolster domestic food production and economic diversification. The study concludes with recommendations for policy measures to create a more resilient and sustainable economic environment in Southeast Asia

Ecofriendly Management of Giant African Snail (GAS) Achatina fulica (Bowdich)

The Giant African Snail (GAS) is a native of East Africa and. Presently the snail had infested over many areas and is becoming very difficult to control. This snail feeds on over 500 species of vegetation, and given that the Eastern Uttar Pradesh is self-sufficient in vegetable production, the burden of this pest can be a significant threat to Eastern Uttar Pradesh’s domestic food security. The GAS can be considered the only agricultural polyphagous herbivorous pest which is a threat to public health since it is a known vector of the rat lungworm which causes eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. The study can provide insight into the preferences for selected parts within a plant which can be incorporated into the design for more target-specific crop protection approaches. Giant African snails are an invasive, and can cause extensive damage to important food crops and other agricultural and natural resources. They eat crops, reducing yields and making them unsuitable for sale. Some snails grow to 15 cm in length and 5- 8 cm wide, whereas others only grow to 6.5 cm in length. Commonly, the shells are light brown with darker brown and cream bands. The present review evaluated that the GAS is the second worst invasive alien species in the world.

Towards real-time airborne pathogen sensing: Electrostatic capture and on-chip LAMP based detection of airborne viral pathogens

Considerable loss of life, economic slowdown, and public health risk associated with the transmission of airborne respiratory pathogens was underscored by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Airborne transmission of zoonotic diseases such as the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has caused major disruptions to domestic and global food security. Current ambient air pathogen monitoring systems involves the collection of air samples from indoor settings suspected of viral contamination, followed by subsequent processing of capture samples to determine the presence and species of airborne viral matter. Nucleic acid amplification techniques are considered the gold standard for pathogen diagnostics. Currently, the necessary extraction and purification of viral RNA from air collector systems prior to sample analysis is both time consuming and performed manually. A monitoring system with separate air sampling and biochemical detection procedures is prone to delay the response to emergent viral threats. In this paper, we present a pathogen monitoring system that overcomes these limitations related to extraction and purification of viral samples and lays the groundwork for a real-time monitor for airborne viral pathogens. We demonstrate a high flow electrostatic precipitator system, that uses small collection wells as counter electrodes for pathogen collection. Integrated reverse-transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) is used for detection of captured viral matter within wells. On-chip heating of collection wells is enabled by integrated planar heaters and small volumes of reagent (30 μL) directly to the collection wells. We present the design of such a system and show experimental results that demonstrate the use of this device for detection of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 virus like particles (VLPs), a model pathogen for SARV-CoV-2.

A triplex crystal digital PCR for the detection of genotypes I and II African swine fever virus.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and lethal viral disease that causes severe hemorrhagic fever in pigs. It keeps spreading around the world, posing a severe socioeconomic risk and endangering biodiversity and domestic food security. ASF first outbroke in China in 2018, and has spread to most provinces nationwide. Genotypes I and II ASF virus (ASFV) as the etiological pathogens have been found in China. In this study, three pairs of specific primers and probes targeting the ASFV B646L gene, F1055L gene, and E183L gene were designed to detect universal, genotype I, and genotype II strains, respectively. A triplex crystal digital PCR (cdPCR) was established on the basis of optimizing various reaction conditions. The assay demonstrated remarkably sensitive with low limits of detection (LODs) of 5.120, 4.218, 4.588 copies/reaction for B646L, F1055L, and E183L gene, respectively; excellent repeatability with 1.24-2.01% intra-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) and 1.32-2.53% inter-assay CVs; good specificity for only detection of genotypes I and II ASFV, without cross-reactivity with PCV2, PRV, SIV, PRRSV, PEDV, FMDV, and CSFV. The triplex cdPCR was used to test 1,275 clinical samples from Guangxi province of China, and the positivity rates were 5.05, 3.22, and 1.02% for genotype I, genotype II, and co-infection of genotypes I and II, respectively. These 1,275 clinical samples were also detected using a reported reference triplex real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and the agreements of detection results between these two methods were more than 98.98%. In conclusion, the developed triplex cdPCR could be used as a rapid, sensitive, and accurate method to detect and differentiate genotypes I and II strains of ASFV.

Role of Climate-Smart Agriculture towards Sustainable Food Production

Agriculture output is currently under severe threat from global climate change. The two biggest challenges of this century are thought to be reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and maintaining food security. The idea of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) can address the difficulties facing agricultural development. By improving adaptation, lowering GHG emissions, and assuring domestic food security, it can achieve this in a sustainable manner. There hasn't been any comprehensive research done yet on CSA advancements in developed and developing nations. Reviewing the recent developments, difficulties, and potential future orientations of CSA will be both timely and beneficial. The definition of CSA and its development objectives are discussed in this article. The most recent CSA developments in industrialized and developing nations are then examined. The current issues and difficulties in CSA are examined and identified. Finally, suggestions for the future prospects and directions of CSA are made. The primary directions for CSA's future development include using cutting-edge internet technology to ensure the security of agricultural information, enhancing crop management and planting practices, providing "internet + weather" services to raise the caliber of agricultural services, and offering insurance based on agricultural weather indices. This review article offers fresh concepts and methods for enhancing ecological environmental defense, encouraging environmentally friendly agricultural development, and reducing the impact of climate change.

Expanding Climate Change Education in Agricultural Communities: Lessons from the U.S Midsouth

The U.S agricultural industry is a major player in the global market, and changes in climate that impact the industry have implications for both domestic and global food security. Existing studies have revealed a disconnect between agricultural stakeholders and the wider climatological community which impedes the process of informed decision making in response to climate-related changes in agriculture. Furthermore, the topic of climate change is not well-represented in national and state science education standards. We propose CLASS (Climate Literacy for Agriculture and Sustainable Societies), a collaborative project that aims to both bridge this gap in perception and understanding regarding climate change among stakeholders in rural communities and enhance the educational curriculum in high schools and higher education institutes. Beneficiaries for this project are students and educators at the secondary and post-secondary level and partners served by the partnering universities. The final products consist of college level courses, dual-credit courses for secondary schools, and educational materials for agricultural stakeholders with a focus on climate change. The project’s goal is to assist today’s students as they become part of the future agricultural workforce and to develop the knowledge, skills, and adaptive strategies required to meet the challenges associated with a changing climate.

Optimalisasi Urban Farming Menggunakan Botol Bekas Sebagai Strategi Peningkatan Ketahanan Pangan Di Kecamatan Cipayung, Jakarta Timur

The community service that has been implemented in Lubang Buaya Village, Cipayung District, in 2023, aims to stimulate the use of used bottles as an innovative solution in overcoming the food crisis and strengthening local food security. This effort is in line with government initiatives to develop domestic food security and reduce dependence on food supplies from abroad. In addition, research and development related to urban farming practices using used bottles in Cipayung plays an important role in providing practical guidance to local communities to start and run urban farming practices effectively. This step is expected to help city residents produce their own food sustainably, reduce the burden of food imports, and improve community food security. Throughout the program, a continuous evaluation phase has also been conducted. This allows monitoring the long-term impact of this activity, including the improvement of the quality of life of the local community. In conclusion, this community service program has successfully improved participants' knowledge, skills, and insights related to the basic principles of hydroponic plant cultivation. It has also stimulated business development on a household scale and contributed to the improvement of the surrounding environment.

Impact of Climate Change on Pakistan and Proposed Solutions: Evidence from Literature

The current research examines the impact of climate change on Pakistan (social, economic & environmental) and proposed solutions from existing literature. For this purpose, the qualitative research design was adopted, and literature has been taken from the last ten years' papers, articles, reports, and books. However, for the analysis of impacts, the most recent year-2023 literature has been taken from international journals. The result was divided into a total of four themes: a) social, b) economic, c) environmental impacts, and d) mitigation strategies for climate change in Pakistan. Results and findings showed that climate change has negatively affected the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the people of Pakistan, especially, people who are associated with agriculture and livestock. Frequent droughts, urban flooding, land-sliding, cyclones, earth-quick, etc., not only disturb social life but also have several negative economic implications such as decreases the per capita income, loss of Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and food security and safety. Though, Pakistan, being a developing country, has signed many agreements with international organizations like United Nations (UN), World Bank (WB), etc to overcome the negative effects of climate change. Despite strategies and efforts, still Pakistan has failed to achieve its targets due to a lack of funds, political disinterest, lack of awareness among common people about climate change, and administrative inefficiencies as well. The political and administrative seriousness about climate change can make the possible outcomes to overcome the inverse implications of climate change in Pakistan.

Synergies and trade-offs between agricultural export promotion and food security: Evidence from African economies

Several countries across the developing world have designed and implemented agricultural export incentives. However, little is known about the effects of these policies on various aspects of domestic food security. This study utilizes economywide models linked top-down with microsimulation modules to analyze the impacts of increased agricultural export promotion on the four dimensions of food security – availability, access, utilization, and stability – in three structurally food-insecure economies of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. We find that agro-export promotion adversely affects all four aspects of food security in urban areas and at the national level due to significant increases in food prices domestically. However, it generally benefits households in rural areas. The food security effects are stronger in Ethiopia and Kenya. We also find that risks associated with the volatility in international markets and declines in domestic productivity can lead to further deterioration in access to food when countries implement outward-oriented agricultural policies.

Triploid Pacific oysters exhibit stress response dysregulation and elevated mortality following heatwaves.

Polyploidy has been suggested to negatively impact environmental stress tolerance, resulting in increased susceptibility to extreme climate events. In this study, we compared the genomic and physiological response of diploid (2n) and triploid (3n) Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) to conditions present during an atmospheric heatwave that impacted the Pacific Northwestern region of the United States in the summer of 2021. Climate stressors were applied either singly (single stressor; elevated seawater temperature, 30°C) or in succession (multiple stressor; elevated seawater temperature followed by aerial emersion at 44°C), replicating conditions present within the intertidal over a tidal cycle during the event. Oyster mortality rate was elevated within stress treatments with respect to the control and was significantly higher in triploids than diploids following multiple stress exposure (36.4% vs. 14.8%). Triploids within the multiple stressor treatment exhibited signs of energetic limitation, including metabolic depression, a significant reduction in ctenidium Na+ /K+ ATPase activity, and the dysregulated expression of genes associated with stress response, innate immunity, glucose metabolism, and mitochondrial function. Functional enrichment analysis of ploidy-specific gene sets identified that biological processes associated with metabolism, stress tolerance, and immune function were overrepresented within triploids across stress treatments. Our results suggest that triploidy impacts the transcriptional regulation of key processes that underly the stress response of Pacific oysters, resulting in downstream shifts in physiological tolerance limits that may increase susceptibility to extreme climate events that present multiple environmental stressors. The impact of chromosome set manipulation on the climate resilience of marine organisms has important implications for domestic food security within future climate scenarios, especially as triploidy induction becomes an increasingly popular tool to elicit reproductive control across a wide range of species used within marine aquaculture.

Analysis of China–Angola Agricultural Cooperation and Strategies Based on SWOT Framework

In the context of frequent food crises, Angola needs to improve the efficiency of agricultural production to meet the rigid domestic demand for food consumption. China has accumulated experience and technology in agricultural production over the years, it is a strategic partner for Angola, and Angola has a prominent place in the destination of Chinese investments. Therefore, agricultural cooperation between China and Angola based on mutual benefits will not only help Angola solve the problem of self-sufficiency in food but also provide a broad space for Chinese agricultural technology to “go global”, thereby providing reliable domestic food security solutions. Through the SWOT method, this study analysed Angola’s agricultural development prospects and the current situation of China and Angola’s agricultural cooperation to build a SWOT matrix and formulate reliable agricultural cooperation development strategies for promoting agricultural cooperation between China and Angola.

Food Security and Social Development of Regions: International Experience

Food security is an economic category officially accepted in international practice, used to describe the state of the food market of a country or group of countries, as well as the world market that provides guaranteed access to all social groups. As world experience shows, special state bodies developed in the agro-industrial sphere have been established in all countries, performing the functions of regulating and protecting the agricultural sector and the agricultural food market. The main goal of our research work is to determine and prove the current level of food safety. At the same time, the social development of leading countries and determination of Kazakhstan’s priorities in this field using domestic food security policy. Materials on the regulation and support of food security in the USA and Brazil, which are of interest to other countries, are presented and analyzed. Our research paper also presents the policy of food security in China and the Russian Federation. Food security of the Republic of Kazakhstan is provided. In our opinion, a necessary and sufficient condition for food security is economic growth, which leads to an increase in food production, real incomes of people, and an active policy on the part of the state to help the poor. Ensuring food security is associated with the impact of various factors and conditions: as it is the driving force, the cause of the process, and the phenomenon. Food security is influenced by political, social, economic, natural and other factors.

Marketing analysis of the functioning environment of agrarian enterprises

Before the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the agricultural sector of Ukraine developed dynamically and played a leading role in ensuring domestic and global food security, employment of the population, and the formation of foreign exchange earnings from product exports and state budget revenues. The active phase of the war on the territory of the country radically changed the conditions for the functioning of agricultural enterprises. The purpose of the article is to characterize and assess the influence of certain elements of the external environment on the activities of agricultural enterprises. The research is based on the dialectical method of learning economic processes and the following methods are used: monographic, abstract-logical, PEST analysis, SWOT analysis. The study analyzed the works of Ukrainian scientists on the problems of the functioning of agricultural enterprises and identified the main political, economic, social and technological factors of the influence of the external environment on their activities in the conditions of martial law. It has been established that the political factors of the environment affect the activity of agricultural enterprises mainly positively, economic factors have a mainly negative effect on them, and social and technological factors have different directions. The assessment of the main strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the environment of agricultural enterprises showed the existence of prerequisites for the quantitative growth of gross volumes of their production and the need to develop a comprehensive strategy of agricultural policy for long-term growth in the conditions of post-war recovery, the key tasks of which should be ecologically oriented nature management, the development of dual education for training highly qualified workers, increasing the volume of production and export of organic and ready-made food products, technical and technological modernization of the production base. Priority stimulation of investments in increasing the volume of production of organic food products, development of primary and advanced processing of agricultural raw materials inside the faucet is proposed. The practical significance of the research lies in the fact that its results can be used by state institutions responsible for the development of the agrarian sphere, when developing a strategy for its development and substantiating measures for its implementation, by agricultural enterprises - when developing marketing strategies, by scientists - when further researching the problems of the influence of the external environment on the development of agricultural production

Prevalence and stakeholders’ perception of mycotoxins in the Ghanaian poultry feed value chain

The poultry sector in Ghana has the potential to contribute significantly to domestic food and nutrition security. There is limited information regarding the knowledge of feed industry stakeholders on the presence of mycotoxins in poultry feed. This work was aimed at assessing the prevalence of aflatoxin and fumonisin in poultry feed, and mycotoxins awareness among stakeholders of the poultry feed value chain in Ghana. Three hundred and fifty (350) respondents consisting of 255 commercial poultry farmers, 85 feed processors and 16 feed vendors were involved in the study. AgraStrip® Quantitative test from RomerLab, USA was used to quantify total fumonisin and aflatoxin levels in the prepared feed samples. The study revealed that commercial feed producers, feed mills operators and on-farm feed processors are the three main sources of feed and ingredients for commercial poultry farmers in Ghana. The study identified a high level of mycotoxin contamination of feed and ingredients. Feed samples from the commercial feed processors recorded significantly lower aflatoxin levels (21.63+7.05 ppb, p<0.008). However, the threshold of 15 ppb for the Ghana Standards Authority, FAO/WHO maximum permissible limit of 30 ppb and EU regulatory limit of 20 ppb for poultry feeds were exceeded by 70% of all the samples. Fumonisin levels were less than the 30mg/kg FDA guidance levels for maize and maize by-products intended for consumption by breeding poultry. From the study, a majority of the farmers (85%), vendors (87.5%) and all of the feed processors have their own feed storage facilities or warehouses. Storage problems identified by these stakeholders included pest infestation and mold development, which usually occur after a few weeks of storage to the end of the storage period. Sanitation was poor along the feed chain, particularly during feed formulation and storage. Awareness of mycotoxins and their effect on animal and human health was low among the respondents. Some of those who have heard about aflatoxins were not aware of what it is and its effect on the health of humans and animals. This threatens the management of mycotoxins in the poultry feed chain. Key words: aflatoxin, fumonisin, mycotoxin contamination, mycotoxin awareness, sanitation, poultry feed, feed processors

The Concept of Food Security in China under the New Situation

Food security is an important basis for national security. This paper makes a comprehensive analysis of the concept change of food security, the current situation of domestic food security, the policy orientation and the important problems faced by food security in the new era, with a view to further understanding the development direction and measures to ensure national food security in the future.

Does domestic migration adversely affect food security? Evidence from Vietnam

With a population of more than 100 million as of December 2022, food security remains a persistent challenge in Vietnam despite achieving a miracle of economic growth and social transformation in recent decades. Vietnam has also experienced a significant migration from rural areas into urban cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. The effects of domestic migration on food security have largely been neglected in the existing literature, particularly in Vietnam. This study investigates the impacts of domestic migration on food security using data from the Vietnam Household Living Standard Surveys. Food security is proxied by three dimensions: food expenditure, calorie consumption, and food diversity. The difference-in-difference and instrumental variable estimation techniques are used in this study to address endogeneity and selection bias. The empirical results reveal that domestic migration in Vietnam increases food expenditure and calorie consumption. We also find significant effects of wage, land and family characteristics such as education level and the number of family members on food security when different food groups are considered. Regional income, household headship and the number of children in a family mediate the relationship between domestic migration and food security in Vietnam.