Food And Agriculture Organization Research Articles

Assessment of Quality, Fungal Population and Diversity, of Irrigation Water in Selected Areas of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Water samples were collected at 3 slope positions (upper, middle and lower) from four locations practising irrigation agriculture in Minna as follows; Fadikwe, Mechanic village in keterin-gwari, Soje-A in kpakungu and Bali in Chanchaga and fitted to a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) having slope positions as replicates for each treatment. Water sampling, Physical and chemical properties and Fungi population and diversity were determined using standard methods. Data generated were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and means were separated using Least Significance Differences (LSD) and Duncan Multiple Range Test. Result obtained revealed that Chanchaga irrigation water recorded the highest fungi population of 1.6 x 107 CFU/ml why fungi diversity was the least at Chanchaga. The presence of _Geotrichum species_ (2.33 x 106CFU/ml), _Candida tropicalis_ (4.33 x 106CFU/ml) and _Torulopsis glabrata_ (1.67 x 106CFU/ml) in water obtained from Mechanic village may be due to the presence of hydrocarbons in the oil polluting the water. They are potential degraders of crude oil hydrocarbons. They may therefore be responsible for the value of Biochemical Oxygen Demand of 261 mg/l recorded at Mechanic village. The Biochemical Oxygen Demand values of 342 mg/l and 360.00mg/l recorded at Fadikwe and Soje A respectively may be due to the presence of _Aspergillus niger.Aspergillus niger_ is a utility biological indicator of level of degradation of pollutant. These values were however higher than the Food and Agriculture organisation (FAO) standards for irrigation water. Further studies should however be carried out to investigate the bioremediating potentials of the fungi species identified in irrigation water obtained from Chanchaga.

Challenges and opportunities when moving food production and consumption toward sustainable diets in the Nordics: a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

The terms 'Nordic countries' or 'The Nordics' include the five countries Denmark, Finland, Island, Norway, and Sweden. This review includes evaluation of the Nordic countries against Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)/World Health Organizations' (WHO) guiding principles for healthy, sustainable diets with respect to environmental impact (principles #9 - #13) and sociocultural aspects (principles #14 - #16). A food systems perspective is taken to summarize and discuss the most important challenges and opportunities for achieving sustainable diets. Food system, food security, self-sufficiency, and resilience perspectives are applied. The information can underpin decisions when developing and implementing Food Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG) in the Nordics. None of the Nordic countries are on track to reach the 2030 UN climate and biodiversity goals. We describe how food production, processing, and consumption contribute to these and other environmental challenges, and what kinds of dietary changes/transitions consistent with these goals are required. A major challenge is the high production and consumption of meat and too low consumption of fish, vegetables, and fruits. Meat production is a major source of emissions and, together with farmed fish, heavily dependent on imported feed ingredients, leaving a large land-use and water footprint in exporting countries while domestic land resources are not used optimally. Dietary patterns have changed drastically over the past 50 years, and in large parts of the population, meat consumption has doubled since the 1970s, rendering historic food culture less useful as a basis for present-day recommendations. The Nordics have Europe's lowest use of antibiotics in animal and fish production and have made some progress in reducing food waste along the food chain. A major opportunity is better alignment of food production and consumption based on local or regional production potentials, in conjunction with better and more constructive integration with the global food system while integrating novel technologies to reduce emissions and resource use.

Unlocking gender dynamics in food and nutrition security in Ghana: assessing dietary diversity, food security, and crop diversification among cocoa household heads in the Juaboso-Bia cocoa landscape.

Malnutrition is a worldwide problem that impacts every country, affecting one in three individuals, including Ghana. According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 690million people were undernourished globally in 2019. Malnutrition is no exception in rural cocoa communities in Ghana. The expansion of cocoa is causing food insecurity and low dietary diversity in most cocoa-growing areas. There is little information on the food security status and dietary diversity among male-headed and female-headed cocoa households in the Juaboso-Bia cocoa landscape. Thus, this study sought to explore the dietary diversity distribution, food security status, sources of staple food, food unavailability periods, food production status, themes contributing to low dietary diversity and food insecurity, and perception of the impact of cocoa expansion on crop diversification among male-headed and female-headed cocoa households in the study area. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed to address the research questions. The study collected 200 semi-structured questionnaire data and 14 in-depth interview data from cocoa household heads in the Juaboso-Bia landscape. The survey data was cleaned and analysis, such as household dietary diversity status, food security status, and binary logistic regression were performed in the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). The in-depth interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Through this study, it was revealed that 62.8% of the male-headed cocoa households had medium to high dietary diversity compared to their female counterparts 39.3%. About 47.9% of the male-headed households were food secure than the female-headed households (29.1%). Moreover, the months that both male and female-headed households recalled facing severe food unavailability were July and June. In addition, climate change/variability, unavailable lands, poverty, large household size, and gender stereotypes were themes promoting low dietary diversity and food insecurity among male and female-headed households. Furthermore, sex, total household income, and cropland conversion to cocoa were the variables influencing household heads' perception of the impact of cocoa expansion on crop diversification. The study showed that the male-headed cocoa households had high dietary diversity and were food secure than the female-headed cocoa households, lending credence to the conceptual framework applied in this study. There is a significant relationship between household head gender and food security status. Therefore, this study recommends the following interventions to improve dietary diversity and food security among male and female-headed cocoa households: raise awareness about the need for diverse diets and provide practical information on how to incorporate a greater variety of food groups into their daily meals; and promote gender equity and inclusivity in food security interventions. Future research could investigate how gender mainstreaming policies in agriculture have helped empower and improve the food security of female-headed households in Ghana.

The Agro-Industrial Complex of the China and the Position of the State in the World Market

The PRC is integrated into various economic communities, which allows it to play a significant role in the world market in the production of not only industrial products, but also agricultural ones. The purpose of this article is to analyze the export-import policy and dynamics of mutual trade in agricultural products between the EAEU and China, as well as the capitalization structure of Chinese agro-industrial companies. The article examines the legal basis of the export-import agricultural policy of the PRC, analyzes the dynamics of export-import of agricultural products between the EAEU and China, presents the distribution of Chinese agro-industrial companies by type of business and the distribution of capital of Chinese agro-industrial companies. The study used methods of analysis and synthesis of the studied material based on statistical data from the OECD, the World Bank, the IMF, the UN FAO, FAPRI, as well as the ministries specialized in agriculture of the PRC and the Russian Federation from 2015 to 2022. According to the forecast for 2023, India, China, Africa and a number of Central Asian countries will experience a decrease in world prices for agricultural products. The main conclusion is that China will remain self-sufficient in major crops, although production growth will slow in the coming years

Health risk assessment of heavy metals in some vegetables-Erbil City-Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Heavy metals can have significant impacts on human health due to their toxicity and potential to accumulate in the body over time. Some heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic, are particularly harmful even at low concentrations. The estimation of hazards of vegetable intake to human health as well as explore the of heavy metals accumulation in different vegetables (cucumbers, tomato, eggplant, and bell peppers) collected in Erbil city from different source locally and imported from nearby country are conducted. The heavy metals concentration (cooper, zinc, lead and cadmium) was measured and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrophotometry. The maximum concentration of Pb was 27.95 mg/kg and the minimum was 6.49 mg/kg; for Cd, the concentration was 1.43 and 0.99 mg/kg, 74.94 and 5.14 mg/kg for Zn; and for Cu, the result was 56.25 and 8.2 mg/kg for the maximum and minimum, which they are within limits described by Food Agricultural Organization, but more than health limits and health risks calculated by mean of hazard quotient (HQ) techniques for Cu and Pb which they are more than 1. The local sample that collected in Erbil city show less concentration of heavy metals and low HQ in comparison with imported samples. The carcinogenic risk study shows elevated risk of accumulative consuming of edible part of those plant which they exceed the permissible limit that is 10-6.

Benefits of ULV Application to Control Locusts in Caucasus and Central Asia

This paper discusses the state-of-the-art of Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) spray application with rotary atomisers in the Caucasus and Central Asian (CCA) region to control locusts. The technology is widely used around the world for locust control and promoted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as an effective and efficient control intervention that meets the scale and challenge posed by large area locust outbreaks. The technology utilises precisely controlled spray droplets in the range 50–100um using ready-to-use oil-based ULV formulations to target locusts more efficiently. Volume rates as low as 0.5–1.0 l/ha are utilised which greatly improves productivity of ground and aerial spray applications, timeliness, and reduces cost and waste of pesticide and water. ULV has become more widely adopted in CCA during recent years to control major economic pests such as Moroccan, Italian, and Asian migratory locusts. Its further adoption is hampered by the lack of available ULV formulations in the region and need for investment and training in the technology. ULV technology is highly appropriate for use of biological products to reduce risks to operators and the environment and efforts to increase regional cooperation and the registration of safer pesticides across the region present opportunities for its wider adoption.

Enhancing global food safety standards through international collaboration and policy harmonization

In an increasingly interconnected world, ensuring the safety of the global food supply has emerged as a paramount concern. With foodborne illnesses affecting millions annually and international trade in food products reaching unprecedented levels, the need for robust food safety standards has never been more pressing. This abstract explores the vital role of international collaboration and policy harmonization in enhancing global food safety standards, with a focus on the mechanisms, challenges, and potential solutions involved. At the heart of global food safety efforts lie collaborative endeavors among nations facilitated by international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Codex Alimentarius Commission. These entities serve as platforms for harmonizing food safety regulations by developing science-based standards, guidelines, and codes of practice. Through regular consultations, expert committees, and consensus-building processes, these organizations foster agreement on key principles and practices governing food safety across diverse national contexts. However, achieving harmonization in food safety policies poses significant challenges. Divergent regulatory frameworks, varying levels of institutional capacity, and disparities in resources among countries can impede efforts to establish uniform standards. Moreover, geopolitical tensions and trade disputes may hinder cooperation, leading to fragmentation in global food safety governance. Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts to build trust, enhance communication, and promote transparency among stakeholders. Technological innovations offer promising avenues for overcoming barriers to international collaboration and policy harmonization in food safety. Blockchain technology, for instance, enables transparent and tamper-proof recording of food supply chain data, enhancing traceability and accountability. Internet of Things (IoT) devices provide real-time monitoring of food storage and transportation conditions, helping to prevent contamination and spoilage. Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms analyze vast datasets to identify emerging food safety risks and inform regulatory decision-making. By leveraging these technologies, countries can strengthen their capacity to implement harmonized food safety standards and improve compliance with international regulations. Furthermore, public-private partnerships play a crucial role in advancing global food safety initiatives. Collaboration between governments, industry stakeholders, academia, and civil society organizations facilitates knowledge sharing, capacity building, and resource mobilization. By pooling expertise and resources, these partnerships enable more effective surveillance, response, and mitigation of food safety risks on a global scale. Moreover, they promote information exchange and best practice dissemination, fostering a culture of continuous improvement in food safety management. Policy harmonization efforts must also embrace risk-based approaches to prioritize interventions and allocate resources effectively. By identifying and assessing food safety hazards based on their likelihood and severity, countries can tailor their regulatory measures to address the most significant risks. Moreover, regular monitoring, evaluation, and review of food safety policies are essential to ensure their relevance, effectiveness, and adaptability in the face of evolving threats and challenges. Enhancing global food safety standards requires sustained international collaboration and policy harmonization. By fostering consensus, leveraging technology, and fostering partnerships, the international community can strengthen the resilience of the global food system, protect public health, and promote equitable access to safe and nutritious food for all.

Policy strategies for managing food safety risks associated with climate change and agriculture

Managing food safety risks associated with climate change and agriculture necessitates comprehensive policy strategies to safeguard public health, ensure food security, and sustain agricultural productivity. This review delves into the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change on food safety and explores policy approaches aimed at mitigating these risks. Climate change presents a myriad of challenges to food safety, including altered patterns of precipitation, temperature extremes, and increased occurrences of extreme weather events. These changes impact various stages of the food supply chain, from production to consumption, exacerbating existing food safety risks and introducing new ones. Addressing these challenges requires proactive policy strategies that integrate climate adaptation and food safety management. Policy strategies for managing food safety risks associated with climate change encompass a range of measures aimed at enhancing resilience, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and strengthening food safety systems. One key approach involves the implementation of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices, which aim to improve agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impacts and enhancing resilience to climate change. CSA practices such as crop diversification, soil conservation, and water management can help mitigate the impacts of climate change on food safety by reducing the risk of contamination and enhancing the quality of agricultural products. Furthermore, policies aimed at promoting sustainable food production systems can contribute to mitigating food safety risks associated with climate change. These policies may include incentives for farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices, support for organic farming, and regulations to reduce the use of chemical inputs in agriculture. By promoting environmentally friendly farming practices, such policies can help minimize the occurrence of foodborne pathogens and chemical contaminants in food products, thereby enhancing food safety. In addition to promoting sustainable agricultural practices, policy strategies for managing food safety risks associated with climate change also focus on strengthening food safety systems and enhancing surveillance and monitoring mechanisms. This includes investing in infrastructure and capacity building to improve food safety testing and inspection capabilities, as well as enhancing early warning systems for foodborne disease outbreaks. By strengthening food safety systems, policymakers can better detect and respond to emerging food safety risks exacerbated by climate change, thereby reducing the likelihood of foodborne illness and protecting public health. Furthermore, international collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential components of effective policy strategies for managing food safety risks associated with climate change. Given the global nature of both climate change and the food supply chain, coordinated action at the international level is crucial for addressing shared challenges and exchanging best practices. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) play a critical role in facilitating collaboration and providing technical assistance to countries in developing and implementing effective food safety policies in the context of climate change. Managing food safety risks associated with climate change and agriculture requires a multifaceted approach that integrates climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture, and robust food safety systems. By implementing proactive policy strategies that promote sustainable practices, strengthen food safety systems, and foster international collaboration, policymakers can mitigate the impacts of climate change on food safety and ensure the availability of safe and nutritious food for all.

Dietary diversity and its determinants among women of reproductive age residing in the urban area of Nouakchott, Mauritania

BackgroundThe intake of nutrient-rich foods from diverse diets ensures adequate nutrition for women. This study aims to determine dietary diversity among women of reproductive age (WRA) using the MDD-W indicator and how it relates to their socio-economic characteristics in the city of Nouakchott, Mauritania.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 240 women of reproductive age, aged 15–49 years. Food consumption data were obtained through unquantified 24 h recall which is designed to identify all foods consumed by the women during this period. We computed MDD-W as the consumption of at least five out of ten predefined food groups according to the guideline of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. In order to determine which factors had a statistically significant influence on dietary diversity among women, we used a value of P < 0.05.ResultsThe mean of dietary diversity was 5.48 and 71.7% of WRA had an acceptable minimum dietary diversity. During the study period, 96.25% and 80% of women consumed vitamin A and iron-rich foods respectively. The consumption rate of starchy foods, vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and chicken, milk and dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables and finally other vegetables was higher; 99.6%, 75.3%, 80%, 62.5%, 60.4% and 83.3% respectively. On the other hand, the consumption of legumes, eggs and other fruits was low; at 21.7%, 14.2% and 13.8% respectively.ConclusionsThe study showed that more than half of the studied population had an acceptable minimum dietary diversity. The diet was mainly based on the consumption of starchy foods, meat and other vegetables than those rich in vitamin A.

Perspectives in precautionary allergen labelling of prepackaged foods after the FAO/WHO consultation.

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the perspectives regarding precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) of prepackaged foods following the consultation conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the WHO. The FAO/WHO consultation provided a comprehensive assessment of the current status and practices of PAL implementation worldwide. One of the key findings highlighted by the Expert Committee was the need for improvement in existing PAL systems. It was noted that many countries lacked uniformity in PAL practices, leading to inconsistencies in labelling and potentially misleading information for consumers. Furthermore, the consultation emphasized the importance of PAL being risk-based, taking into account both the amount and frequency of unintended allergen presence (UAP) in food products. The FAO/WHO consultation shed light on various perspectives and challenges associated with PAL of prepackaged foods. Key findings emphasized the need for improvement in existing PAL systems, including the adoption of a risk-based approach, standardized regulations, and enhanced transparency. Moving forward, collaborative efforts between regulatory agencies, food manufacturers, and consumer advocacy groups will be essential in developing effective PAL strategies that prioritize consumer safety and well being.

Mechanisms of medicinal, pharmaceutical, and immunomodulatory action of probiotics bacteria and their secondary metabolites against disease management: an overview.

Probiotics or bacteriotherapy is today's hot issue for public entities (Foodand Agriculture Organization, and World Health Organization) as well as health and food industries since Metchnikoff and his colleagues hypothesized the correlation between probiotic consumption and human's health. They contribute to the newest and highly efficient arena of promising biotherapeutics. These are usually attractive in biomedical applications such as gut-related diseases like irritable bowel disease, diarrhea, gastrointestinal disorders, fungal infections, various allergies, parasitic and bacterial infections, viral diseases, and intestinal inflammation, and are also worth immunomodulation. The useful impact of probiotics is not limited to gut-related diseases alone. Still, these have proven benefits in various acute and chronic infectious diseases, like cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diseases, and high serum cholesterol. Recently,different researchers have paid special attention to investigating biomedical applications of probiotics, but consolidated data regarding bacteriotherapy with a detailed mechanistically applied approach is scarce and controversial. The present article reviews the bio-interface of probiotic strains, mainly (i) why the demand for probiotics?, (ii) the current status of probiotics, (iii) an alternative to antibiotics, (iv) the potential applications towards disease management, (v) probiotics and industrialization, and (vi) futuristic approach.

Study of Nutritional Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among Parents of Young Children in Public and Private Schools in Rural Nepal

This study examines the Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) among parents of young school children in Eastern Nepal, with a specific focus on the impact of school type and gender. A survey conducted among 139 parents of grade 4 to 6 students in Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, Khotang district, examined parental KAP in relation to the type of schooling their children received, and distinguishing between private and public schools. Utilizing guidelines from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), data collection involved home visits and response analysis. A higher proportion of female, 92 out of 139 attributes to the emigration of males, which has resulted in a greater availability of females compared to their male counterparts. Significant variations were found in parental KAP based on the type of schools attended by their children (p &amp;lt; 0.002 for knowledge, p = 0.08 for attitude, and p &amp;lt; 0.01 for practice). Parents of children in private schools exhibited higher scores in knowledge and practice compared to those in public schools. Gender differences persisted, with female parents generally scoring lower in knowledge. The study also revealed a lower nutritional knowledge among females (&amp;szlig;=-1.7, p = 0.06). These findings may hint the socio-economic influences on nutritional KAP disparities and advocate for targeted interventions involving both parents, addressing differences across private and public schools. The study calls for future research with larger sample sizes to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these dynamics, suggesting a focus on gender-specific assessments within nutritional policies or national projects led by the Government of Nepal (GoN).

Prevalence and factors associated with the Minimum Dietary Diversity among HIV-positive women receiving Antiretroviral Therapy in Kabale district, Uganda.

Malnutrition and HIV form a vicious cycle and women are at an increased risk of malnutrition from HIV. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommends a minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) of five food groups; however, paucity of information exists about the diet quality of this population in Uganda. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with the MDD among HIV positive women of reproductive age (15-49 years) receiving antiretroviral therapy in Kabale district, Uganda. This was a cross-sectional study. Probability proportional to size sampling was applied to select the number of participants per clinic and respondents were sampled systematically on a particular day in each clinic. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the respondent characteristics and the FAO's Individual Dietary Diversity questionnaire was used to collect the 24-hour dietary intake. Data were analysed using appropriate software. Descriptive statistics were applied for univariate analysis. Modified Poisson was used to determine the factors associated with MDD. The study was approved by the Makerere University School of Public Health Institutional Review Board and informed consent was obtained from the respondents. Some 90.9% of the respondents were Bakiga, mean age was 34.8 ± 8.1 years, 47.6% were married and 98.0% came from nuclear families with 4.4 ± 1.9 members. The mean number of food groups consumed was 4.7 ± 1.7 with roots and tubers, pulses, and dark leafy and vitamin A vegetables, whereas milk and eggs were mostly consumed and fruits were least consumed. The prevalence of the MDD-W was 48.2%. Factors associated with MDD score at multivariate level included; age, type of employment, having nausea, viral load status and HIV clinical stage. Almost one half of the HIV positive women on antiretroviral therapy in the district achieve the MDD-W, attributed to being middle aged, being casual employment and having an unsuppressed viral load.

Land suitability studies for paddy cultivation in Dadahup Swampy Irrigation Area

The Dadahup Swampy Irrigation Area is crucial in the government’s Food Estate initiative to enhance food security in Indonesia. Following extensive infrastructure improvements, including network rehabilitation and gate construction between 2020 and 2022, a pilot project was initiated in block A5. However, rice yields in this area still need to improve, primarily due to inadequate land management practices. This study evaluates and maps land suitability for paddy cultivation in the Dadahup Swamp Irrigation Area, employing a combination of laboratory data and field research integrated with geographic information system (GIS) technology. Various parameters were considered, such as climate factors (temperature and water availability), soil characteristics (drainage, texture, depth), peatland attributes (thickness, maturity), nutrient content (CEC, base saturation, pH, C-organic), available nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), salinity, alkalinity, pyrite depth, and inundation levels during planting. Then, thematic raster mapping was conducted using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) method, followed by reclassification based on Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) standards for land evaluation. The result categorized Block A5 into three suitability classes: S1 (highly suitable), S2 (moderately suitable), and S3 (marginally suitable). Approximately 22.5% of Block A5 is highly suitable (S1), 39.5% is moderately suitable (S2), and around 38% is marginally suitable (S3).

Analysis of carrageenan quality of Eucheuma cottonii and Eucheuma spinosum seaweed from Bantaeng Regency and its export permit regulations in Indonesia

One of the valuable compounds contained in seaweed is carrageenan, which is found in Eucheuma cottonii and Eucheuma spinosum, the most common species found in Bantaeng Regency, Indonesia. This study aims to measure the quality of carrageenan in those Eucheuma and elaborate on seaweed export regulations in Indonesia. The method used is KCl precipitation, where analysis is carried out on the yield value, moisture and ash content, and pH of carrageenan with reference to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) standards. While the rules for export permits will be explained qualitatively using a statutory approach. The findings showed that the amount of moisture and ash content that met FAO standards was found in Eucheuma cottonii, and it also had the highest yield value. Furthermore, in terms of export permits, exporters need a certificate of origin for seaweed, which is regulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries No. 7/PERMEN-KP/2013, which aims to provide legal certainty regarding product quality for both exporters and importers. This study recommends that it is required to vary the concentration of the KOH solution used to soak the seaweed in order to obtain a pH of carrageenan that meets FAO standards.

Causal Relationship Between Maize Production and Its Price in Zambia

In Zambia, changes in food prices specifically maize prices have received much of the attention of late because of its effect on national food security, farming systems, and political-economic conditions of the country. Measures have been taken in order to prevent future food crises and to achieve zero hunger by 2030 as per Sustainable Development Goal number 2 targets 2.4 and 2.c. The national strategies to stabilise the price and influence productivity depend on availability of data from different researchers. Most studies on maize production in Zambia have focused on climatic and demographic factors with insufficient efforts taken in addressing price changes on maize production. The article examined the consequences of changing price from 1990 to 2021 of maize on maize production in Zambia. It used a cross sectional research design to analyse secondary data from Zambia Statistics Agency and Food Agriculture Organization. The use of Granger causality test (time series) during analysis revealed unidirectional causation between price and production. This implies that price of maize is the Granger cause of maize production (p-value = 0.0010). The increase of price of maize influences maize productivity among peasants. The policy implication stemming from this study is that since price influences maize production, controlling maize production without stabilizing price levels cannot be enough to boost the agricultural economy and alleviate poverty. The government needs to control maize prices to meet the domestic self-sufficient and affordable prices.

Comprehensive environmental impact assessment and irrigation wastewater suitability of the Arab El-Madabegh wastewater treatment plant, ASSIUT CITY, EGYPT.

The presence of a wastewater treatment plant in the Arab El-Madabegh region, which discharges excessive amounts of raw effluent toward the nearby farming fields, is the area's main issue. Examining the harmful implications of raw effluent releases on groundwater quality, determining if treated wastewater effluent complies with regulations for discharge into the aquatic environment, and assessing irrigation appropriateness by the effluent are the main goals of this work. In order to accomplish these targets, twelve treated effluent samples from the Arab El-Madabegh wastewater treatment plant were gathered every two weeks starting in January 2012 and finishing in June 2012. They were tested to determine pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Temperature (Temp), Conductivity (EC), Turbidity (Turb.), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), NO3-, SO42-, Cl-, Ca2+, PO43-, HCO3-, Na+, Mg2+, and heavy metals such as (Fe, Mn, K+, Cr, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu, and Cd). The outcomes revealed that all Egyptian and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) standards for unrestricted irrigation were met by the treated effluents, except for COD, which exceeded than the Egyptian allowed limit. The evaluation indices of the effluent's EC, SAR, PI, MR, and MH were in the low-risk category according to indicators of water quality for irrigation, nevertheless, The SSP and RSC both showed slightly higher values (67.9% and 2.76, respectively). As well, The average values of heavy metals in treated wastewater effluent were found to be below permitted limits, with the exception of lead and phosphate, which exceeded permissible limits in Egypt. The environmental sustainability (ecological friendliness) of reusing and recycling tertiary treated wastewater can be achieved in agriculture to reduce the adverse impacts on the aquatic environment.

County‐Level Evaluation of Large‐Scale Gridded Data Sets of Irrigated Area Over China

AbstractThe reliability of irrigated area (IA) information dominates the performance of irrigation water use and crop modeling accuracy. IA is typically mapped using Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) agricultural census and remote sensing indices. Recent advances in machine learning and sampling techniques further improve IA mapping. However, the relative performances of different IA mapping approaches and their capability in capturing long‐term IA temporal variability remain unknown. Here, 1861 county‐level IA information from Government Censored Data (GCD) during 2000–2021 are collected, cross‐validated, and employed to evaluate commonly used gridded IA data sets. Results show that IA data sets based on the direct interpolation of FAO agricultural census can accurately capture the spatial distribution of IA. However, FAO statistics are only available in a particular year, which cannot capture inter‐annual irrigation variations. In contrast, IA products solely based on vegetation indices are prone to positive biases over humid regions due to the lack of contrast in vegetation dynamics. Overall, the latest GCD‐based machine learning IA data sets are relatively more accurate, but they are also problematic in estimating IA trends due to the use of temporally static training samples. Such biases are tightly related to agricultural suitability (AS calculated using precipitation and potential evapotranspiration). This suggests that AS should be employed as an endogenous variable in future machine learning based IA mapping algorithms.

Analysis of Heavy Metals and Gene Expression of African Arowana Fish (Heterotis niloticus) obtained from Igbalegbe River, Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria

Heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems can be assessed with suitable biomarkers in fish. This study was carried out to determine the concentration of heavy metals and gene expression of African Arowana Fish (Heterotis niloticus) obtained from Igbalegbe River, Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Varian 220 Fast sequential) for the metals and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the gene expression study. Results of the study showed that fishes in the downstream sectionof the river and the effluent discharge point recorded higher metal pollution Index (MPI) compared to the upstream station. The concentration of heavy metals in the fish tissue were generally within the limits of Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)/World health Organisation (WHO) except for that of Cadmium and Lead in the discharge station. The selected genes investigated were biomarkers for general stress (HSP70), xenobiotic metabolism (CYPA1), antioxidative defence (SOD), Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) respectively. The expression of the genes revealed significant variations (P&lt;0.05) in the fishes obtained from the different stations of the river. Some of the genes were down-regulated and suppressed while others were upregulated to enable the fish cope with stress while adapting to environmental pollution. Changes in biomarkers can therefore be considered as early signals of stress in the selected fish species.

Sustainability Evaluation of Plant-Based Beverages and Semi-Skimmed Milk Incorporating Nutrients, Market Prices, and Environmental Costs

Developing a reliable method to compare food sustainability is gaining traction, with efforts like those by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This research aims to contribute to a comprehensive scientific comparison of food categories based on CO2 emissions linked not to weight but to their primary function: nutrient availability and uptake in the consumer’s body. The study utilizes a multi-criteria evaluation for sustainability, incorporating the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF) score, protein digestibility, and essential amino acid content. A case study compares one serving of semi-skimmed milk (SSM) with various plant-based beverages (oat, soy, rice, coconut, and almond), considering their carbon footprints in relation to nutrient content and environmental costs. The analysis integrates protein quality through essential amino acid proportion and digestibility. Findings reveal that achieving an NRF11.3 score of 50 requires more servings of unfortified plant-based beverages than semi-skimmed milk, resulting in higher carbon footprints, except for soy drink. However, when considering emerging farm management measures, semi-skimmed and soy drinks show comparable carbon footprints for a given NRF score. Fortified plant-based beverages (soy, oat, and almond) exhibit lower footprints relative to the calculated NRF scores. Yet, when converting carbon footprints to euros using the European Union Emissions Trading System and adding them to retail prices per kilogram, semi-skimmed milk emerges as the option with the lowest “societal costs” (environment and consumer costs). The research underscores that understanding a food product’s nutritional value requires more than knowledge of its composition; uptake into the body maintenance and potential synergistic effects of other components in the food matrix play crucial roles.