Food Security Resources Research Articles

Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia Prediction Using Random Forest Technique

Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a highly infectious disease that poses a significant threat to cattle populations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where livestock is a critical economic and food security resource. Early detection and intervention are essential to mitigate its impact on cattle productivity and rural livelihoods. This study aims to develop a predictive model for CBPP using the Random Forest (RF) algorithm, a robust and scalable machine learning technique renowned for its accuracy and ability to handle complex datasets. The research utilized a dataset of 847 samples collected from veterinary clinics in Yola, Adamawa State, and online sources. Key symptoms of CBPP, such as respiratory distress, nasal discharge, fever, and pleuritis, served as input features for the model. Preprocessing steps, including outlier detection, handling missing values, and data normalization, were applied to ensure the dataset's quality and reliability. The RF algorithm was trained and validated to classify CBPP cases effectively, with performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, and specificity used to evaluate its effectiveness. The experimental results demonstrated an impressive prediction accuracy of 95.65%. Results demonstrated the RF model's high accuracy and robustness in predicting CBPP, offering a practical tool for early diagnosis and decision-making. The study further highlights the potential of deploying the model in a mobile application, enabling cattle breeders to perform preliminary diagnoses and seek timely veterinary intervention. This approach aligns with global efforts to integrate technology into agricultural practices, enhancing livestock disease management and supporting sustainable agricultural development. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on applying machine learning to livestock disease prediction, showcasing Random Forest's potential to transform disease management strategies in the livestock sector.

Preservation of the seed collection during the Great Patriotic War

The article examines the historically significant period of N.I. Vavilov’s activities and his team in conducting 108 expeditions and collecting plant seeds in more than 1000 countries worldwide. By 1940, the collection was the largest in the world. Vavilov’s research aimed to study the genetic potential of seeds, establish centers of origin for wild and cultivated plants, their role in human practical activities, and the formation and replenishment of the collection initiated before the revolution by the founders of applied botany. Additionally, the article analyzes the challenging periods experienced by the collection, such as the formation of Soviet Russia, the Siege of Leningrad, and participation in the restoration of the devastated agriculture after Victory in World War II. Special attention is paid to the involvement of employees of the Federal Research Center “N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources” (VIR) in preserving the collection during the Siege of Leningrad. The practical application of the research results lies in understanding the importance of preserving plant genetic resources for food security and sustainable development of rural regions. The publication emphasizes not only the historical value of the seed collection but also its contemporary significance as an important resource for scientific research and practical use in agriculture. The scientific article also highlights the heroic efforts of VIR employees, who endured the harsh conditions of the Siege of Leningrad but continued to carefully preserve plant seeds, contributing to the survival and revival of agriculture in our homeland. The dedication and professionalism of the employees to the cause are underscored. Thus, the article reveals the historical and practical significance of the VIR seed collection, an important national genetic resource that continues to serve the goals of agricultural science and practice.

Prototype biodiversity digital twin: crop wild relatives genetic resources for food security

Amidst population growth and climate-driven crop stresses such as drought, extreme weather, fungal and insect pests, as well as various crop diseases, ensuring food security demands innovative strategies. Crop wild relatives (CWR), wild plants in the same genus as the crop as well as wild populations belonging to the same species as the crop, offer novel genetic resources crucial for enhancing crop resilience against these stress factors. Here, we introduce a prototype digital twin (pDT) to aid in searching and utilising CWR genetic resources. Using the MoDGP (Modelling the Germplasm of Interest) tool, the pDT enables mapping geographic areas where stress-tolerant CWR populations can be found. With its graphical user interface, it offers flexibility in selecting genetic resources from CWR tailored to enhance resilience of various crops against diverse stress factors.

Nutritional and Sensory Evaluation of Yoghurt Incorporated with Unripe False Horn Plantain (Musa paradisiaca var. "apentu").

Unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) is rich in nutrients including minerals, vitamin C, and carbohydrates particularly resistant starches with prebiotic properties. However, the fruit is challenged with limited utilisation, and this contributes to its high postharvest losses along the production and supply chain. Information is lacking on incorporating plantain (UPF) in functional dairy food product development. In a completely randomized design, the study evaluated the effect of unripe false horn plantain (var. "apentu") flour (UPF) incorporation (w/v), at 0% (control), 2%, 4%, and 6%, on the composition and sensory quality of yoghurt. The results showed that higher UPF percent incorporation resulted in yoghurts having lower moisture and higher total solid values as well as enhanced nutritional values, in terms of protein, zinc, potassium, calcium, and vitamin C (P < 0.05). Mean pH and total titratable acidity values of the yoghurt products were in the ranges of 3.40-3.65 and 1.00-130%, respectively. Conversely, an increase in UPF incorporation generally reduced consumer likeness scores for yoghurt sensory characteristics including appearance, texture, flavour, taste, aftertaste, and overall acceptability. The control AZ product received the highest ratings in all sensory attributes evaluated. Compared with the control AZ, the BX (2% w/w UPF) yoghurt showed better nutritional quality as well as had comparable ratings for the sensory attributes, particularly in terms of appearance, texture, and flavour. Thus, the formulation containing 2% UPF has the best potential for the production of value-added functional yoghurt, which will be acceptable. However, for high acceptability, further research is needed to improve the impact of UPF incorporation on the overall sensory quality of yoghurt. The study suggests that UPF can serve as a potential supplement for improving the value of yoghurt, and this also contributes to reducing postharvest losses of plantain as a key food security resource. Also, the study findings contribute baseline information to guide future research on functional dairy product development with unripe plantain.

Household Food Security through Wetland Resources with Adaptation to Climate Change: An Empirical Analysis of Ranikor, Meghalaya, India

Wetland ecosystems are the most diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth and include marshes, lakes, rivers, flood basins, estuarine deltas, ponds, rice fields, and marine water areas where the depth at low tide does not exceed 6 m. Tangible and intangible diverse resources and products of wetland functions have historically provided a source of income and livelihood for human beings. The present study investigated the different causes and the perceived indicators of food insecurity among the wetland dwellers, determined the wetland contribution to household food security and assessed the determinants of wetland based income with a view on the adaptive strategies adopted by the households residing around Ranikor, Meghalaya. Data was collected from 70 wetland resource-user households which was analyzed using simple percentage, t-test, regression analysis and Garrett ranking technique. The wetland resources contributed significantly to the household food security in the study area. It was found that climate change and limited labour were the major causes of food insecurity. Factors like household size, agricultural land area and age of the respondent determined the extraction of resources. Moreover, the study revealed crop diversification, re-digging of canal, construction of embankments and poultry rearing as the adaptive measures in the face of climate change having merits. The study recommends the need to design appropriate food production technologies that ensure sustainable use of wetland resources for food security as increasing population coupled with climate change will have drastic impact on the households relying on wetland for food security and income.

Smallholder maize yield estimation using satellite data and machine learning in Ethiopia

The lack of timely, high-resolution data on agricultural production is a major challenge in developing countries where such information can guide the allocation of scarce resources for food security, agricultural investment, and other objectives. While much research has suggested that remote sensing can potentially help address these gaps, few studies have indicated the immediate potential for large-scale estimations over both time and space. In this study we described a machine learning approach to estimate smallholder maize yield in Ethiopia, using well-measured and broadly distributed ground truth data and freely available spatiotemporal covariates from remote sensing. A neural networks model outperformed other algorithms in our study. Importantly, our work indicates that a model developed and calibrated on a previous year's data could be used to reasonably estimate maize yield in the subsequent year. Our study suggests the feasibility of developing national programs for the routine generation of broad-scale and high-resolution estimates of smallholder maize yield, including seasonal forecasts, on the basis of machine learning algorithms, well-measured ground control data, and currently existing time series satellite data.

Spatio-temporal Assessment and Monitoring of Groundwater Quality for Irrigation in Cheyyar Watershed, Tamil Nadu

Groundwater is the major source of freshwater presence in the globe and supports human life on the earth and it is a critical resource for food security. In India since 1970s and now accounts for over 60 percent of the total area irrigated by groundwater in the country. Around 85% of the rural drinking water supply is also met from groundwater sources. Assessing the suitability of groundwater quality for irrigation is more important in increasing the yield of agricultural crops in an area. The Cheyyar watershed in Tamil Nadu has been selected as the study area to carry out the study since the study area has vast extension of agricultural land. The quality of groundwater in the study area has decreasing trend with respect to time. The total geographical area of the study area is around 2,060 sq.km. To carry out this study, data related to groundwater quality was collected from State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Center, Tharamani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu for last 20 years (2000 – 2019) and nine parameters were selected to examine the irrigation suitability such as Magnesium Ratio, Sodium Adsorption Ratio, Residual Sodium Carbonate, Total Hardness, Soluble Sodium Percentage, Permeability Index, Total Dissolved Solids, Electrical Conductivity and USSL classifications. The weighted overly analysis has been used to derive the overall quality of groundwater for irrigation. Keywords: Groundwater quality, Irrigation Suitability, Cheyyar watershed, USSL classifications

The downstream impact of the first and second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Water conflicts arise from geostrategic factors that hide behind visible ones such as the construction of dams. In the case of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), it will have a significant impact on development in Ethiopia, but its filling has worried downstream countries about altering the flow of the Nile and associated ecosystems. In this study, several high spatiotemporal resolution remote sensing products were used on the basis of artificial intelligence in Google Earth Engine. The results show that the two first filling phases had no effect on the reservoirs of the dams in Sudan and Egypt, nor on the vegetation cover. On the contrary, significant reserves of water have been stored in response to unusual floods in the White Nile, and the recent trend of increasing vegetation cover has not been affected likely due to groundwater contributions and judicious anticipation, and the provision of resources for food security. In general, the parties must take long-term collaborative measures to ensure effective management and reduce waste, especially in the upcoming filling.

State of conservation of animal genetic resources in Slovakia

To effectively conserve animal genetic resources, countries need to periodically review their conservation efforts and reflect on actual problems and challenges. This study provides a review of animal genetic resources conservation activities, as well as the related existing legislative measures, strategies and funding in Slovakia. We present the development of endangered and supported breeds, discuss the impact of subsidies and the importance of awareness raising, and provide a SWOT analysis of the current animal genetic resources conservation framework in the country. In Slovakia, conservation is primarily based on animal breeding in natural conditions (in situ) without any limitations to breed improvement, and cryoconservation of animal genetic resources is in its initial phase. Most of the funding for conservation measures is provided by the Rural Development Programme. In general, the animal genetic resources system in Slovakia is open in terms of including new breeds eligible for support and this paper shows that the provided subsidies helped to stabilize most of the supported populations. Promoting the presence, characteristics and advantages of local breeds in times of intensive import of exotic breeds into the country is crucial to motivate breeders to prefer local livestock breeds. While the future challenge for the government is to improve conservation and facilitate related activities, research should address not only diversity, pedigree studies and cryoconservation, but also focus on the characterization of animal genetic resources for food security and climate change.

P085 Understanding Oklahoma State University Students’ Awareness of Campus Food Security Resources

<h3>Background</h3> Food insecurity is a prevalent issue in college campuses across the country. The Hunger on Campus study found that 48% of college students face food insecurity. Studies conducted in 2018 and 2020 found approximately 42% of Oklahoma State University-Stillwater students were food insecure. Sophomores, juniors, seniors, and minority students were at the highest risk, yet were not using campus or community food security resources. <h3>Objective</h3> Identify factors contributing to limited use of campus food security resources. <h3>Study Design, Setting, Participants</h3> The qualitative study was conducted in October 2021 on the OSU Stillwater campus. Sophomores, juniors, and senior-level students were recruited using a randomized email list and through ethnically diverse campus organizations. The interview questions were developed based on findings of the previous studies by researchers and campus life administration familiar with the study. Six interviews were conducted either in-person or virtually. Participants were incentivized with a $10 University Dining gift card. <h3>Measurable Outcome/Analysis</h3> Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Two researchers independently analyzed the data for each interview and identified themes across interviews, then met to discuss and resolve differences. The data and themes were reviewed by a third researcher to minimize bias. For each overarching theme summary statements were written and quotes were extracted. <h3>Results</h3> Saturation of information was received after conducting 6 interviews. The majority (71%) of respondents represented minority racial/ethnic groups. The primary factor limiting student usage of resources was a lack of awareness and perceived stigma for needing food assistance. The recommended strategy for increasing awareness was to distribute information on campus via social media followed by A-Frames. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Campus food security resources are underutilized due to students' lack of awareness and perceived stigma. The findings can be used by student governments and campus life leaders in promoting food resources. The long-term implication is increased awareness of food security resources at OSU-Stillwater. <h3>Funding</h3> None

Assessing the Influence of Food Insecurity and Retail Environments as a Proxy for Structural Racism on the COVID-19 Pandemic in an Urban Setting.

A collaborative partnership launched the Great Grocer Project (GGP) in March 2021 in Detroit, Michigan where health inequities, including deaths due to COVID-19, have historically been politically determined and informed by socially entrenched norms. Institutional and structural racism has contributed to a lack of diversity in store ownership among Detroit grocers and limited access to high-quality, affordable healthy foods as well as disparate food insecurity among Detroit residents. The GGP seeks to promote Detroit’s healthy grocers to improve community health and economic vitality through research, programs, and policies that have the potential to advance health equity. A cross-sectional design was used to explore relationships between scores from the Nutrition Environment Measures Surveys-Stores (NEMS-S) in 62 stores and city-level data of COVID-19 cases and deaths as well as calls to 211 for food assistance. Regression and predictive analyses were conducted at the ZIP code level throughout the city to determine a relationship between the community food environment and food insecurity on COVID-19 cases and deaths. COVID-19 cases and deaths contributed to greater food insecurity. The use of ZIP code data and the small sample size were limitations within this study. Causation could not be determined in this study; therefore, further analyses should explore the potential effects of individual grocery stores on COVID-related outcomes since a cluster of high-scoring NEMS-S stores and calls to 211 for food security resources inferred a potential protective factor. Poor nutrition has been shown to be associated with increased hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. It is important to understand if a limited food environment can also have a negative effect on COVID-19 rates and deaths. Lessons learned from Detroit could have implications for other communities in using food environment improvements to prevent an uptick in food insecurity and deaths due to COVID-19 and other coronaviruses.

The significance of disadvantaged crop species to improve food systems and security in the changing climate: Learning from Motheo District, South Africa

Emerging evidence indorse shifts in food production, reduction in yield due to climate variability and change. An increase in food production is a requirement to respond to the demands of the growing population worldwide. As many studies focus on underutilised and/or neglected crops. The questions are, underutilised by who? Or neglected by who? These are the indigenous ancient crop species utilised from generations to generations, which are used by most in rural areas mostly across all African countries. These crop species are utilised for consumption and medicinal purposes within localities, needs to be acknowledged, supported and not grouped as food for the “poor” or “weeds”. Besides, its promotion as a food of choice is the best climate change adaptation strategy. A huge variety of crops avails rather than relying on few crop species. Utilisation of selected few crops leaves the abundance of genetic resources for food security and nutrition. Focusing on the promotion of disadvantaged crops would provide a diversified agricultural system and food resources. Such crop species play an integral role for income generation and nutritional balance. The crop species have a great prospective to enhance crop diversity, food variety and nutrition. Field management systems plays a significant role on when to introduce weeding control mechanisms, when to harvest and which types of these crops to expect per season. With the use of transdisciplinary research approach, we provide a list of disadvantaged crop species and evidence to improve food and nutrition security, increase agricultural diversification, minimise environmental and its physiological response show resilience in the changing climate.

Healthy Eating Determinants and Food Security Resource Opportunities: Urban-Dwelling American Indian and Alaska Native Older Adults Perspectives

ObjectiveTo explore the perspectives of urban-dwelling American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) older adults regarding determinants of healthy eating, food insecurity, and opportunities for an urban clinic to improve resources. MethodsSemistructured interviews (n = 24) with older adults (aged ≥ 60 years) at 1 urban AI/AN serving clinic. Telephone-based interviews were audio-recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. ResultsFour overarching themes were revealed: (1) hunger-mitigating resources exist but do not necessarily lessen food insecurity; (2) multiple layers of challenges related to social determinants of health present barriers to healthy nutrition for AI/AN older adults; (3) unique facilitators rooted in AI/AN culture can help decrease food insecurity; and (4) many clinic-based opportunities for programs to improve food insecurity exist. Conclusions and ImplicationsFindings provide a foundation for urban-serving AI/AN clinics to develop healthy eating resources for their older adult patients. Greater benefit would result from resources that build on cultural strengths and address older adult-specific challenges to healthy eating.

Effect of saline land reclamation by constructing the “Raised Field -Shallow Trench” pattern on agroecosystems in Yellow River Delta

Efficient utilization of the limited water and land resources is critical for global development with a growing population. The widespread saline land remains an important reserved land resource for food security. This study investigated the performance of the raised field-shallow trench pattern on salt removal and water budget in the cotton field by a virtual experiment. The widely-used physically-based HYDRUS (2D/3D) model was used to implement different raise field elevations and slopes. Results showed that the raised land could control the soil salinity in the unsaturated root zone by intensifying the drainage. Compared with the flat land, the desalination effect of the raised land was more effective with the gentler slope and higher raised elevation. Without irrigation, the 30° and 45° slope-raised lands had slight effect on the soil salinity in the unsaturated root zone. Salt removal would be more effective with the addition of irrigation, with the desalination ratio ranging from 10.60% to 41.01% under fresh irrigation, or from 6.76% to 25.92% under saline irrigation, respectively. More importantly, the implementation of irrigation effectively improved the cotton root water uptake, and saline water irrigation for the 15° slope-raised field was proved to nearly meets the cotton water requirement. Therefore, the raised field-shallow trench pattern combined with saline water irrigation may provide local farmers with an alternative solution to saline land reclamation under fresh water scarcity.

Banana seed genetic resources for food security: Status, constraints, and future priorities.

Storing seed collections of crop wild relatives, wild plant taxa genetically related to crops, is an essential component in global food security. Seed banking protects genetic resources from degradation and extinction and provides material for use by breeders. Despite being among the most important crops in the world, banana and plantain crop wild relatives are largely under‐represented in genebanks. Nevertheless, banana crop wild relative seed collections are in fact held in different countries, but these have not previously been part of reporting or analysis. To fill this gap, we firstly collated banana seed accession data from 13 institutions in 10 countries. These included 537 accessions containing an estimated 430,000 seeds of 56 species. We reviewed their taxonomic coverage and seed storage conditions including viability estimates. We found that seed accessions have low viability (25% mean) representing problems in seed storage and processing. Secondly, we surveyed 22 institutions involved in banana genetic resource conservation regarding the key constraints and knowledge gaps that institutions face related to banana seed conservation. Major constraints were identified including finding suitable material and populations to collect seeds from, lack of knowledge regarding optimal storage conditions and germination conditions. Thirdly, we carried out a conservation prioritization and gap analysis of Musaceae taxa, using established methods, to index representativeness. Overall, our conservation assessment showed that despite this extended data set banana crop wild relatives are inadequately conserved, with 51% of taxa not represented in seed collections at all; the average conservation assessment showing high priority for conservation according to the index. Finally, we provide recommendations for future collecting, research, and management, to conserve banana and plantain crop wild relatives in seed banks for future generations.

What Is the Evidence Base Linking Gender with Access to Forests and Use of Forest Resources for Food Security in Low- and Middle-Income Countries? A Systematic Evidence Map

In nearly all parts of the world, an important part of people’s livelihood is derived from natural resources. Gender is considered one of the most important determinants of access and control over forests. It is thought that women and men within households and communities have different opportunities and different roles and responsibilities in relation to forest use. It is probable that when women have equal access to forests, better food security outcomes can be achieved for individuals and households that are dependent on forests for their livelihoods. A systematic evidence map of the evidence base linking gender with access to forests and use of forest resources for food security was undertaken. Ten bibliographic databases and 22 websites of international development and conservation organisations were searched using keywords suggested by stakeholders. Other articles were found by emailing authors and organisations to send potentially relevant publications. 19,500 articles were retrieved from bibliographic databases and 1281 from other sources. After iterative screening, 77 studies were included: 41 focussed on Africa, 22 on Asia, 12 on Latin America, 2 were global. Most indicators of food security measure access to food, measured by total consumption, expenditure, or income. Studies showed strong gender specialisation: commercial access and utilisation of forests and forest products dominated by men, whereas access for subsistence and household consumption is almost exclusively the task of women. Despite the large number of studies reviewed, limitations of the evidence base, including methodological heterogeneity, a dominance of case studies as the study design, and unequal geographical representation in study locations, make it difficult to generalise about the overall importance of gender and its effect on access to and use of forests for food security in developing countries. The critical gaps in the evidence base include geographical representation in primary research and a greater breadth of study designs to assess gender implications of access to forest resources globally.

OPT gene family analysis of potato (Solanum tuberosum) responding to heavy metal stress: Comparative omics and co-expression networks revealed the underlying core templates and specific response patterns

Oligopeptides transporter (OPT) can maintain intracellular metal homeostat, however, their evolutionary characteristics, as well as their expression patterns in heavy metal exposure, remain unclear. Compared with previous OPT family identification, we identified 94 OPT genes (including 21 in potato) in potato and 4 other plants by HMMER program based on OPT domain (PF03169) for the first time. Secondly, conserved and special OPTs were found through comprehensive analysis. Thirdly, spatio-temporal tissue specific expression patterns and co-expression frameworks of potato OPT genes under different heavy metal stress were constructed. These data can provide excellent gene resources for food security and soil remediation.

Traditional food plants of the upper Aswa River catchment of northern Uganda\u2014a cultural crossroads

BackgroundIn the parkland agroforestry system of northern Uganda, smallholder farming households rely on a diversity of plant species to fulfil their nutritional requirements, many of which also serve a range of medicinal, cultural, and livelihood functions. The purpose of the study was to assemble an inventory of indigenous plant species used as food in four districts within the Aswa River catchment of northern Uganda, and to document their utilization and management by rural communities.MethodsFrom July 1999 to August 2000, a series of 61 community-based focus group discussions on the utilization of plant biodiversity were conducted in the vernacular language at 34 sites in four districts of northern Uganda, with participation by key informants self-selected on basis of their technical knowledge and personal interest. Of these, 232 respondents subsequently contributed to a collection of herbarium specimens, which were submitted to the Makerere University Herbarium for identification. On receipt of each specimen collected, a structured interview was conducted to document the botanical, ecological, seasonal, and alimentary attributes of each identified taxon, and details of its processing and utilization by the community from which it was obtained. The data analysis was undertaken during 2019 and 2020, including statistical tests to assess the relative importance of the cited taxa using the Relative Importance Index (RI), and to determine the similarity of edible plant use between the four cultures using the Jaccard Index of similarity (JI).ResultsKey informant interviews yielded 1347 use reports (URs) for 360 identified specimens of 88 indigenous edible plant species. The data describes patterns of use of indigenous edible plants of four cultures of the Aswa River catchment of northern Uganda. RI scores ranged from 0.93 to 0.11, with fruit trees occupying the top 25 taxa (RI 0.45 and above). Jaccard similarity scores ranged from 25.8% between Lango and Acholi, to 15.8% between Acholi and Ethur, indicating that cultural factors appear to be more significant than shared ancestry as determinants of cultural similarity of plant use.ConclusionsThe data constitute an inventory of on-farm plant species, including cultivated, semi-cultivated, and wild plants, integrated into a parkland agroforestry system in which useful trees and other plant species are sustained and managed under cultivation. Agricultural and on-farm plant biodiversity may be seen as a food security resource, and a nutritional buffer against increasing risks and stressors on low-input smallholder agriculture. Further studies should assess the intra-species biodiversity of these resources, with respect to farmer-valued traits and vernacular (folk) classification systems.

Место организационно-правовых форм АПК в формировании ресурсов для обеспечения национальной продовольственной безопасности

The place of various organizational and legal forms of the agricultural sector of the economy in the formation of national food security resources, as well as in the formation of food resources of the regions of Russia is considered, the urgency of the problem is revealed, statistical indicators for the provision of food to the population are given. The main sources of food supply to the country’s food fund are characterized. The main problems of the national food security of Russia are revealed, measures to strengthen the country’s food security are proposed. The assessment of the replacement of imported food with domestic products is given, food production is considered in the context of the country’s regions. The level of food production that provides the population with the necessary domestic food products is revealed. The dynamics of production and consumption of agricultural products by the population of Russia in comparison with medical standards is given. The article considers the development of the food processing industry in Russia.

Why our ancestors never invented telescopes

The Afrikaner civil rights organisation AfriForum argued, following a parliamentary adoption of land expropriation without compensation, that there is no history of Native South Africans having occupied every inch of the country that they now claim they want to repossess. The organisation’s representatives argued that by their very subsistence agrarian existence, black people could not have lived in the platteland because their farming methods demanded access to rivers to water their crops. In the 1950s – 1970s, thousands of communities were uprooted in and around Pilgrim’s Rest (Mpumalanga) and relocated to derelict parts of the homeland of Lebowa. Since the opening of the land restitution process, they have struggled to reclaim that arable land of which they were dispossessed for the benefit of Barloworld and Transvaal Gold Mining Exploration. A settlement has been reached with the claimants, and the land has been entrusted to Community Property Associations (CPA). However, there are contested memories about what constituted a forced removal and who qualifies to claim land in the repossessed spaces. The reclaiming of the vast tracts of land, some of which lie far from rivers, is answering some of the questions that form part of the current national discourse. Contribution: This article continues the controversial debate of land claims, and the impact they have on communities. Unlike other studies that explore economic impacts, this article puts a spotlight on how dispossession not only uproots communities but destroys their livelihood and indigenous resources for food security, healthcare and traditional resources for medical practice.