Nutrition Security Research Articles

The role of dignity in food assistance: Participant experiences with a free meal kit program.

The role of dignity in food assistance: Participant experiences with a free meal kit program.

Produce prescription to improve health among adults with type 2 diabetes in Australia: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Produce prescription to improve health among adults with type 2 diabetes in Australia: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Are nutrient contents of small indigenous fish and small-sized farmed fish equal in terms of how they contribute to food and nutritional security?

Are nutrient contents of small indigenous fish and small-sized farmed fish equal in terms of how they contribute to food and nutritional security?

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): Paving the way towards nutraceuticals and value-added products for sustainable development and nutritional security

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): Paving the way towards nutraceuticals and value-added products for sustainable development and nutritional security

Cash or crop? On-going adoption of rice-fish fingerling production contributes towards food and nutrition security in Northwest Bangladesh

Cash or crop? On-going adoption of rice-fish fingerling production contributes towards food and nutrition security in Northwest Bangladesh

Alternative community-based gardening and water banks for micronutrients intake among women in northern Ghana.

Alternative community-based gardening and water banks for micronutrients intake among women in northern Ghana.

Algal protein: Structural functionality, advanced extraction technologies, and challenges for applications in food nutrition security.

Algal protein: Structural functionality, advanced extraction technologies, and challenges for applications in food nutrition security.

Size- and month-dependent bioaccumulation of trace elements and toxic metals in atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda, Bloch, 1793): Implications for nutritional security and environmental health.

Size- and month-dependent bioaccumulation of trace elements and toxic metals in atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda, Bloch, 1793): Implications for nutritional security and environmental health.

Micronutrient enrichment in cereals: A long-term sustainable approach for nutritional security

Micronutrient enrichment in cereals: A long-term sustainable approach for nutritional security

Dissecting the genetic architecture of polygenic nutritional traits in maize through meta-QTL analysis.

Dissecting the genetic architecture of polygenic nutritional traits in maize through meta-QTL analysis.

Resurrecting forgotten crops: Food-based products from potential underutilized crops a path to nutritional security and diversity

Resurrecting forgotten crops: Food-based products from potential underutilized crops a path to nutritional security and diversity

Crop Diversification for Nutrient, Water, and Stress Management in Indian Agriculture

Crop diversification, the practice of cultivating a variety of crops in space and time, is gaining prominence in Indian agriculture as a sustainable solution to emerging challenges such as nutrient depletion, water scarcity, and climate-induced stresses. This review synthesizes existing knowledge on how diversified cropping systems enhance nutrient cycling, improve water-use efficiency, and increase resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses. Drawing on empirical studies from across India's diverse agro-ecological regions, the review also explores regional trends, policy initiatives, and future strategies to promote diversification as a core principle of sustainable agriculture. India’s agriculture, though historically diverse, has witnessed significant structural shifts since the Green Revolution. While the intensified rice–wheat systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plains greatly enhanced food production, they have concurrently led to deteriorating soil health, excessive exploitation of water resources, and increased vulnerability to climatic variability. In this context, crop diversification shifting from input-intensive monocultures to ecologically-balanced, multiple cropping systems—has emerged as a sustainable strategy to address these interlinked challenges. By integrating pulses, oilseeds, millets, horticultural crops, and fodder species into existing cereal-based systems, crop diversification enhances nutrient cycling, improves soil organic matter, and boosts water productivity. Furthermore, diversified cropping patterns provide resilience against abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and heat, while reducing farmers’ exposure to market and climate risks. Incorporating crops with complementary nutrient and water demands also fosters more efficient use of land and inputs. As a cornerstone of ecological intensification, crop diversification contributes to higher system productivity with reduced environmental footprint. In a country where agriculture remains a primary livelihood source for more than half the population, region-specific and climate-smart diversification strategies are vital to ensuring long-term sustainability, food and nutritional security, and natural resource conservation. Thus, crop diversification is not only a means of enhancing productivity but also a multidimensional tool for managing nutrients, water, and agricultural stress in Indian farming systems.

Enhancing Crop Sustainability through Climate-Resilient Agronomic Practices

This review aims to contribute to a holistic understanding of sustainable crop production strategies in the face of climate variability, offering insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners working at the intersection of agriculture and climate resilience. Climate change poses a significant threat to global agricultural productivity, directly impacting food security, farmer livelihoods, and the sustainability of cropping systems. Increasing temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, extended droughts, and frequent extreme weather events are disrupting conventional agricultural practices, particularly in vulnerable regions. In this context, climate-resilient agronomic practices have emerged as crucial adaptive strategies to sustain and enhance crop production under changing environmental conditions. This review highlights recent advances and innovative approaches in climate-resilient agronomy, emphasizing sustainable practices that optimize resource use efficiency, conserve soil and water, and improve crop tolerance to climatic stresses. The use of crop varieties that are resistant to heat and drought, conservation agriculture methods, integrated nutrient and water management, precision farming, crop diversification, and agroforestry systems are some of the important practices that are covered. Agronomic practices treated in this review, such as the application of stress-tolerant crop varieties, conservation agriculture practices, integrated nutrient and water management, precision farming, and agroforestry, have been proven effective in various agro-ecological environments. Furthermore, the study also discussed how organic amendments, biofertilizers, and climate-wise smart soil management strategies might improve soil health and carbon sequestration. To further on-farm risk management and decision-making, the paper also examines the integration of digital agriculture tools including remote sensing, weather forecasting, and decision support systems. This review emphasizes the need for a systems-based agronomic approach that fits production goals with environmental sustainability by combining recent research findings and successful field-level interventions. The results support increasing policy support, farmer capacity-building, and technology distribution to encourage broad application of climate-resilient agronomic practices. Food and nutritional security, improved farm incomes, and resilience in agricultural systems against the negative effects of climate change depend on such efforts.

Molecular docking and simulation analysis of nimbolide with poly-galacturonase from Aspergillus niger: Managing black mold disease for Allium cepa

Black mold disease is a major post-harvest issue in Allium cepa caused by Aspergillus niger. Therefore, it is of interest to describe the molecular docking and simulation analysis of poly-galacturonase protein from Aspergillus Niger that is involved in disease progression as a promising molecular target for the identification of novel fungicides. Hence, we used I-TASSER to model the protein and docked it with the naturally occurring phytoalexins, which included nimbolide, nimbolin, Azadiradione, Quercetin and Azadirone. We show that nimbolide has the greatest affinity towards poly-galacturonase as compared to other phytoalexins binding with residues Gln205, Gln261, Tyr262 having four hydrogen bonds and -8.0 kcal/mol binding energy. Further, molecular dynamics simulation of protein and docked nimbolide-polyglacturonase complex was carried out to validate the stability of the system at the atomic level. Based on the study, the molecule shows potential for inhibiting pathogenic proteins, making it a promising candidate for further validation under laboratory and field conditions to ensure food and nutritional security.

Gluten-Free Diet in the Context of Food and Nutrition Security, Food Safety, and Sustainability.

A gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only safe treatment for people with gluten-related disorders (GRDs). However, adherence to a GFD is challenging in different interconnected aspects related to food security, safety, and sustainability. These obstacles are critically contextualized in this review. In general, a GFD may increase the risk of food and nutritional insecurity, especially in populations with lower educational levels and purchasing power. Furthermore, avoiding cross-contact with foods containing gluten is challenging, reducing the options available for consumption and increasing fear and hypervigilance among individuals. The literature also reports gluten-free foods and inputs contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and mycotoxins, and they may have shortened shelf life. More studies within the scope of sustainability and more actions by the food industry, society, researchers, government, and consumer advocacy groups are needed to improve the food safety, security, and sustainability aspects of the GFD.

Assessing the impact of Covid-19 on nurturing care in nairobi slums: Findings from 5 rounds of cross-sectional telephone surveys.

The Covid-19 pandemic and mitigation measures had widespread societal impacts. Young children are particularly vulnerable yet the ways the pandemic affected children in informal settlements (slums) are not well described. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of the pandemic on early childhood in three Nairobi informal settlements. Five rounds of cross-sectional computer assisted telephone surveys (with 578-774 respondents in each) in three settlements (Kibera; Mukuru-Viwandani; Kawangware) over 13 months, correlating with different phases Covid-19 restrictions. Impact was assessed through comparing changes in summary statistics on responses to survey questions on each domain of Nurturing Care over time. Survey results found significant disruptions in healthcare services, particularly in early rounds with missed vaccinations (reported by 1 in 5 parents of infants) and therapeutic healthcare seeking (missed by up to 21% of families). Persistent food and nutrition insecurity, with a large majority of families struggling to feed their children (72% in Round 1) due to financial constraints. Economic shocks were near-universal; 99.7% of respondents reporting earning less since the start of the pandemic. Use of paid childcare initially plummeted but showed a resurgence over time (up to 21% by Round 5) as pandemic control measures evolved. Young children were commonly left alone in all rounds, but especially earlier ones; underscoring the enduring challenges in providing nurturing care in these settings. Very few (<2%) of study participants reported direct experience of illness from Covid-19 in their family in any round. In conclusion, despite adaptations over time and the decrease in reported disruptions, prolonged economic shock was associated with multiple adverse effects on Nurturing Care. The study's longitudinal scope provides insights into the dynamic nature of ensuring young children in slums thrive during crises, highlighting the need for interventions and policies that address the compounded vulnerabilities of young children in these communities.

Potential of egusi for food and nutrition security in northern Ghana: gender perspectives and social constructs underpinning cultivation and use

BackgroundUsing indigenous underutilized crops as a sustainable measure to mitigate food and nutrition insecurity is recommended globally. Few studies have explored the factors influencing the value placed on indigenous underutilized crops such as egusi in African food systems. Egusi, oleaginous edible seeds of cucurbitaceous plants with inedible pulp, are cultivated for the seeds and commonly used in West African cuisines.ObjectiveThis study investigates the sociocultural importance of egusi and its value to nutrition and food security in growing communities of northern Ghana. It further explores the gender underpinnings and influences on egusi production and use and evaluates the strategies indigenous smallholder egusi farmers use to cope with the current climate dynamics.MethodsGender and age-differentiated Focus Group Discussions (10) and Key Informant interviews (14) were conducted in Chereponi and Kpandai Districts of northern Ghana.ResultsOur findings show that the primary factors influencing the premium placed on the crop(s) differ between males and females. There has also been a change in the social construct of egusi in recent years due to the impact of climate-induced food insecurities. For Chereponi which is relatively drier than Kpandai, egusi is now a must-farm crop if one’s household is to survive during lean seasons. It is no longer viewed as a woman’s crop. However, Kpandai, with a relatively wetter climate, has other cropping alternatives. A unanimous response from all study participants reveals latent functions of cultivating egusi, which includes children’s education and reduced financial burdens.ConclusionsThis study underscores how egusi plays critical roles in the nutrition and livelihood of Ghanaian communities and can be the starting point for tailored and extensive investigations on the value of egusi to both enhance climate resilience and sustainable nutrition. The findings further demonstrate the critical need for a comprehensive study of the foodscapes of malnourished communities to enable appropriate policy directives for sustainable nutrition interventions.

Hidden potential of cluster bean: an unexploited legume crop for food and nutritional security

Hidden potential of cluster bean: an unexploited legume crop for food and nutritional security

1H NMR-Based Analysis to Determine the Metabolomics Profile of Solanum nigrum L. (Black Nightshade) Grown in Greenhouse Versus Open-Field Conditions.

Equally with other indigenous green leafy vegetables, Solunum nigrum L. has been widely consumed by the VhaVenda tribe found in the Limpopo Province of South Africa since ancient times as a source of food diversification due to its higher-quality nutritional value, sustainability, food security, and medicinal benefits. It is mostly cultivated from seeds in seedling trays and transplanted in the open field, and at the maturity stage, marketing and distribution are mainly conducting through informal markets (i.e., street vendors). However, recently, it can be found in selected supermarkets and commercial grocery stores in South Africa. The leaves and young shoots of S. nigrum are cooked solely and/or as a supplementary vegetable with Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis (Chinese cabbage), Spinacia oleracea L. (spinach), Amaranthus graecizans L. (green amaranth), Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato), and/or cooking oil for flavor. Contrary to other green leafy vegetables, few studies have been conducted on the metabolites released by S. nigrum and the influence of growing conditions on the metabolites thereof. A 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance tool was used to identify the untargeted metabolites released by S. nigrum, and spectra were phase-corrected and binned with MestReNova and statistically analyzed with SIMCA 18.0.2. The findings showed that a total of 12 metabolites were detected between the growing conditions. Eleven similar metabolites, such as glycocholate, chlorogenate (human health benefits), caffeine for its bitter taste, choline, 3-Chlorotyrosine (antidiabetic, blood pressure), etc., and a few vital soluble sugars, were detected in S. nigrum samples grown in the open field and greenhouse-cultivated. Glucose was exclusively detected in the S. nigrum grown under greenhouse conditions.

The genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships of African yam bean using the rbcL marker

The African yam bean, AYB (Sphenostylis stenocarpa), a beneficial legume, is valuable in terms of food, nutrition, and income security. While the plant plays a crucial role in small-scale farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa, insufficient genomic data hamper the breeding potential of its germplasm. Our recent dataset based on the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcl) gene marker underscores the utility of nucleotide substitution for deciphering genetic relationships among a subset of AYB accessions. Twenty-four accessions of AYB, originating from Nigeria, Ghana, and Bangladesh, were used for this study. The rbcl gene marker reveals significant intraspecific genetic variability among AYB accessions, facilitating the delineation of distinct phylogenetic clusters that correspond to their geographic origins. The rbcl genes of the accessions were sequenced using Sanger’s technique. The obtained sequence data were analyzed using DnaSP v6.12.03, MEGA11, and descriptive statistics. Transitional base changes of C/T, T/C, A/G, and G/A varied significantly (p &lt; 0.05) from transversion substitutions. A high gene diversity of 0.60, in addition to 13 polymorphic sites and 5 haplotypes, was recorded for the accessions. Nine accessions, including TSs 13, TSs 24, TSs 303, TSs 331, TSs 334, TSs 38, TSs 49, TSs 67, and TSs 98, had variant sequences at 531 nucleotide base positions with a variant frequency of 37.50%. The estimates of evolutionary divergence between the sequences ranged from 0.00 (TSs 4 and TSs 24) to 1.38 (TSs 1, TSs 311, and TSs 331). An analysis of the phylogenetic relationship showed a significant degree of genetic diversity with &lt;50% bootstrap values, indicating the genetic distinctiveness of the accessions. Accessions TSs 333 and TSs 357 were the most genetically distinct accessions with a low bootstrap value of 45%. TSs 303 surprisingly had a very close relationship with the outgroup Vigna unguiculata (100%). The information presented herein could be leveraged to extend the limited genetic base of AYB through modern mutational breeding methods.