Stable Food Supply Research Articles

Rational Redomestication for Future Agriculture.

Modern agricultural practices rely on high-input, intensive cultivation of a few crop varieties with limited diversity, increasing the vulnerability of our agricultural systems to biotic and abiotic stresses and the effects of climate changes. This necessitates a paradigm shift toward a more sustainable agricultural model to ensure a stable and dependable food supply for the burgeoning global population. Leveraging knowledge from crop biology, genetics, and genomics, alongside state-of-the-art biotechnologies, rational redomestication has emerged as a targeted and knowledge-driven approach to crop innovation. This strategy aims to broaden the range of species available for agriculture, restore lost genetic diversity, and further improve existing domesticated crops. We summarize how diverse plants can be exploited in rational redomestication endeavors, including wild species, underutilized plants, and domesticated crops. Equipped with rational redomestication approaches, we propose different strategies to empower the fast and slow breeding systems distinguished by plant reproduction systems.

Agribusiness in the UAE: Challenges and Technological Advancements, A Review

This review comprehensively analyses the agribusiness landscape in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), highlighting the challenges and strategic responses that shape the sector. The UAE’s agribusiness is pivotal for economic diversification and reducing oil dependency. However, it faces significant obstacles due to the harsh desert climate, limited arable land, and freshwater scarcity. Soil salinity and water constraints necessitate innovative agricultural practices. Technological innovations such as vertical farming and hydroponics, alongside government initiatives like the ‘National Food Security Strategy 2051’, are crucial for sustainable agriculture. The paper examined the UAE’s reliance on food imports and the associated risks, including supply chain disruptions and market volatility. It outlines resilience strategies such as crop diversification, supply chain improvements, and continuous innovation. Through case studies of pioneering enterprises like Pure Harvest Smart Farms and Al Dahra, the paper showcases successful applications of climate-resilient crops and advanced farming techniques. These firms demonstrate the potential for successful agribusiness despite environmental challenges. The paper concludes that addressing these challenges is vital for the UAE’s food security, ensuring a stable food supply, and supporting a diversified, sustainable economy. Investment in AgriTech, research, innovation, and strategic policy implementation are key to the future of agriculture in the UAE.

EFFECTS OF LIGHT AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES AND POWER ON WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) AND BARLEY (Hordeum vulgare L.) GROWTH

Global population growth increases the need for efficient methods of maintaining a stable food supply. Light is one of the most important influences on plant growth and development. Artificial lighting elements used in agricultural applications have different effects on plants. This study analyzed the effects of metal halide (MH) lamps with a wavelength of 450 nm, at distances of 1, 1.5, and 2.5 m, on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth. Growing occurred in light magnification rooms without daylight, using 250, 400, and 600 W MH lamps as the only light source. Plants exposed to light for 13–14 h a day were harvested after 18 days. After harvest, the amount of electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll, carotenoid, and B, Cu, Mn, Zn, K, and Ca intake were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The data were analyzed with the SPSS 22 Statistical Package program. Wheat and barley grown at different light distances and intensities showed statistically significant changes in mineral element uptake and plant chlorophyll levels. This research contributes to the optimization of agricultural productivity and the understanding of the interaction between light quality and other environmental parameters.

Research on the Characteristics of Global Food Market Operations and Trade Trends

The security and stability of the global food market are closely linked to the long-term healthy development of the global economy. This paper mainly examines the basic operational characteristics of the food market and the main development trends in food trade. The main research findings are as follows: (1) In terms of the global food supply structure, current supply fluctuations are increasing, demand is steadily growing, and food prices initially rise before declining; (2) The total volume of global food trade is continuously increasing, the concentration of exports may continue to rise, and the significance of major international grain merchants in global food trade is becoming increasingly prominent; (3) Geopolitical conflicts disrupt the stability of food supply, trade protectionism impacts the stability of food market trade, and fluctuations in global monetary policy affect the price stability of the food market. To address the various challenges and difficulties facing global food security, it is recommended that governments enhance macro-control of the food market, improve financial support for food trade, cultivate internationally competitive large-scale grain merchants, and strengthen international coordination of national food regulatory policies.

Deep-Transfer-Learning Strategies for Crop Yield Prediction Using Climate Records and Satellite Image Time-Series Data

The timely and reliable prediction of crop yields on a larger scale is crucial for ensuring a stable food supply and food security. In the last few years, many studies have demonstrated that deep learning can offer reliable solutions for crop yield prediction. However, a key challenge in applying deep-learning models to crop yield prediction is their reliance on extensive training data, which are often lacking in many parts of the world. To address this challenge, this study introduces TrAdaBoost.R2, along with fine-tuning and domain-adversarial neural network deep-transfer-learning strategies, for predicting the winter wheat yield across diverse climatic zones in the USA. All methods used the bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM) architecture to leverage its sequential feature extraction capabilities. The proposed transfer-learning approaches outperformed the baseline deep-learning model, with mean absolute error reductions ranging from 9% to 28%, demonstrating the effectiveness of these methods. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the semi-supervised transfer-learning approach using the two-stage version of TrAdaBoost.R2 and fine-tuning achieved a superior performance compared to the domain-adversarial neural network and standard TrAdaBoost.R2. Additionally, the study offers insights for improving the accuracy and generalizability of crop yield prediction models in diverse agricultural landscapes across different regions.

A case study on lentil to demonstrate the value of using historic data stored in genebanks to guide the selection of resources for research and development projects

Plant genetic resources are essential for sustainable agriculture and a secure and stable global food supply. One of the most important pulses and an integral part of a healthy diet is lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). The National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine (NCPGRU), based in Kharkiv, manages a lentil collection of 1,140 accessions. In 2019, the first exchange of 37 lentil accessions between NCPGRU and a French research team took place. This exchange was accompanied by the transfer of phenotyping data for multiple traits. Considering that data collected in different environments provide important information on trait stability, the lentil accessions were phenotyped under new conditions through field research. This research allowed a comparative analysis of agroclimatic conditions for lentil cultivation in Ukraine (Kharkiv region) and France (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region). The possibility of using genebank information to guide plant material selection for research and development projects was assessed. As a result, six lentil genotypes that performed well in different environments were selected. This allowed the identification of genotypes with the highest yield potential: UD0600086, UD0600145, UD0600437, UD0600530, UD0600550 and UD0600638. Genotypes recommended for use in breeding to produce high-yielding, relatively stable lentil varieties were successfully selected in the application case of this study, confirming that the information in the trait database of the NCPGRU Genebank is an important resource for predicting the characteristics of lentil accessions. Of the eight accessions selected by GGE biplot analysis using field research, five were predicted to be more promising by previous genebank data.

Decision-Making in Grain Supply Chains for Sustainable Food System

Grain supply chains (GSCs) are crucial for global food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability. This study investigates the complexities and challenges of enhancing the resilience of GSCs. The research unravels decision-making intricacies, assesses post-harvest risks and stakeholder interactions, and identifies future research avenues. This systematic literature review (SLR), following PRISMA guidelines, and conducted with two search rounds, addressed questions of resilience and efficiency of post-harvest GSCs, key decision factors of stakeholders influencing the sustainability and operational success of GSCs, and methods that can be used to develop robust decision-making for managing risks and uncertainties in GSCs. A comprehensive database of post-2000 journal articles from the Web of Science and Scopus was analysed using bibliometric and content analysis. This research identified five key themes: (1) operational complexity requiring strategic resilience, (2) comprehensive risk management strategies, (3) critical role of transport and storage infrastructure, (4) significant impact of stakeholder decisions on GSC dynamics, and (5) diverse methodological approaches for robust analysis. These themes illustrate the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within GSCs, suggesting that integrating operations research with behavioural economics is vital for improving strategic decision-making. The results advocate for adopting advanced technologies and innovative multidisciplinary methods to improve GSC efficiency and resilience, which are essential for navigating geopolitical tensions, market fluctuations, and complex stakeholder behaviours. It identified under-researched areas such as farmer transport decisions and logistics provider selection, and integrated emerging themes (such as resilience and behavioural aspects), contributing to the body of knowledge and supporting enhanced decision-making in GSCs for a stable global food supply system.

Analyzing economic inflation's impact on food security and accessibility through econometric modeling

This study investigates the impact of economic inflation on food security and accessibility through the development of an econometric modeling approach. As inflation rates rise, the purchasing power of consumers diminishes, leading to increased food prices and potentially exacerbating food insecurity. This research aims to quantify the relationship between inflation and food security indicators, such as availability, access, utilization, and stability of food supplies. By employing time-series data and econometric techniques, the model captures the dynamic interactions between inflation rates, food prices, and socioeconomic factors affecting food security. The model incorporates key variables, including consumer price index (CPI), food inflation, income levels, and unemployment rates, to analyze their collective impact on food security across different demographics. The findings indicate that rising inflation significantly correlates with higher food prices, disproportionately affecting low-income households and vulnerable populations. This relationship highlights the necessity of understanding inflation's broader implications on food accessibility, especially in regions where food security is already a pressing issue. Future research directions are proposed, focusing on policy interventions aimed at stabilizing food prices and enhancing food security. Potential strategies include price controls, subsidies for staple foods, and targeted social safety nets for low-income households. Additionally, the study suggests further examination of supply chain factors contributing to food price volatility, such as transportation costs and global market dynamics, which can exacerbate inflation's effects on food security. This research contributes to the literature on food security by providing empirical evidence of inflation's impact on food accessibility and identifying critical areas for policy intervention. By addressing the complex interplay between inflation and food security, stakeholders, including policymakers and food industry leaders, can develop informed strategies to mitigate adverse effects and promote food security in inflationary environments.

Why do open-farmland specialist birds prefer small fields? The evaluation of mechanisms using a cross-border study

Why do open-farmland specialist birds prefer small fields? The evaluation of mechanisms using a cross-border study

Formation of Food Supply of the aAgrarian Sector of Ukraine on the Basis of Restoration of the Development of Rural Areas

This article is relevant because it examines the food supply system in the agrarian sector of Ukraine, considering the socio-economic component of rural development and the integration of sustainable agricultural systems. The research aims to explore and propose a functional model for the food supply of the agrarian sector in Ukraine. The research involved analysing the differentiation in food costs among different social groups of the population. The findings of the study present a hierarchical five-dimensional framework for the formation of the agrarian sector’s food supply. The article provides insights into the assessment of food supply stability, food costs, food independence, economic accessibility, rural household trends, and strategies for rural development in Ukraine. It can be useful for policymakers, agricultural economists, researchers, and organizations involved in rural development, agricultural planning, and food security.

Bibliometric analysis of scientific researches on issues of food security of the state

The article presents a bibliometric analysis of scientific studies devoted to the problems of food security of the state. In the work, we assessed the trends, dynamics and main directions of research development in this field. We analyzed scientific publications, identified key scientific journals, authors, countries and organizations that conduct active research in this field. It was found that scientists from the USA, China and Great Britain made the greatest contribution to the study of this problem, followed by India, Australia, Canada and Germany. The obtained results indicate an increase in the number of publications on this topic. The results of the study showed that interest in the problem of food security is growing significantly, especially in the context of climate challenges and political instability in many regions of the world. The revealed trends indicate that special attention is paid to the issues of ensuring the stability of food supplies, increasing the efficiency of agricultural production and reducing dependence on external sources of supply. The results of this study are relevant and allow us to outline the direction for further study of this issue. During the research, various methods were used to evaluate and visualize scientific activity: analysis of citations to identify influential works and authors, methods of analysis and synthesis, logical method.

Efficient Coordination Among Chinese Provinces in Managing Supply and Demand for Staple Crops

ABSTRACTEnsuring a stable supply and demand of food represents a pivotal challenge for sustainable development. This study seeks to delineate the spatiotemporal distribution and circulation patterns of supply and demand for staple crops, identify the major producing and consuming zones in China, and investigate the drivers underpinning efficient coordination of food supply and demand. Results indicate that between 2000 and 2020, China's food supply and demand expanded by 73.8% and 36.62%, respectively, achieving a supply surplus. However, the most significant threats to supply–demand coordination are the extensive use of feed and industrial crops, compounded by the import vulnerabilities arising from global supply chain uncertainties. In terms of major producing and consuming zones, Northeast China plays a vital role in the national food supply, contributing 71% of domestic soybeans, 55% of its maize, and 34% of its rice. Climatic conditions and self‐sufficiency rates are key determinants of provincial supply and demand for staple crops. Provinces such as Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui, and Shandong represent balanced producing–consuming zones for these staple crops. To enhance food supply–demand coordination, tailored and adaptive measures for different provinces are imperative. This study offers theoretical insights to understand the trends of food supply and demand and further contributes to adaptive strategies to address climate change for sustainable food systems.

Parrots live in smaller groups on islands.

Species living on islands are predictably different from their mainland counterparts in morphology and behaviour, but the source of these differences is still debated. Islands, in particular, are characterized by depauperate predator communities. Relaxed predation pressure might explain why living in groups, a common anti-predator adaptation in animals, is considered less likely on islands. However, the empirical evidence for this effect is scant and alternative explanations have been overlooked. For instance, smaller groups might be more common because island species are less studied, because a more stable food supply associated with benign climate on islands favours territoriality, or because the population density is too low to allow the formation of larger groups. I examined the determinants of foraging group size in parrots, a large worldwide avian order with many island populations. Using a multivariable phylogenetic framework, I found that foraging group size was smaller on islands than on the continents controlling for ecological variables known to influence group size such as diet and body size. In addition, the island effect persisted after controlling for research effort, climate variables and population density, suggesting that impoverished predator communities are an important driver of group size on islands.

FOOD RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE DURING MARTIAL LAW

The assessment of a country's food security level is a crucial task due to the need to ensure a stable supply of food during periods of economic and social upheaval, particularly during military conflicts or other emergencies. For Ukraine, amid ongoing hostilities, issues of food security and mitigating the negative effects of disruptions in agricultural production are of particular importance. As of today, there is no universally accepted scientific approach to assessing the level of food resilience that takes into account the specifics of each region and the country as a whole, allowing for analytical comparisons and providing scientifically grounded data for the formation of effective policies in this area. The aim of this study is to justify methodological recommendations for determining the level of food resilience using Ukraine as a case study. Accordingly, the proposed methodological recommendations include a set of indicators based on the selection of those that most comprehensively characterize the country’s food security in structural and cyclical aspects. It has been determined that the level of a country's food resilience is the degree of stability, adaptation, and recovery from external and internal shocks that affect the food system's ability to provide the population with sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. The results of the assessment of Ukraine's food resilience level using the Integrated Food Resilience Index in 2022 indicate an adequate level. The country has favourable conditions for food supply, although there are some issues in certain cyclical and structural aspects. The food system is developed despite the war, but there are opportunities for improvement.

Knowledge Atlas of Cultivated Land Quality Evaluation Based on Web of Science Since the 21st Century (2000–2023)

Cultivated land is the most important natural resource for human survival and development. The quality of cultivated land is closely related to grain output, and whether it can guarantee stable food supply is directly related to national food security. Cultivated land quality evaluation is an effective tool for understanding and mastering cultivated land quality. However, few studies have applied bibliometrics to quantitatively and systematically analyze this field. We used VOSviewer 1.6.19 and CiteSpace 6.3.1 software to visually analyze and construct 2478 documents related to cultivated land quality evaluation retrieved from the Web of Science core collection database from 2000 to 2023. Results show that cultivated land quality evaluation is still a popular research field. The collaboration ability among authors is weak and the distribution of institutions and countries publishing in this field is very uneven. In addition, the relevant research has been published in a variety of journals such as agriculture, environment, ecology, and computer technology. The research content is becoming more and more interdisciplinary. Keywords such as “Soil quality”, “Swat”, “Remote sensing”, “Heavy metals” and “Ecosystem services” have become hot topics in this field. In the future, it is necessary to further deepen the connotation of cultivated land quality, develop a long time series dynamic model of cultivated land quality evaluation and monitoring, and enhance the transformation of research results into practical applications.

Artificial intelligence as a tool for predicting the quality attributes of garlic (Allium sativum L.) slices during continuous infrared-assisted hot air drying.

Effective drying methods are a highly suitable solution for ensuring stable food supply chains, reducing postharvest agricultural losses, and preventing the spoilage of perishable fruits and vegetables. Moreover, machine learning techniques are innovative and dependable, especially in addressing food spoilage and optimizing drying processes. This study utilized a continuous infrared (IR) hot air dryer to dry garlic (Allium sativum L.) slices. The experiments were conducted at different levels of IR power, air velocities (V), and temperature (T). The relationships between the input process parameters (IR, T, and V) and response parameters, including effective moisture diffusivity (Deff), drying time, and physicochemical properties of the dried slices (rehydration ratio [RR], total color change, flavor strength, and allicin content in the garlic), were modeled using an artificial neural network (ANN). Our findings showed that the maximum Deff of 6.8×10-10m2/s and minimum drying time of 225min were achieved with an IR of 3000W/m2, an air velocity of 0.7m/s, and a temperature of 60°C. The total color change and RR values increased with IR and higher air temperature but declined with higher air velocity. Furthermore, the garlic's flavor strength and allicin content levels decreased as the IR and air temperature increased. The results demonstrated a significant influence of the independent parameters on the response parameters (p<0.01). Interestingly, the ANN predictions closely matched the test data sets, providing valuable insights for understanding and controlling the factors affecting drying behaviors.

Mitigating Salt Stress with Biochar: Effects on Yield and Quality of Dwarf Tomato Irrigated with Brackish Water.

The increase in the frequency and magnitude of environmental stresses poses a significant risk to the stability of food supplies. In coastal areas of the Mediterranean, brackish water has long been considered a limitation on horticultural production. In this scenario, the use of biochar in agriculture could be considered a valuable tool to cope with the deleterious effects of salt stress. This work aimed to investigate, in a protected environment, the effects of different concentrations of biochar (0, 1, and 2% v/v) obtained from poplar (Populus L.) biomass on the yield and quality of dwarf San Marzano ecotype tomatoes irrigated with saline water at different concentrations of NaCl (0, 40 and 80 mM). The increase in salt concentration from 0 to 80 mM NaCl reduced the total yield (-63%) and the number of fruits (-25%), but improved the main quality parameters such as dry matter (+75%), total soluble solids (+56%), and polyphenol content (+43%). Compared to control conditions, biochar supplementation improved the total yield (+23%) and number of fruits (+26%) without altering the functional and organoleptic characteristics of the fruits. The promising results underscore the potential of biochar as a sustainable solution to amend soils in order to improve tomato production under unfavorable conditions such as high salinity. However, there is a need to clarify which adaptation mechanisms triggered by biochar amending improve production responses even and especially under suboptimal growing conditions.

Socioeconomic Drivers of Food Insecurity Among Rural Households: Evidence from Participating Farmers in the Integrated Rice-Fish System in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Nigeria has been facing a food crisis problem, with most of the poor population having limited access to adequate quantity and quality food. Food security reflects the stability of food supply, availability of, and access to food, and affects the amount of food consumed, which has implications for the population’s health. Thus, this study examined the socio-economic drivers of food security among smallholder rice farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Primary data was collected under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish (Integrated rice-fish farming system) funded by USAID through a three-stage sampling technique. Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) and the Endogenous Switching Regression model were applied in the data analysis. The mean per capita household food expenditure is N 2,456.42, and the food security line is N 1,026.43. The food security measure shows that 46.67 percent of the households experience the incidence of food insecurity, 24.6 percent point is the food insecurity depth, and 17.2 percent point is the severity of food insecurity. The ESR model shows that the drivers of food security are access to credit, marital status, farming experience, primary occupation, education, and farm size. The study proposed implementing more developmental programmes that focus on poverty alleviation, which should be gender inclusive with an option of credit support to the rice farmers.

Same goal, different measures: Obscure transformation in Japan's food security policy (1970–2020)

AbstractFor decades, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture has implemented various measures to ensure a stable food supply, considering food security a top priority due to the increasing uncertainty of the global economy. However, the ministry's food security policy has evolved substantially with a disproportionate focus on the domestic production of specific food products. This policy change occurred without being widely recognized by the public, media, or intellectuals. Why has the Agricultural Ministry's policy changed even though its goal has remained the same? By applying both qualitative and quantitative research methods, we investigated the context behind this obscure policy transition. Our findings reveal that, contrary to conventional understanding, this policy shift occurred not so much due to political pressure from the agricultural sector, but mainly because of a change in the definition of a key policy concept (i.e., the food self‐sufficiency rate) in the late 1980s.

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The prospects of the food and agro-food sector in the structure of the economic management system are related to global and national trends in the development of agriculture, food industry and effective management of these industries. The growing demand for environmentally friendly products forces companies and farmers to implement sustainable production methods. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using water and resources efficiently, and moving to organic agriculture. Environmental standards are becoming important in ensuring the competitiveness of products on the domestic and international markets. Automation and digital technologies are rapidly penetrating the agri-food sector. Precision farming technologies, artificial intelligence, drones and satellite systems allow for increased production efficiency, improved resource management and reduced costs.In addition, digital platforms help to optimize supply chains and improve interaction between market participants. There is an increasing focus on food safety due to increased regulation by governments and international organizations. This requires agri-food businesses to invest in quality control systems and meet international standards such as HACCP. The increase in the export of food and agricultural products is an important factor in the economic development of many countries. This requires diversification of sales markets, improvement of logistics infrastructure and adaptation to the requirements of foreign markets.In addition, supporting local producers through government subsidy programs can strengthen the domestic market. The concept of a closed-cycle economy involves minimizing waste and maximizing the use of resources at each stage of production. In the food sector, this may include using waste as raw material for fertilizer or energy production. Small and medium-sized businesses in the agri-food sector can play an important role in ensuring food security and sustainable development of rural areas. Government support programs, access to finance and educational programs can help strengthen this sector. Climate change directly affects the food sector, causing unpredictable weather conditions that can reduce harvests and increase the risk of production losses. Adapting to these changes requires the introduction of new technologies, genetically modified crops, and risk management programs. At the global level, more and more attention is being paid to food security - ensuring a stable food supply. This includes the development of the agro-industrial complex to reduce dependence on imports, increase food reserves, and develop infrastructure for storage and transportation