World Food Security Research Articles

Sustainable and modern bio-based technologies: new approachs to food safety and security

AbstractTwo major challenges in the modern world are ensuring food security and using sustainability in limited areas, in the face of climate change and population growth. It is aimed to raise awareness on the importance of working from a multidisciplinary perspective, together with developing technology and science, in solving current problems/troubles, and that the simultaneous use of modern bio-based technologies with innovative techniques will ensure an effective role in overcoming many difficulties that future generations will face, as well as sustainability can be achieved. The review provides a detailed systematic review and analysis of the mutually supportive use of modern bio-based technologies and sustainable agricultural system technologies within the framework of this subject. The review, in which universally reliable databases were used, was carried out using information obtained from practice and approach-based articles (> 4000). The fact that the main topic has the lowest publication content in terms of "sustainability and biotechnology" according to the analysis carried out within the determined keywords indicates the need for additional research and applications and to contribute to the literature. Similar to review aim, it has also been concluded that the development of a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspective that provides a comprehensive and broader focus on eliminating the deficiencies in the fields will play a major role in solving problems related to the sustainability of food safety and security. Thus, contributing to the protection of world food security should be considered as another important outcome that should not be forgotten. In short, being aware that the world, especially its resources, are not infinite and for the continuity of healthy generations, the sustainability of the world, food and agriculture, food safety and security must be meticulously protected, developed with innovative technologies and also carried a step forward by developing more effective strategies in this field of work, which is of great importance for life.

Phytohormone and energy metabolism of rice germination and coleoptile growth during submergence by RNA-seq and LC-MS/MS analysis

Rice is one of the main food crops to guarantee the world's food security. Although rice is a semi-aquatic crop, long-term flooding stress can also inhibit growth and reduce yield and quality. Especially during the germination period, the germination rate of rice was inhibited by flooding stress, which resulted in the low emergence rate. Therefore, in this study, rice lines or cultivars with flood tolerance (C11) and flood sensitivity (KY60) were screened, and analyzed the response mechanisms during seed germination at different time points of waterlogging stress through transcriptome and metabolome sequencing. Compared with C11, waterlogging stress significantly inhibited the germination and coleoptile growth of KY60. Certain pathways, including plant hormones, energy metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism, were identified as significantly involved in the flooding stress response in rice. The plant hormone-related DEGs (IAA, SAUR, ARF, LOX) and metabolites (IAA, JA, GA, and SA) were identified to up-regulate gene expression levels and significantly up-accumulate phytohormone content in C11 to resist waterlogging stress. However, the ABA signaling pathway-related genes (ZHD, PLY) and ABA content were decreased in C11 under submerged conditions. It is beneficial for C11 to promote seed germination and coleoptile elongation under flooding conditions. A total of 150 DEGs (AMY, PGLR) and 58 related compounds were identified as involved in the energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism of rice after flooding stress. Candidate key genes and metabolite compounds were identified by combined RNA-Seq and LC-MS/MS correlation network analysis. This study provided insights to explore the flood-tolerance mechanism of rice and laid the foundation for the cultivation of new varieties of flood-tolerance rice.

The Molecular Mechanism of the Response of Rice to Arsenic Stress and Effective Strategies to Reduce the Accumulation of Arsenic in Grain.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the staple food for more than 50% of the world's population. Owing to its growth characteristics, rice has more than 10-fold the ability to enrich the carcinogen arsenic (As) than other crops, which seriously affects world food security. The consumption of rice is one of the primary ways for humans to intake As, and it endangers human health. Effective measures to control As pollution need to be studied and promoted. Currently, there have been many studies on reducing the accumulation of As in rice. They are generally divided into agronomic practices and biotechnological approaches, but simultaneously, the problem of using the same measures to obtain the opposite results may be due to the different species of As or soil environments. There is a lack of systematic discussion on measures to reduce As in rice based on its mechanism of action. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanism of the accumulation of As in rice could result in accurate measures to reduce the content of As based on local conditions. Different species of As have different toxicity and metabolic pathways. This review comprehensively summarizes and reviews the molecular mechanisms of toxicity, absorption, transport and redistribution of different species of As in rice in recent years, and the agronomic measures to effectively reduce the accumulation of As in rice and the genetic resources that can be used to breed for rice that only accumulates low levels of As. The goal of this review is to provide theoretical support for the prevention and control of As pollution in rice, facilitate the creation of new types of germplasm aiming to develop without arsenic accumulation or within an acceptable limit to prevent the health consequences associated with heavy metal As as described here.

ДЖЕРЕЛА ФОРМУВАННЯ ФІНАНСОВИХ РЕСУРСІВ СІЛЬСЬКОГОСПОДАРСЬКИХ ПІДПРИЄМСТВ УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ ВОЄННОГО СТАНУ

The purpose of the article is to analyze the structure of the sources of the formation of financial resources of agricultural enterprises of Ukraine and to assess the influence of the state of war on their dynamics. In the course of the research, there were used methods: analytical method and method of comparisons – to assess the dynamics and structure of sources of financing of agricultural enterprises; the method of building analytical tables – for summarizing the results of the analysis; expert method – for determining the problems of financial support of agricultural enterprises of Ukraine and substantiating proposals for their solution. The conducted research emphasizes the importance of the activities of agricultural enterprises to ensure food security of Ukraine and the world. In view of this, the access of agricultural enterprises to sources of financing based on fair competition is a significant factor and incentive for their further activity. It was found that the main source of financing for agricultural enterprises of Ukraine currently remains own funds, however, the level of self-financing in 2022 compared to 2021 significantly decreased, in particular due to military actions, occupation of territories, reduction of exports, and disruption of logistics. The war and its negative consequences made it necessary to increase the volume of external sources of financing, in particular credit resources, including Вісник Чернівецького торговельно-економічного інституту. 2024. Вип. І (93) 194 through the creation of favorable lending conditions based on the state program "Affordable loans of 5-7-9%" during the period of martial law and within a month after its end. Opportunities for agricultural enterprises of Ukraine to attract sources of financing are expanding through the receipt of state subsidies, targeted, subsidized credit programs, loans and technical assistance from the EU and other international donors. The activities of agricultural enterprises in the conditions of martial law and the need for post-war reconstruction of the agricultural sector indicate the perspective of further scientific research into the study of various sources of financing agricultural enterprises as a factor in development of the national economy, increasing the export potential of the agricultural sector of Ukraine, ensuring world food security.

War in Ukraine: Impact on global agri-food trade

The conditions and trends of the global agri-food market are elastic to crises and conflicts involving major market players, which threatens food security by blocking sustainable international trade opportunities due to the destruction of production capacity and value chains, as well as supply channels to consumer countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the specific features and consequences of the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict on world agricultural trade and food security at the national and global levels. The scientific conclusions are the result of the application of economic and statistical (time series, index, and factor analysis) and dialectical (induction and deduction, analysis, and synthesis) methods of scientific cognition. It was found that the universal features of wars include the ability to influence the global economy, create new geopolitical and economic uncertainty, rapidly increase prices for critical resources (energy), and ensure destabilisation of global value chains. As a result, the disruption of sustainable trade flows caused by military conflicts is an important source of changes in the global economy and the situation of individual countries and regions. It was proved that military operations on the territory of Ukraine led to restrictions in agriculture and forced adaptation of agribusiness to the factors of critical vulnerability. There are trends towards a reduction in production and the breakdown of conventional supply chains for agri-food products due to the destruction of the logistics infrastructure, which, together with a reduction in exports of agricultural products and fertilisers from Russia, has led to a rise in world food prices. As a result, the “price” of the Russian-Ukrainian war for the global economy is being formed, with growing hunger and poverty, as well as the environmental footprint of military operations. The practical significance of the findings of this study lies in the possibility of their application in strategic planning and substantiation of the areas of post-war reconstruction of the national economy in general and its agricultural sector specifically, as well as the restoration and strengthening of Ukraine’s role in global food chains and combating hunger

Preface

The International Conference on Agriculture, Environment and Food Security (AEFS) is a prominent global conference organised by the Faculty of Agriculture at Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia. It provides a platform for sharing innovative and practical insights in agriculture, environment, and food security. Furthermore, it facilitates global communication among scientists, researchers, academics, resource managers, practitioners, students, policymakers, and everyone interested in agriculture, environmental sciences, and food security.The AEFS Conference has been conducted every year since 2017. The AEFS Conference has focused on the following themes over the past four years: Agriculture, Plantation, and Livestock for World Food Security (AEFS 2017); Prospects and Challenges of Sustainable Agriculture to Improve Food Security and Environment (AEFS 2018); Challenges on Food Security and Sovereignty in the Industrial Era 4.0 (AEFS 2019); Innovation and Technologies on Agricultural and Environmental Sustainability Systems (AEFS 2020); Precision Agriculture Technologies and Farming Systems Towards Food Security and Sustainability (AEFS 2021); Strengthening Sustainable Agriculture for A Better Future (AEFS 2022). In addition, the 7th AEFS 2023 had a theme centred around “Green Economy for Enhancing Food Security, Environmental and Agricultural Sustainability.” The event featured seven specific tracks, namely Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Food Science and Technology, Animal Science, Marine and Fisheries Science, Environmental Science, and Plant Science (including Agronomy and Plantation, Plant Breeding, Biotechnology, Integrated Pest Management, and Soil Science).List of Steering Committee and Organizing Committee are available in this Pdf.

Food Security Trends in 2024 and Beyond

In 2024 food security is likely to remain one of the critical challenges for the world to face. The World Bank has therefore included food and nutrition security among the eight global challenges to address at scale, and has mobilized $45 billion in resources to tackle issues and protect livelihoods worldwide, surpassing its initial projected commitment of $30 billion announced in May 2022. Anticipating and understanding the evolution of food security and its reactions to future trends is essential for effective policymaking and developing responsive plans. The World Bank's World Food Security Outlook (WFSO), updated three times a year and last in October 2023, serves as one of the comprehensive resources developed to support this endeavor. This blog aims to distill the key insights from the WFSO's latest findings and their implications for food security in 2024 and beyond. Keywords: Food, Security, Trends, 2024

THE ROLE OF UKRAINE IN THE FORMATION OF WORLD FOOD SECURITY

The authors considered the role of Ukraine in the formation of world food security. It was established that the export of agricultural products is a priority component of the national economy. It is studied how the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on the territory of sovereign independent Ukraine affects the export of Ukrainian food. The state of Ukrainian food exports based on the results of the 2021/2022 marketing year and 2022/2023 marketing year was considered. The specifics of Ukrainian export of food and agricultural goods are analyzed. The export potential of Ukraine has been proven in the conditions of protracted military aggression and large-scale Russian missile attacks on the entire territory of Ukraine, which have continued continuously for more than one year. The authors considered current operational economic indicators and analyzed the dynamics of their decline compared to pre-war data. The reasons for the decrease in grain supplies have been established. Forecasts of various experts regarding exports for the near future were studied. The authors presented relevant data and graphical models for a more accessible understanding of the problem. The general impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on world food security is substantiated. In the work, the authors emphasized the importance of Ukrainian food supplies at the international level.

Common signatures of selection reveal target loci for breeding across soybean populations.

Understanding the underlying genetic bases of yield-related selection and distinguishing these changes from genetic drift are critical for both improved understanding and future success of plant breeding. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a key species for world food security, yet knowledge of the mechanism of selective breeding in soybean, such as the century-long program of artificial selection in U.S. soybean germplasm, is currently limited to certain genes and loci. Here, we identify genome-wide signatures of selection in separate populations of soybean subjected to artificial selection for increased yield by multiple breeding programs in the United States. We compared the alternative soybean breeding population (AGP) created by USDA-ARS to the conventional public soybean lines (CGP) developed at three different stages of breeding (ancestral, intermediate, and elite) to identify shared signatures of selection and differentiate these from drift. The results showed a strong selection for specific haplotypes identified by single site frequency and haplotype homozygosity methods. A set of common selection signatures was identified in both AGP and CGP that supports the hypothesis that separate breeding programs within similar environments coalesce on the fixation of the same key haplotypes. Signatures unique to each breeding program were observed. These results raise the possibility that selection analysis can allow the identification of favorable alleles to enhance directed breeding approaches.

Short‐term market impact of Black Sea Grain Initiative on four grain markets

AbstractThis paper examines the short‐term market reaction of four agricultural commodities to the Russian–Ukraine war and various stages of the Black Sea Grain Initiative Agreement. Using an event study, the results show a positive abnormal return for the agricultural grain markets with the outbreak of the war and the nonrenewal of the Black Sea Grain Agreement. These two events by causing supply‐side constraints, led to an increase in the price of grains. The results also show negative and statistically significant abnormal returns around the signing of the Black Sea Grain Agreement, its implementation through the departure of the first ship loaded with Ukrainian grain after the beginning of the war and the successive extensions of the agreement. These disruptions not only affect Ukraine and Russia but also have critical implications for world food security. Policy implications of our findings are provided.

ЭВОЛЮЦИЯ ПОДХОДОВ К ПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ НА ГЛОБАЛЬНОМ УРОВНЕ

The article discusses the main approaches and stages of understanding food security at the global level, from Malthusian, in which the main task in this area is to provide the required amount of food products per capita, and the rate of growth of food production should not be lower than the rate of increase in the population growth rate, to the Rome Declaration on World Food Security as a situation in which all people at every point in time have physical and economic access to sufficient, quantitatively safe food needed to lead an active and healthy life. It was concluded that further study by the scientific and expert community of these problems, determining the directions of resolution and vectors of development of the key type of safety will allow overcoming the identified modern negative trends.

АКТУАЛЬНІ ПАТЕРНИ СВІТОВОЇ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ АРХІТЕКТУРИ

The article analyses the main features of the modern global financial landscape. The "new economic models" are considered, the idealistic urges of states to build competitive forms of IT image are described. Domestic authors comprehensively considered the qualitative characteristics of the global economy in terms of its innovativeness. The World Ranking of Digital Competitiveness from 2023 is illustrated. Critical prerequisites for the formation of current properties of the world economic system are highlighted. The categories of economic diplomacy, regionalization, migration movement, as well as the knot of food/energy security issues were studied – in particular, in the context of the growth of global debt. The driving forces of the "digital" trajectory of the development of the world economy are interpreted. The pattern of economic diplomacy is described by three phenomena – sanctions pressure, multilateral coordination, as well as the reactionary policy of protectionism as a response of states to the actual geoeconomic realities. The main factors of the global economic potential are singled out, in particular the following: forced migration of human capital, distortion of global supply chains, incapacity of the world food security system, disorganization of international liquidity. Three key components of global economic development are illustrated with an emphasis on the dynamics of the recovery of the international financial climate. The problem of the sensitivity of developing countries to the turbulence of the world economic architecture is singled out, the inflation index manifests as one of the key quantitative rates of reduction of inflationary pressure in both developed and developing countries. Constitutive quantitative indicators of the trajectory of economic decline are analysed with the determination of innovative forecasts regarding the centre of financial recovery.

ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ПРОДОВОЛЬЧОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ НАДЗВИЧАЙНИХ ВИКЛИКІВ

The article is exsimined to the definition of conceptual issues in the direction of the war impact diagnosing on the state of national food security and the international trade development, as well as the identification of prospects for ensuring the national food security of Ukraine in the conditions of active military operations. A significant number of works by well-known scientists in the field of state regulation of ensuring the appropriate level of food security have been developed and researched, in particular: state food programs and tools for ensuring the agrarian sector functioning and development, laws, regulatory acts and other documents. It was determined that as a result of armed aggression in the agro-industrial complex, part of the production potential was lost both in the field of direct production of agricultural products and in the field of its processing, stable product promotion chains were partially or completely destroyed. In the article have been identified the key and significant consequences of armed aggression, which directly and indirectly affect the provision of food security in the country in today's conditions. It is declared that armed aggression has become a global challenge for food security not only for our country, but also for the whole world and may cause political instability in other countries in the future. The main indicators of the Global Food Security Index were evaluated at the national level, namely: economic availability, physical availability, sustainability and adaptability, food quality and safety factor. The key problematic aspects of the functioning of the agro-industrial complex, which arose as a result of armed aggression on the territory of Ukraine, were identified. It was diagnosed that in the field of international legal regulation of world food security issues, no measures have been developed at all, which would contribute to the prevention of threats in this field of interstate trade relations. The world practices of independent search for solving problems’ mechanisms that arose in connection with the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine were studied in the direction of taking into account the main principles and methods of international law regarding the development of effective measures to stop the Russian Federation from its illegal behavior. Argued proposals are given regarding the urgency of solving the tasks of reforming the system of state reserves, intended to meet the needs of Ukraine in a special period, strategic needs and providing humanitarian aid in the direction of an effectively functioning system formation of state reserves in the conditions of ensuring the country's food security in the long run.

Analysis of Rice Blast Resistance Dominant Genes and their Combinations in Japonica Rice

AbstractRice blast is a disastrous fungal disease affecting rice (Oryza sativa L.) and undermines world food security. Different ecological conditions and genetic backgrounds altered the effectiveness of rice blast resistance genes. Anhui (China) is a high‐incidence area and has long been affected by rice blast. Despite chemical or other control methods of rice blast, analyzing the effects of specific rice blast resistance genes within the Anhui region, identifying favorable genes (combinations), and incorporating them into the process of new variety selection and breeding programs are effective ways to improve rice blast resistance. This research study examined the distribution of 16 rice blast resistance genes (i.e., Pi‐ta, Pi5, Pi1, Pia, etc.) in a recombinant self‐cross population of japonica rice and analyzed their correlation to panicle neck blast resistance. Five genes, Pit, Pi‐ta, Pik, Pb1, and Pi54, were identified and evaluated as dominant genes to improve panicle neck blast resistance. Further comparisons of the neck blast resistance levels between various gene combinations revealed that Pi54, when combined with Pb1/Pi‐ta (Pi54 + Pb1, Pi54 + Pi‐ta), could further increase resistance to panicle neck blast; and the highest resistance level was found with the three‐gene combination of Pi54 + Pi‐ta + Pb1. Meanwhile, the neck blast resistance capacity of Pi54 and Pb1 was significantly improved after polymerization with Pit and Pik (Pik + Pi54, Pit + Pi54, Pit + Pb1). Therefore, gene polymerization is widely regarded as a successful strategy to breed varieties with long‐lasting and broad‐spectrum resistance. It is anticipated that rice blast tolerance capacity will be considerably improved by gene polymerization of dominant genes.

Economic justification for mushroom cultivation

The article presents the economic justification for cultivating two mushroom varieties: OUSTER type Oyster Mushroom and Flammulina velutipes Velvet Shank Mushroom over a period of three years. The process equipment list and the cost of the equipment are provided. The project implementation would require greenhouses with the area of about 300 square metres, one-off capital investments of about 7 million roubles. Detailed estimation of annual current costs is presented and the cost of production is evaluated. The expected production profitability during the first year of the project implementation is 16.5%, in the second year it is 23.2%, and it is more than 27% in the third year. The project would propose a feasible solution for both medium and small agrarian businesses.The issue of obtaining readily available (or so called fast) protein for complete human nutrition is of global concern. Producing animal protein requires a long time for rearing; poultry protein production takes a little less, a few months; to obtain protein from mushrooms one month is enough. Mushroom cultivation could be a solution to the global challenge of ensuring world food security, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal to end hunger. On the other hand, changing market needs for food, sanction embargo and the tasks of the government import substitution programme in Russia stresses the need for developing domestic production.

ВНЕДРЕНИЕ ЦИФРОВЫХ ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ В ПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННЫЙ СЕКТОР: ОПЫТ СТРАН ЛАТИНСКОЙ АМЕРИКИ И КАРИБСКОГО БАССЕЙНА

The article analyzes the experience of the introduction of digital technologies by Latin American and Caribbean countries in the food sector. The article substantiates the important role of the countries of the Latin American region in world food trade, as well as in ensuring world food security. The study notes that some of the Latin American countries, such as Argentina and Brazil, are already implementing the digital transformation of agriculture, while most of the Caribbean countries have yet to do so. The article presents the main initiatives, both of a regional and national nature, that are being implemented in Latin America and the Caribbean and aimed at digital transformation of the food sector. It is noted that the initiatives are being incorporated with the assistance of large international companies, financial funds, other countries, as well as international organizations. The study examines the key trends in the digitalization of the Latin American region. Special attention is paid to the increasing role of high-tech agri-food companies. It is concluded that agritech startups contribute to the digital transformation of agriculture in the region, as well as modify the structure and methods of interaction at each stage of food production.

Unveiling a half-century mystery of molecular bases for three-line hybrid rice breeding system.

Hybrid rice derived from Wild Abortive (WA) cytoplasmic male sterility type three-line systems is widely used in production. The fertility restoration gene Rf4 can reduce WA352c transcript levels in a dose-dependent manner. A two-copy haplotype of Rf4 (H1) is identified as the most valuable haplotype for future hybrid rice breeding.

Keynote address: Innovation: Key to future agri-food production

​World food security must be attained, despite emerging issues and major challenges mentioned in this paper. But this will depend on major investment in technology and innovations. Highly productive agriculture is needed; particularly indispensible are productivity increases per hectare and per animal. Above all, worldwide partnering is essential if we are to address the challenges of today.

The Impact of Weather Change on Honey Bee Populations and Disease

This review provides an overview of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) which is one of the most important pollinators for agriculture and ecosystems, considered a critical yet fragile contributor to world biodiversity and food security among the countless species facing unprecedented challenges due to uneven climate drivers. Scientists are concerned about the impact of climate change on honey bee habitats. This review study looks at the complicated relationship between climate change and honey bees’ health leading to their genetic and behavioural changes. Further, it also mentions how changes in temperature and weather patterns affect foraging, reproduction and colony survival. This study will focus on the different processes that highlight their susceptibility and emphasise the critical need for comprehensive approaches to mitigate the potential consequences through policy implementation. 

Food security and gender equality: an international legal aspect

The article focuses on the issue of gender equality in the field of food security. It is noted that gender inequality is the main cause and consequence of hunger and poverty. It is emphasised that the realisation of the right to food requires overcoming historically and structurally based inequalities that undermine the accessibility, adequacy, sufficiency and sustainability of food systems. The role of the World Food Programme (hereinafter – WFP) is highlighted, under the auspices of which a number of gender policies have been adopted, evolving from a women-centred approach to a focus on gender equality. In particular, the 1996-2001 and 2003-2007 policies define the role and contribution of women in relation to food security and WFP's food assistance mission. WFP Gender Policy 2009 established a framework for further mainstreaming gender into WFP policies, operations and programmes at all levels; it broadened the focus from a commitment to women to gender issues, including the concerns, challenges and responsibilities of women and men. The goal of the WFP Gender Policy 2015-2020 was to enable WFP to integrate gender equality and women's empowerment into all its work and activities to ensure that the different food security and nutrition needs of women, men, girls and boys are met The WFP Gender Policy 2022 ensures that WFP optimises its presence, role and capacity in partnerships to advance gender equality and women's empowerment. Attention is paid to the Voluntary guidelines on gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment in the context of food security and nutrition, endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security. It is stated that the main purpose of the Guidelines is to assist Member States, development partners and other stakeholders in ensuring gender equality and the rights of women and girls, empowering them and giving them a leading role in efforts to eliminate hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition. The activities of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in this area are also described.