Traditional Food Crops and Their Role in Food and Nutritional Security in Kenya

In Kenya, traditional food crops play an important role in food and nutritional security, especially in the dry parts of Kenya. This study set out to document the most important traditional food crops in Kenya and highlight their production levels, production ecologies, as well as their nutritional value. The findings reveal that the relative importance of traditional food crops differs from one area to another and, while some are produced for subsistence use; others, like sweet potatoes, are grown for commercial purposes. Despite their potential contribution to food and nutritional security, production of traditional food crops is far below that of maize (the main staple food in Kenya). The authors recommend rigorous promotion to increase their production and consumption, since traditional food crops are grown in the arid and semi-arid parts of the country where maize does not perform as well.     

Food Security in India: The Challenge of Food Production and Distribution

Food security in India is adversely affected by several abiotic, biotic, and sociopolitical situations. The current position may worsen in the future if timely and appropriate actions are not planned and executed. The pressure of human population and land for cultivation, climate change, government policies of public distribution and marketing of food grains, and lack of a participatory approach—all are contributing to slow down the availability of foods. Also, crop productivity seems to be very much unsustainable. The situation has to be remedied by all possible means and citizens must be assured of food security. This review summarizes several strategies for crop production and food distribution and emphasizes the need for a second Green Revolution.     

Strategies for Increasing Food Production and Food Security in Nigeria

Reduction in food production, food insecurity, and youth unemployment have characterized the present day status of the Nigerian economy. These problems have been associated with an increase in population without a corresponding increase in agricultural productivity and favorable policies. This article discusses methods to promote increased food production, poverty alleviation, and food security in Nigeria. It highlights the importance of agriculture to food security and the need to empower smallholder farmers, especially women and youth. The need for holistic agricultural research, encompassing various stakeholders in the government and non-governmental sectors of the agricultural value chain, is also emphasized.     

Potential of Minor Food Crops and Wild Plants for Nutritional Security in the Developing World

Minor food crops, often known as “poor man's crops,” are currently neglected or underutilized and have become extinct or rare. These crops can, however, contribute substantially to nutritional security in poor communities as they contain essential and trace elements and thrive in harsh climatic and poor soil conditions and show tolerance to water stress, weeds, pests, and diseases. Genetic improvement for food value is therefore needed so as to minimize hunger, malnourishment, and underfeeding. This would be possible with regional and international cooperation for intensive studies, development, and extension.     

西北地区食物结构及其安全现状评估

食物是国民经济基础之基础,食物安全问题是世界各国共同面临的重大问题。及时把握和正确判断一个国家或者地区的食物安全状况,对其经济和社会可持续发展具有非常重要的现实意义。在对2000—2014年西北地区7个省(区)的食物结构及生产量、人均食物占有量和主要食物的平均人日热量拥有量进行分析的基础上,对西北地区的食物安全现状进行了评估和判断。结果表明:2000—2014年西北地区7个省(区)粮食、蔬菜、水果、肉蛋奶、棉花、油料等食物产量整体上在波动中呈增长趋势,食物种类趋向多样化和丰富化;近5年西北地区粮食和水果人均占有量均超过全国人均水平,2000—2014年人均奶类、棉花和油料占有量大于全国人均占有量,但人均蔬菜、禽蛋和肉类占有量低于全国人均水平;除青海地区外,其他6个省(区)2014年人均每日热量拥有量都达到营养学要求;2000年以来,西北地区食物安全程度不断提高,但2014年,西北地区食物安全仍处于一个较低安全水平;当前西北地区仍面临着水资源缺乏、耕地面积和质量有限、农业技术设备落后等挑战,使该地区食物安全受到威胁,针对这些问题,文章提出了调整农业结构,保护生态环境,确保食物安全可持续发展等对策。     

Diversification of Food Production and Consumption Patterns in India

ABSTRACT

Agricultural diversification in India is steadily accelerating towards high value crops and livestock activities to augment farm income. Some of the factors that influence the nature and pace of agricultural diversification from staple food to high value crops are technological change in crop production, improved rural infrastructure and diversification in food demand. The nature of agricultural diversification differs across regions due to wide heterogeneity in agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions. Generally, the pattern of agricultural diversification shows a shift from crop production to livestock production during the 1980s to 1990s. The livestock sub-sector across different regions has grown as a result of the mounting demand for livestock products, namely, milk, meat, eggs, etc. Diversification in favour of horticulture and livestock commodities is more pronounced in rainfed areas. The focus of this paper relates to diversification of food production and consumption in both rural and urban areas of India. With rising incomes, the patterns of diet normally change from a basic cereal-based diet to non-cereal items. Several recent studies have found evidence of this in India. Analyses of expenditure patterns of Indian households in urban and rural areas based on National Sample Survey data provide evidence that the income elasticity of demand for cereals is very low or zero for the population as whole, even though households at low income levels may still have a positive income elasticity of demand for cereals (Kumar, 2000). A varied diet is likely to include protein, fats and other non-cereal items such as fruits and vegetables.     

化学农药施用技术与粮食安全

化学农药在保证粮食供应方面发挥了重要作用,这是粮食安全的传统意义。但是农药大量投入导致农产品中农药残留超标,影响了粮食安全的另一个方面。化学农药对农产品的负面影响与农药的施用方法有密切的关系。发达国家在改善环境质量、提高农产品品质的同时,建立了完善的农药使用和管理法规,并通过农药施用技术改造,大大提高了农药的利用率,从而基本解决了农药环境污染和农产品农药残留超标的问题。我国在农药施用过程中,由于长期忽视施用质量的提高,加之缺乏相应的管理措施,农药对病虫草害的防治效果一直是以农药的大量投入来保证的,对农产品质量造成了很大的影响。要解决农药的使用问题,首先须通过行政管理和立法限制单位土地面积上农药的施用量,其次建立农户农药购买登记制度,保证农户实际所用农药不会超过允许使用量,最后加强农药施用者的培训,培训合格后发给操作证,持证施用农药。确保这3个环节的落实,可激发农户农药施用技术的改进,使有限投入的农药发挥最大的效用,减少农药用量,缓解农药与环境及农产品质量之间的矛盾     

基于粮食安全的乌鲁木齐市人口–粮食–耕地系统态势分析及预测

基于统计数据在分析了乌鲁木齐市近16年人口、粮食和耕地动态变化的基础上,运用耕地压力指数模型和耕地资源人口承载指数模型,揭示了乌鲁木齐市耕地压力和粮食供给状况;同时集成曲线估计模型和时间序列平滑法对2014—2020年人口–粮食–耕地系统进行了预测。结果表明:1996—2011年,乌鲁木齐市人口–粮食–耕地系统整体逐渐呈不平衡态势;16年来乌鲁木齐市人口超载、耕地压力明显,其中,2003年耕地压力最大、耕地资源承载力最小,1996年与之相反;未来7年乌鲁木齐市人口将持续增长,粮食产量波动式减少,耕地面积和人均耕地缓慢减少,耕地压力指数和耕地资源承载指数继续变大,乌鲁木齐市人、地、粮矛盾将更加尖锐。据此提出应对措施:控制人口数量并提高人口素质;完善耕地保护制度的同时重视现代生态农业发展;重视基本农田保护的基础上优化都市圈内部耕地资源。     

土壤–植物营养学家朱兆良先生的科学研究与贡献

朱兆良先生是我国著名的土壤-植物营养学家,土壤氮素转化与农田氮素管理研究方面的拓荒者和学术带头人之一。他围绕太湖地区熟制改革后出现的稻田"氮肥胃口增大"问题和在争取作物高产中盲目增加氮肥施用量问题,对稻田土壤供氮能力进行了定量解析和研究,提出了"区域总量控制与田块微调相结合"的氮肥适宜施用量的推荐方法。他致力于农田中氮肥去向的定量研究,首次估算出我国农田中氮肥的当季利用率和损失率,以及不同损失途径的相对比例。他对推动我国土壤氮素研究,发展符合我国国情、农学效应和环境效应相协调的氮素管理原则和技术作出了积极贡献。他还积极推动学科发展,组织编写《中国土壤氮素》等专著;在封丘建立肥料长期定位试验,为相关学科研究提供研究平台;积极参与和推动国际学术交流活动,提高我国土壤氮素研究在国际上的影响力。此外,朱兆良先生还立足专业针对如何治理我国农业面源污染和保障我国粮食安全问题,提出了对策和建议。     

吉林省食品安全信用体系存在的问题与对策

目前,吉林省食品安全事故频发的重要原因就是食品生产经营企业信用的严重缺乏,为此,本文分析了吉林省食品生产企业存在的问题及产生问题的原因,并提出了加快食品安全信用体系建设的对策。     

吉林省食品安全信用体系存在的问题与对策

目前,吉林省食品安全事故频发的重要原因就是食品生产经营企业信用的严重缺乏,为此,本文分析了吉林省食品生产企业存在的问题及产生问题的原因,并提出了加快食品安全信用体系建设的对策。     

江苏省耕地资源态势与粮食安全对策研究

耕地安全是粮食安全的基础和保障。分析了改革开发以来江苏省耕地总量和人均耕地的变化趋势,运用多元线性回归模型对其2020年的耕地数量作出了预测;并对2020年全省耕地最低需求量进行了初步预测。结果表明在未来一定时期内,江苏省耕地资源供需矛盾和粮食安全问题较为突出。解决粮食安全问题的根本途径在于保护省内现有耕地资源,稳定和提高粮食综合生产能力。     

2010—2019年欧盟食品和饲料快速预警系统对华通报食品真菌毒素污染分析及应对策略

欧盟是世界第一大经济联合体,也是我国食品出口的主要市场之一。本文就 2010—2019年欧盟食品和饲料快速预警系统(RASFF)对我国食品通报信息进行统计分析和总结,重点分析了真菌毒素污染类食品通报近十年的发展变化趋势,发现真菌毒素污染在所有危害类型中排第一位,是我国食品出口欧盟的最大阻碍;进一步分析了欧盟RASFF对华通报食品真菌毒素污染数量居高不下的原因,并就如何减少相关通报提出了一些应对策略和建议。研究数据将为我国食品出口提供参考,为我国食品安全体系建设尤其是真菌毒素防控体系建设提供科学依据和重要借鉴。     

“十四五”土壤质量与食物安全前沿趋势与发展战略

土壤质量与食物安全和人体健康息息相关。土壤质量与食物安全这一分支学科作为"十四五"土壤科学发展战略重要的组成部分,致力于治理与改善耕地土壤质量以应对粮食安全危机。文献计量结果表明,与发达国家相比,中国在该领域的研究起步较晚,但近年呈现加速上升甚至有超越的趋势。随着气候及环境污染问题凸显,国际上的相关研究热点集中于环境监测、土地利用、施肥管理、污染修复(重金属、抗生素、有机农药和病原微生物)及可持续发展等方面。本学科以土壤质量、土壤污染和粮食安全为重点研究方向,通过与地理信息学、环境科学、应用数学、医学等学科的交叉融合,借助同位素源解析、生物地球化学循环、分子生物学等前沿性理论与技术,未来将解决区域土壤质量监测、养分质量管理、食物安全与人体健康风险、土壤-作物系统中污染物迁移转化及阻控修复等关键科学问题。     

基本农田整理与我国粮食安全的浅析——以河北省香河县刘宋镇基本农田整理项目为例

粮食是人类赖以生存和社会得以发展的基本生活资料，粮食安全是任何国家都必须要重视的基础性问题。分析了我国面临的粮食安全形势，提出大力开展基本农田整理是实现我国粮食安全的重要保障。以河北省香河县刘宋镇基本农田整理项目为例，从社会效益、生态效益以及经济效益三方面分析了该项目实施后对我国粮食安全的有利影响。对今后基本农田整理项目的实施及构筑我国粮食安全可以起到一定的指导作用。     

Enhancing Household Food Security Under Changing Climatic Conditions: A Case Study of Gokwe North and Hurungwe Districts in Zimbabwe

The effects of climate change are largely felt by smallholder farmers in southern Africa who rely on rain-fed agricultural production. This study used data from a cross-sectional household to investigate the factors that influence a household's adaptive capacity. Results show that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between receiving information on crop production (p <.01), access to early warning information (p <.01 and adaptive capacity. Without adaptation, it is impossible for smallholder farmers to enhance food security. The study recommends that there is need to improve farmers' knowledge of climate change adaptation technologies and access to early warning information.     

近25年临汾市耕地资源与粮食安全动态分析

利用耕地、人口和粮食统计数据,采用耕地相对变化率和敏感度分析模型,研究了山西省临汾市近25a县域尺度耕地资源时空变化规律和粮食安全趋势。结果表明:(1)耕地总面积呈增加趋势,而人均耕地面积却呈减少趋势;(2)耕地资源空间变化差异明显,东西部山区相对变化较大,而中部平原区相对变化较小。东西部山区耕地资源对粮食产量的敏感度高,而中部平原区由于科技水平提高,单产增加,耕地面积对粮食产量变化不敏感。人口数量和粮食总产量持续增加,而人均粮食占有量减少,劳动力资源对粮食产量和耕地面积影响很大。保障粮食安全的主要措施是保护基本农田、提高耕地质量和科技水平等。     

安徽省沿江地区耕地利用集约度及粮食安全相关分析

利用1989—2008年的耕地资源与粮食统计数据,运用主成分分析和回归模型预测的研究方法,分析了近20 a安徽省沿江地区耕地利用集约度、粮食安全水平以及二者的相关性。结果表明：（1）耕地利用集约度时序变化明显,为＂两升两降＂4个变化阶段,其空间差异显著,以北高南低为主要特征;（2）粮食安全指数大体处于安全状态,指数波动起伏上升,区域发展不均衡;（3）耕地利用集约度与粮食安全指数二者相关性系数较大,相关性明显。该研究结果可为安徽省沿江地区耕地资源合理利用和保障粮食安全提供理论依据。     

Optimum Nutrition for Biosynthesis of Pharmaceutical Compounds in Celandine and Catmint Under Outside Hydroponic Conditions

ABSTRACT

Several experiments were performed to improve the management of biosynthesis of some pharmaceutical compounds (alkaloids, essential oil, tannins, and vitamin C) of medicinal plants celandine poppy (Chelidonium majus L.) and lemon catmint (Nepeta cataria L. f. citriodora) under outside hydroponics of Ararat Valley of Armenia. It was found that growing media and nutrient solutions that differed in concentrations and ratios of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) influenced various pharmaceutical compounds of these herbs. Celandine under hydroponics conditions (with high N at a ratio of N₇₀P₁₅K₁₅ atom%) had an alkaloid content up to 1.53% (calculated in dry raw material), while under soil the content was no higher than 1.22%. The content of tannins in celandine was up to 7.58% in hydroponics and 5.76% in soil. The content of vitamin C was up to 131.67 mg/% when grown in hydroponics and 94.92 mg/% when grown in soil (based on fresh raw material). In catmint, the maximum content and yield of essential oil were 0.246% (with high P at a ratio of N₁₅P₇₀K₁₅ atom%), and 1.56 ml/plant (with high N) under hydroponics conditions, while 0.183% and 0.20 mL/plant were obtained in soil. The highest content of tannins reached in hydroponics was 5.53%, while in soil it was 4.72%. The content of vitamin C reached 119.20 mg/% in hydroponics (with high P) and 93.43 mg/% in soil. The mathematical modeling of results according to Homes predicted that in celandine and catmint optimum ratios of N:P:K (50:22:28 and 53:40:7 atom%, respectively) in nutrient solution should give a maximum content of alkaloids (1.83%) in celandine, and maximum yield of essential oil (2.49 mL/plant) in catmint.