Volume 6, Issue 1

Poultry Price and Market Analysis in the South West Region of Cameroon
Original Research
The price transmission of agricultural product along its supply chain and the integration of its market is an important factor in ensuring the efficiency of markets. The study had as main objective to analyze the price transmission and integration between poultry markets in relation to its supply chain. The data used was basically primary, obtained through administering of sixty questionnaires at random within the various markets in the Sub-divisions within Fako Division. The study constituted and econometric model relating the market price to key price transmission parameters such as farm gate price and the cost of transaction which was used for analysis. Results show that the farm gate price and the transaction cost had a positive relationship with the retail price of poultry products in this division, but with a negligible effect on the retail price as compared to the farm gate price. Also, there existed a high correlation coefficient between poultry markets in this division indicating that the markets are integrated and the existed a level of symmetry in poultry prices in this division. Hence based on these findings, the government should put appropriate measures to ensure that poultry prices remain stable and all actors involved in the poultry sub sector are informed through various communication methods to ensure symmetry in the transmission of poultry prices which improve on the welfare of producers and consumers of poultry products.
Journal of Food Security. 2018, 6(1), 42-50. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-6-1-5
Pub. Date: May 12, 2018
11492 Views2564 Downloads9 Likes
Agricultural Self-sufficiency and Market Stability: A Revenue-neutral Approach to Wheat Sector in Egypt
Original Research
Food self-sufficiency has become a high-priority policy agenda for developing governments in conjunction with the food price volatility in recent years. Even though a food autarky has been long regarded as one of the most potent strategies to achieve national food security, the effectiveness of the policy has not been investigated using a quantitative simulation model. In this paper, a stochastic global computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to analyze the benefits of a wheat self-sufficiency project in Egypt is constructed. The findings suggest that the policy alleviates the volatility of household welfare and the consumer price of wheat in Egypt, and substantially enhances the resilience of welfare against an export ban on wheat by Russia.
Journal of Food Security. 2018, 6(1), 31-41. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-6-1-4
Pub. Date: March 08, 2018
15487 Views2281 Downloads2 Likes
Influence of Postharvest Storage Management Strategies on Postharvest Cereal Loss in Wikililye Location of Kitui County
Original Research
The study determined the storage management strategies influence on postharvest cereal loss in Wikililye Location of Kitui County. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire on343 households selected through systematic sampling method using population proportionate to size approach to select the actual number of respondents for each village. Focus Group Discussions and Key Informants purposively sampled were used to obtain qualitative data. The data were subjected to descriptive statistics and presented using tables and verbatim narratives. The findings revealed that majority (62%) of the respondents experienced postharvest cereal loss while a significant number (34%) did not. The study sought to determine the mode of storage currently utilized by the respondents and the findings indicated the majority (72%) utilized gunny bags. Knowledge of any form of improved storage facilities showed that majority (77%) of the respondents were aware of improved storage methods but only 35% did not experience loss. On the use of improved storage system to reduce postharvest cereal loss the study revealed that an overwhelming majority (92%) of the households utilize traditional mode of storage and experienced cereal loss. Only (8%) of the respondents had adopted improved methods and majority (76%) of those who had adopted did not experience cereal loss. Awareness of improved storage facilities did not result in reduced postharvest cereal loss. However, a significant reduction of postharvest loss was reported by the respondents who utilized improved storage facilities. Storage facilities are thus significant determinants of household postharvest cereal loss. The study recommends that in addition to increasing awareness of the existence of improved storage facilities, they should be made available and affordable or economically attainable to small scale farmers and households.
Journal of Food Security. 2018, 6(1), 26-30. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-6-1-3
Pub. Date: March 06, 2018
9100 Views2777 Downloads
Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies amongst Students at University of Witwatersrand
Original Research
This study described food security status and explored coping mechanisms of students at times of food insecurity at the University of the Witwatersrand. The sample consisted of 387 undergraduate students from all faculties and a subsample of 30 students who received financial aid. The 30 subsample students were also assessed regarding their coping strategies. Action research approaches included key indicators such as the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS). The HFIAS score showed that 1% of students was severely food insecure and 6% were identified as moderately food insecure. The DDS score amongst the sample was seven out of a possible 12 points. African male students originating from townships who were on financial aid and did not eat in university dining halls were the most vulnerable group to food insecurity. Almost all (97%) participants believed hunger could impact negatively on academic performance and 52% reported having personally experienced the impact of hunger on academic performance. Food security coping strategies used by students were avoiding expensive fast-food places; food pooling, shared meal preparation schedules; eating fewer meals and going home to get food. Wits should develop effective strategies to address pockets of hunger and food insecurity.
Journal of Food Security. 2018, 6(1), 20-25. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-6-1-2
Pub. Date: February 26, 2018
17622 Views3941 Downloads5 Likes
Food Security in Rural Bangladesh: Examining the Role of Women’s Earnings and Food Budget Control
Original Research
Household food security is vital to measure of a country’s advancement and well-being. Three mostly usage determinants to measure household food security are per capita daily calorie availability, dietary diversity, and individuals body mass index (BMI) scores. Food security condition in rural Bangladesh is vulnerable due to poverty, unavailability and high prices of food. Almost every year food price is increasing in Bangladesh due to the low level of production, improper market management and fraud business syndicate from some top traders. In Bangladesh, food production is affected by natural calamities such as the flood in monsoon period. Rice is considering as the leading food and dominating 70% of total calorie intake in rural Bangladesh. Rural inhabitants are consuming protein and micronutrient-rich food very infrequent. The main barriers to decrease the malnutrition rate are a lack of access to protein and micronutrient rich foods and inappropriate health services. Women and children are the primary targets of ensuring nutrition security in developing worlds. However, in rural Bangladesh, in practice, both women and children are getting fewer privileges regarding food consumption and health facilitates. The main objective of this paper is to examine the role of women’s earnings and food budget control. Very authentic, recognized and useful datasets are needed to get the precise insights and information about food security condition and the role of women in food security in the rural Bangladesh. Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey 2011-12 datasets are used for this study. Regression method is used to analyze the research objectives. This paper found that women control over food budget has positive roles to ensure food availability in the house and more dietary diversity. However, the BMI scores indicate that rural people are heavily under-weight and under-nutrition.
Journal of Food Security. 2018, 6(1), 1-19. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-6-1-1
Pub. Date: January 05, 2018
16036 Views3998 Downloads