by Charles L. Tumuhe, Jackson Kusiima, William Sekamate and Matia Mulumba
Original Research
This study established the food types consumed, suppliers, and challenges faced in their trade in Kagadi Town Council (KTC), Uganda. Data was collected using questionnaires and key informant interviews and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Micro Soft Excel to get descriptive statistics. The results indicate that the main foods in KTC are; crops, and poultry, fish, beef, and goat meats. Foods items in short supply are; potato (Solanum tuberosum), pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.), local chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta), mangoes (Mangifera indica), apples (Malus domestica), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and chicken eggs. The suppliers of these foods are located in the neighboring districts; Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Hoima, Kibale, Kampala and Mubende districts, Uganda. KTC obtains most food from outside its boundaries. KTC has high potential for food market. There are items already on the market and others are not supplied though demanded. There is need to support local farmers and traders to overcome the challenges around the food value chain.
Journal of Food Security. 2020, 8(1), 29-37. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-8-1-4
Pub. Date: March 04, 2020
4847 Views1026 Downloads
by Onyango George Nyakoyo and Abuya Isaac Odhiambo
Original Research
Food insecurity presents a serious development challenge in Kenya. It is estimated that 11 million Kenyans suffer from acute hunger caused by food insecurity at the household and community levels. Nyando basin in Western Kenya experinces acute food insecurity caused in part by by perennial floods within the basin, extreme household poverty and high disease burden. There is consensus among food security scholars and policy advisors that communities must be placed at the center of sustainable food security policy and interventions. Kenya’s National Food and Nutrition Security Policy places communities at the center of food security; further providing impetus for the design and implementation of sustainable sustainable community food security projects. The success of sustainable sustainable community food security projects may depend on the involvement of stakeholders in sustainable community food systems.However, few studies have examined the relationship between stakeholder involvement and implementation of sustainable sustainable community food security projects. This study was conducted in the Nyando basin in three community projects involved in highbrid cassava, sorghum and sweet potatoes farming. Two hundred and forty-five stakeholders involved in sustainable community food security projects in Nyando basin were interviewed using a questionnaire. Respondents included community farmers drawn from three food community self-help groups, county government officials, agricultural extension officers, managers of community based and non-governmental organizations involved in cassava, sorghum and sweet potato farming within the basin. Descriptive and inferential data were analysed. Descriptive data included frequencies, means and standard deviation. Inferential statistics included correlation coefficient, coefficient of determination, ANOVA and regression coefficient. The study found statistically significant relationship between stakeholder involvement and implementation of sustiable sustainable community food security projects. It is recommded that stakeholder involvement should be enhanced in sustainable community food security projects to promote timely implementation and completion of sustiable sustainable community food security projects, reduce the cost of implementation, ensure sustainable farming practices. It is also recommended that stakeholder involvement should be integrated in sustainable community food security policies and projects.
Journal of Food Security. 2020, 8(1), 22-28. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-8-1-3
Pub. Date: March 02, 2020
4688 Views1094 Downloads
by Charles L. Tumuhe, Kasfa Ategeka, Christopher Sunday, Dennis Tibaijuka and Crispus B. Muhindo
Original Research
There is an immutable need to preserve and utilize the genetic materials of indigenous crops and plants for nutrition and preservation of genetic diversity. The scientific community needs to support farmers in the preservation of indigenous foods and seed. African Rural University (ARU) participatedin indigenous seed and food fairs to collect data while showcasing the preservation, preparation, value addition and consumption of local seeds and foods in Uganda. The purpose of the traditional seed and food fair events was to demonstrate both the existence and resilience of African culture in food and nutrition through participation of farmers and ARU students.There were three series of such fairs at local (10 groups), regional (49 groups) and national levels (30 groups). ARU research team and students participated in all the fairs as both exhibitors and researchers. Results indicate that exhibitors showcasedtraditional/indigenous foods both in raw and cooked forms.There is still a wide variety of beneficial indigenous and traditional foods in Uganda. It may be helpful to establish a complete traditional food data system for all ethnic groups in Uganda and prepare recipes for preparation of their traditional dishes, establish botanical gardens for conservation, earth markets and more regular food and seed fairs for farmers to interact and exchange the planting materials.
Journal of Food Security. 2020, 8(1), 11-21. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-8-1-2
Pub. Date: February 25, 2020
6493 Views1109 Downloads
by Andrews-Trevino JY, Webb P, Baral K, Davis D, Shrestha R, Pokharel A, Acharya S, Lamichhane A, Shively G, Paudel K, Xue KS, Wang JS and Ghosh S
Original Research
A growing body of mainly cross-sectional evidence suggests an association between mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxin exposure, and poor linear growth in children. We describe the design and methods of a rigorous longitudinal birth cohort study aimed to deepen our understanding of this hypothesized relationship and to validate dried blood spots as a less invasive, low-cost collection method for venous blood samples. The AflaCohort study was conducted in Banke district of Nepal from 2015 to 2019. A total of 1,675 pregnant women ages 16-49 were recruited from 17 Village Development Committees of the district. The research team collected maternal and child anthropometry data at birth and every 3 months from birth through the first year of life. Children were revisited at 18-22 months and 24-26 months of age. Questionnaires administered at the household level assessed risk factors for aflatoxin exposure and poor linear growth. One maternal venous blood sample was collected during gestation and child blood samples were collected at 3, 6, 12 and 18-22 months of age to assess concentrations of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-lysine adduct. One breast milk sample was collected from mothers when the child was 3 months of age to assess levels of aflatoxin M1. Serum ochratoxin A and urinary levels of fumonisin B1 and deoxynivalenol were measured at 18-22 months of age. Environmental enteric dysfunction was assessed using a lactulose:mannitol (L:M) test at 18-22 months of age. The study collected dried blood spots from a subset (n≈1200) of mothers and children to compare AFB1 concentrations with those found in matching venous blood samples. Biomarker assessments were conducted using a high-performance liquid chromatograph method. Findings from the study will help identify certain factors that warrant interventions to reduce aflatoxin-related stunting in Nepal. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03312049.
Journal of Food Security. 2020, 8(1), 1-10. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-8-1-1
Pub. Date: February 21, 2020
4933 Views1188 Downloads