by Michael B. Vabi, Siéwé François, Abdulqudus A. Ibrahim, Ignatius I. Angarawai, Hakeem A. Ajeigbe, Chris Ojeiwo and Nasiru S. Bako
Original Research
Evidence on efficiency remains helpful in development and policy reform initiatives. Using a sample of 1,267 farming households from seven States in Nigeria, comprising 258 technology adopters and 1,009 non-adopters, an exponential translog stochastic frontier production function and primal cost system model were used to estimate production efficiencies. Adopters and non-adopters achieved 59% and 52% of maximum output, respectively. Male and female adopters were 59% and 50% technically efficient, respectively. Also, the elderly were more efficient in resource allocation. Accounting for input endogeneity, adopters and non-adopters attained 74% and 70% of minimum cost, separately. Adopters were more efficient than non-adopters demonstrating economic efficiencies of 44% and 37%, respectively. These outcomes underline the importance of extension agents having basic knowledge and skills of on improved technologies being promoted. Similarly, linkages between research and extension require strengthening and facilitation of access to credit to enable stakeholders take advantage of emerging economies of scale.
Journal of Food Security. 2021, 9(4), 167-182. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-9-4-4
Pub. Date: December 07, 2021
1965 Views8 Downloads
by Saman Rauf, Fatih Sekercioglu and Mustafa Koc
Original Research
Canada has a diverse socio-cultural population, 21.5% of which is comprised of immigrants born outside of the country, a figure now reaching 49.5% in big cities, such as Toronto. This diversity is also reflected in the food culture. While traditional foods carry immense importance for retaining immigrants’ socio-cultural and ethnic identities, the safe handling of cultural foods has been a concern for public health authorities in recent decades. Food handling training programs provided by public health and settlement agencies play a crucial role in educating new immigrants about critical aspects of food safety in households and commercial establishments. Little knowledge is available about main issues related to food safety and how COVID-19 has influenced the related outreach programs of different service agencies. Our study, the first of its kind, identifies knowledge gaps regarding public health risks among recent immigrants regarding food safety practices in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors that lead to a decline in access to food safety knowledge among immigrants are identified. Responses of 14 public health and settlement workers working with different immigrant communities were collected through a qualitative online survey. Data were thematically analyzed using NVivo software. Results show that while food safety training and outreach programs are quite beneficial and build on new immigrants’ background knowledge about the critical aspects of food safety, food safety outreach programs offered by different service agencies have been significantly reduced.as a result of COVID-19. COVID and related health restrictions also worsened the financial challenges faced by new immigrants due to the closure of many foodservice businesses. Results also reveal that food safety infractions among newcomers are mainly due to language barriers and financial constraints. To meet the desired food safety learning targets, there is a need for developing culturally appropriate food safety training for different immigrant groups.
Journal of Food Security. 2021, 9(4), 160-166. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-9-4-3
Pub. Date: November 01, 2021
2219 Views4 Downloads
by Sweta Tiwari and Shrinidhi Ambinakudige
Original Research
The USDA’s definition of food deserts, which is based on the distance to store and a neighborhood’s income, seems to be inadequate to explain the food security status of a neighborhood. Thus, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to explore the underlying structures behind the 11 measures of a neighborhood's characteristics, which, in turn, describes a neighborhood's food insecurity. The studied neighborhoods were the census tracts in the lower 48 states of the U.S. The EFA systematically grouped the 11 characteristics into two factors (i.e., socioeconomic and demographic) determining neighborhood vulnerability. Both factors suggest that the neighborhoods in the South have a high vulnerability that could influence the number and type of food stores or prospects of new food stores in those neighborhoods. Based on the factor structure revealed by the EFA, the Neighborhood Food Insecurity Index (NFII) was created. The NFII measures the relative food vulnerability of every U.S. census tract affecting its residents' ability to access a healthy food provider. The index indicates that about 43 million (13.14%) people in the U.S. live in neighborhoods with high food vulnerability. The index also shows that regionally, the South had the greatest percentage of populations living in high food-vulnerable neighborhoods followed by the West, Midwest, and Northeast regions.
Journal of Food Security. 2021, 9(4), 148-159. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-9-4-2
Pub. Date: October 09, 2021
2804 Views5 Downloads
by Peduruhewa P.S., Jayathunge K. G. L. R. and Liyanage R.
Review Article
Today, it has been a big challenge to provide a safe, healthy and nutritious source of food for people, especially for poor income groups and undernourished populations of the developing world. Finding cheap and alternative sources of healthy and nutritious food has become a critical issue due to the food scarcity, high cost and unreliable supply of healthy food in developing and undeveloped countries. Tapping in to the world of Underutilized Wild Edible Plants (UWEP) will allow us to provide a substantial solution for food insecurity. UWEP have been identified as a reliable and long term solution due to the availability of micronutrients, bioactive compounds and their pharmacological importance. UWEP based diet should be expanded around the world, after conducting researches to fill the missing information such as micronutrient bioaccessibility, anti-nutrients, elimination of anti-nutrients and novel trends. The purpose of this paper is to explain the potentials of UWEP to cope up with malnutrition and food insecurity, which are burning issues that needs immediate attention.
Journal of Food Security. 2021, 9(4), 136-147. DOI: 10.12691/jfs-9-4-1
Pub. Date: August 27, 2021
2500 Views4 Downloads