The Role of Agriculture in Addressing Food Security, Ecological Sustainability and Quality of Food

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Economics, Policies and Rural Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2022) | Viewed by 19944

Special Issue Editors

Centre for Food Policy, School of Health Sciences, Northampton Square, City University, London EC1V 0HB, UK
Interests: food poverty; inequality; food skills; food cultures; food retail/food hospitality
Faculty of Agricultural Science, University San Raffaele, 00166 Rome, Italy
Interests: entrepreneurship; strategic management; ecopreneurship; agribusiness; case study research
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Interests: rural development and Branding strategies; marketing of local food and sustainability of food systems; innovation in agriculture and rural areas; university-business collaboration and quadruple helix of innovation; sustainable tourism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Agriculture is key to human survival yet its continued development poses many challenges. The global food supply chain is for some a miracle of modern ingenuity and technology, delivering food to many and working along complex food supply lines. For farmers in low-income and emerging economies this opens up markets in middle and high-income economies; farmers in the middle and high-income economies complain they cannot compete with the prices of imported foods from countries with low wages and lower production costs. Agriculture as a primary producer is subject to the power of major global retailers and increasingly fast-food companies. Power in the global food system is concentrated in a small number of companies who dictate the incomes of growers and producers as well as the health of consumers. This results in what have been identified as the triple burdens of malnutrition.

At the growing end of the chain food security is compromised by the demand for constant economies of scale, the demand to ‘produce more for less’ and to use resources more ecologically without recompense for these additional activities. The globalisation of diet and transport of food across the globe means that many foods are now processed and even ultra-processed, resulting in added-value at the level of production. This lack of a significant economic footprint at the point of origin of food results in food security being compromised and malnutrition the result leading to chronic disease, obesity and hunger among rural communities.

The global food supply system has many fault-lines ranging from livelihood and employment issues, through ecological sustainability and inappropriate use of local resources to contributions to global malnutrition. These fault lines also can act as powerful levers for change.

The special issue is seeking articles with a focus on agriculture and primary production and the impacts on food security, ecological sustainability and quality of food. Topics can include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Agriculture and its contribution to the areas of food (in)security, sustainability, livelihoods and/or health.
  • Case studies of how can we guarantee food security through agriculture/food systems.
  • Livelihoods in the food system that guarantee well-being and ecological sustainability.
  • Examples of agricultural closed loop economies as drivers for food security, economic and social growth.
  • The impact of global food supply systems on health and environment.
  • The impact of global food supply systems on agriculture and food (in)security at national, local and household levels.
  • Global power in the food system and its impact on sustainable agriculture and its production outputs.
  • Food insecurity in rural areas in low, emerging, middle and high-income economies.
  • Differences between agricultural systems in middle/high-income economies and those in low-income economies and their impacts on food insecurity, ecological sustainability or quality of food.

Prof. Dr. Martin Caraher
Dr. Cristina Santini
Prof. Dr. Alessio Cavicchi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Food poverty
  • food insecurity
  • food systems
  • case studies comparing agricultural systems
  • food security nutrition (FSN)
  • sustainable food systems and food insecurity
  • closed loop or circular systems
  • trade and its impact on food insecurity of food producers
  • obesity and food security
  • malnutrition and food insecurity
  • food insecurity in high/middle/emerging and low-income economies
  • the triple burden of food insecurity
  • food insecurity measurement
  • social aspects of food insecurity
  • food baskets as measures of food insecurity
  • the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and food insecurity
  • food insecurity a global perspective
  • food security and nutrition
  • food availability and food insecurity
  • physical, economic and social access to food
  • the right to food
  • agricultural production and food insecurity
  • gender and food security
  • case studies of ways to tackle food insecurity
  • case studies of food security maintenance/sustainability
  • new growth in the fast food and the hospitality sector
  • new technologies

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 198 KiB  
Editorial
‘Growing’ Insecurity in Agricultural Food Chains: An Editorial Commentary
by Martin Caraher, Cristina Santini and Alessio Cavicchi
Agriculture 2023, 13(2), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13020460 - 15 Feb 2023
Viewed by 914
Abstract
This Special Edition of Agriculture on The Role of Agriculture in Addressing Food Security, Ecological Sustainability and Quality of Food has seven articles ranging from technological solutions, the importance of quality standards as a means to addressing global trade and farm incomes, through [...] Read more.
This Special Edition of Agriculture on The Role of Agriculture in Addressing Food Security, Ecological Sustainability and Quality of Food has seven articles ranging from technological solutions, the importance of quality standards as a means to addressing global trade and farm incomes, through to those with a focus on sustainable development partnerships, and at the micro level, the importance of self-help through home gardening in Vietnam [...] Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

12 pages, 1246 KiB  
Article
Revealing a Significant Latent Loss of Dry Matter in Rice Based on Accurate Measurement of Grain Growth Curve
by Yujia Wang, Wenfu Wu, Zidan Wu, Na Zhang, Shuyao Li and Xianmei Meng
Agriculture 2022, 12(4), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12040465 - 25 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1796
Abstract
Against the background of increased population and resource depletion, managing food losses means conserving agricultural production resources and increasing farmer income. This paper mainly introduces the discovery and value of latent loss. In 2019, our experimental team formulated the 5T management method, which [...] Read more.
Against the background of increased population and resource depletion, managing food losses means conserving agricultural production resources and increasing farmer income. This paper mainly introduces the discovery and value of latent loss. In 2019, our experimental team formulated the 5T management method, which concerned the rice harvest period. Moreover, to promote the 5T management method, our team conducted relevant experiments about rice grain growth curve and found an accidental reduction in the dry matter weight of rice. To ensure the accuracy of the results of the latent rice loss in 2019, easy-to-use nuclear magnetic resonance is a non-destructive, rapid evaluation method, which is suitable for accurately determining high-moisture content and multi-variety rice. Overall, the experimental results in 2020 showed that if rice was harvested at the optimal time, the rice loss rate could be reduced by 3.5346%, which is equivalent to a yield of 235,051 tons of rice. The results are in agreement with evidence from field trials and suggest that the latent loss of dry matter caused by delayed harvest not only causes yield losses and economic losses but also increases postharvest grain loss and rice seed shattering loss. This significant factor, the optimal harvest time, in harvest period is strictly controlled to prevent the dry matter loss caused by innate knowledge and traditional management and to provide new possibilities for increasing the amount of available fertile land and generating income. Full article
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21 pages, 3923 KiB  
Article
Policy Support for Home Gardens in Vietnam Can Link to Sustainable Development Goals
by Rachmat Mulia, Tam Thi Le, Nghia Dai Tran and Elisabeth Simelton
Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 253; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020253 - 10 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2712
Abstract
Despite research evidence on the diverse benefits of home gardens and their potential contributions to multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs), the role of policy towards supporting these contributions remains unclear in developing countries like Vietnam. In this study, we found that 25 out [...] Read more.
Despite research evidence on the diverse benefits of home gardens and their potential contributions to multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs), the role of policy towards supporting these contributions remains unclear in developing countries like Vietnam. In this study, we found that 25 out of Vietnam’s 86 key rural development and agricultural policies enacted over the last decade (2010–2021) set specific targets for home gardens. The targets, however, focus strongly on income generation with indicators stipulating e.g., 50–80% of total income from home gardens should be generated by the main product. The policies set no specific target for other potential roles of home gardens beyond the economy of rural households and can exacerbate the widespread transformation of home gardens in Vietnam into farming practices with low crop diversity. The latter potentially limits contributions of home gardens to two (SDG 1, 10) of at least 11 (SDG 1–3, 5, 6, 8, 10–13, 15) of Vietnam’s 17 SDGs. To narrow the gap between research and policy in home garden contributions to Vietnam’s SDGs, we need to better mainstream integrated home garden systems and their diverse benefits, enrich policy targets beyond the income generation, and strengthen coordination among state departments for policy implementation. Full article
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12 pages, 530 KiB  
Article
Content of Amino Acids in Maize and Yellow Lupine after Fluorine Application to Soil
by Radosław Szostek, Zdzisław Ciećko, Elżbieta Rolka and Mirosław Wyszkowski
Agriculture 2021, 11(11), 1120; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11111120 - 10 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1571
Abstract
Pollution of the natural environment with fluorine compounds makes the continuous monitoring of the content of this element necessary, not only in the air, water and soil, but also in food. A high level of fluorine contamination of soils can affect quality of [...] Read more.
Pollution of the natural environment with fluorine compounds makes the continuous monitoring of the content of this element necessary, not only in the air, water and soil, but also in food. A high level of fluorine contamination of soils can affect quality of the obtained yields, affecting the amino acid composition of protein. It often becomes a cause of reducing nutrition and feed value of agricultural yields. In the undertaken studies, the influence of fluorine application to the soil on the amino acid content in proteins accumulated in the above-ground parts (aerial) of Zea mays L. and Lupinus luteus L. was studied. The lowest and medium doses of fluorine had a significant positive effect on the content of exogenous and endogenous amino acids in the protein of the aerial mass of maize, for which the increase of sum of all amino acids was 7% and 8%, respectively, in relation to controls. The above-ground parts of yellow lupine were characterised by a much higher content of the tested amino acids than maize. The subsequent influence of soil contamination with fluorine on the amino acid content in yellow lupine did not have the same effect as in the main plant, and the influence of fluorine was somewhat limited. With respect to yellow lupine, it was demonstrated that the lowest fluorine dose (100 mg F kg−1 of soil), did not have a beneficial influence on the sum of all amino acids. The medium and highest doses of fluorine depressed in a small degree the content of the sum of these compounds in the dry mass of yellow lupine. Full article
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17 pages, 2906 KiB  
Article
Effects of Main Meteorological Indicators on Eating Quality of Rice in Lower Reaches of the Huai River
by Nianbing Zhou, Qiang Shi, Haiyan Wei and Hongcheng Zhang
Agriculture 2021, 11(7), 618; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11070618 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2109
Abstract
The main meteorological indicators affecting the eating quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the lower reaches of Huai river were studied and the optimal sowing time range for obtaining good eating quality was put forward. Compared with solar radiation, rainfall, and [...] Read more.
The main meteorological indicators affecting the eating quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the lower reaches of Huai river were studied and the optimal sowing time range for obtaining good eating quality was put forward. Compared with solar radiation, rainfall, and humidity, temperature is the primary meteorological factor affecting the eating quality of rice in the lower reaches of the Huai river. Sowing the rice on different dates altered the heading and maturity dates of rice, and the difference between the mean daily temperature (Tmean) from the heading to maturity stage reached 4.6–5.0 °C. The Tmean from heading to maturity for all treatments was less than 23.5 °C. When the temperature was lower than 20.2 °C during the grain filling period, the value of the comprehensive evaluation of eating quality (CEQ) of the three types of rice decreased significantly. The medium-maturing japonica soft rice varieties (SMR), late-maturing japonica soft rice varieties (SLR), and late-maturing japonica non-soft rice varieties (LR) varieties that were subjected to low temperatures had a higher amylose content and protein content. Overall, the eating quality of rice in the lower reaches of the Huai river was affected by the low Tmean after the heading stage. The mean daily temperature (Tmean) range from the heading to maturity stages of SMR, SLR, and LR varieties that produced relatively high CEQ were 20.2–23.3 °C, 20.2–22.1 °C, and 20.3–22.1 °C, respectively. The optimal sowing date ranges of SMR, SLR, and LR were 16 May to 1 June, 16 to 18 May, and 16 to 20 May, respectively. Full article
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20 pages, 997 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Importance of International Quality Standards Regarding Global Trade in Food and Agricultural Products: Analysis of the German Media
by Katja Pietrzyck, Nora Berke, Vanessa Wendel, Julia Steinhoff-Wagner, Sebastian Jarzębowski and Brigitte Petersen
Agriculture 2021, 11(4), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11040328 - 07 Apr 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2598
Abstract
Rapid globalization of the agrifood industry has important impacts on international trade and quality management (QM). Likewise, the European Union has negotiated a series of bilateral free trade agreements. Of note was the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States [...] Read more.
Rapid globalization of the agrifood industry has important impacts on international trade and quality management (QM). Likewise, the European Union has negotiated a series of bilateral free trade agreements. Of note was the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States of America, where the debate focused on the mutual recognition and harmonization of quality standards, especially for agricultural and food products. This topic offered the mainstream media excellent substances for coverage. This paper explores German print media, television, and radio on the importance of international quality standards in the agrifood sectors in light of the TTIP. A quantitative and qualitative empirical content analysis was performed to investigate media reporting regarding (a) it is scientific character, (b) the use of the term “quality standards” of the agrifood industry, and (c) the reporting on the agrifood industry and QM linked with TTIP, focused on harmonization. The results showed that interrelations between QM and global trade were not presented to recipients in-depth. A trend toward information asymmetries in recipient’s knowledge is indicated. The study addresses recommendations for future collaborations between media, policy-makers, and further cooperation in the mutual recognition and harmonization of quality standards and control procedures within global trade. Full article
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12 pages, 461 KiB  
Article
Selenium Biofortification of Wheat as a Strategy to Improve Human Nutrition
by Aleksandra Radawiec, Wiesław Szulc and Beata Rutkowska
Agriculture 2021, 11(2), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11020144 - 10 Feb 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2685
Abstract
This paper analyses the effects of soil and foliar fertilization with sodium selenate (VI) on the selenium content in spring wheat grain. The research was carried out at the Departmental Experimental Station of the Institute of Agriculture WULS in Skierniewice in 2018 and [...] Read more.
This paper analyses the effects of soil and foliar fertilization with sodium selenate (VI) on the selenium content in spring wheat grain. The research was carried out at the Departmental Experimental Station of the Institute of Agriculture WULS in Skierniewice in 2018 and 2019. The dose of selenium used was 5.00 g Se·ha−1 in various development stages of spring wheat. The results showed that selenium fertilisation did not affect the size of the grain yield, but both soil and foliar fertilisation significantly increased the content of selenium in wheat grain compared to the control group. The highest Se content was obtained with the method of soil fertilisation combined with the foliar application with a total dose of 10.00 g·ha-1 Se in the stem elongation phase (S + F2), and in the tillering and stem elongation phase (S + F1 + F2), which resulted in the values of 0.615 and 0.719 mg·kg−1 Se in grain, respectively. On this basis, it was concluded that the best time to carry out foliar fertilisation treatment is in the stem elongation phase (BBCH 30–39). The results show that the greatest increase in selenium content in the grain is achieved with soil and foliar fertilisation combined. Full article
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14 pages, 263 KiB  
Article
Universities and Wineries: Supporting Sustainable Development in Disadvantaged Rural Areas
by Chiara Aleffi, Sabrina Tomasi, Concetta Ferrara, Cristina Santini, Gigliola Paviotti, Federica Baldoni and Alessio Cavicchi
Agriculture 2020, 10(9), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10090378 - 27 Aug 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3216
Abstract
This exploratory study focuses on the role of the university in supporting sustainable development in rural areas, focusing on small wine producers, particularly those located in remote and disadvantaged areas. Disadvantaged areas have distinctive features. Firstly, they are fragile areas from a sociodemographic [...] Read more.
This exploratory study focuses on the role of the university in supporting sustainable development in rural areas, focusing on small wine producers, particularly those located in remote and disadvantaged areas. Disadvantaged areas have distinctive features. Firstly, they are fragile areas from a sociodemographic point of view because of population ageing. Secondly, they are unstable from an environmental (physical, eco-systemic) point of view, as a consequence of insufficient maintenance of their seminatural capital. University–business cooperation with companies located in those areas thus needs to be designed by considering the specific characteristic of the place. Therefore, this exploratory study sought to understand how the university can work with small wineries and support them and their rural area to face inequalities and low growth, and foster social innovation. We present a case study based on field research in Italy. The results—based on the analysis of 26 semistructured interviews with small wine producers—are discussed by exploring the potential form of cooperation between rural stakeholders and universities, beyond the concept of knowledge transfer. Conclusions highlight the need for the university to act as a facilitator of dialogue at a territorial level, as a first step toward to formulation of shared sustainable goals. Full article
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