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Agriculture and Food Systems – Global and Local Comparisons

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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Product Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2021) | Viewed by 26275

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Christophe Béné

E-Mail Website
Leading Guest Editor

International Center for Tropical Agricutlure (CIAT), part of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Cali, Colombia
Interests: food security; poverty; resilience; food systems

Dr. Roseline Remans

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Bioversity International, part of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Rome, Italy
Interests: food systems; nutrition; sustainable agriculture; biodiversity; multifunctional landscapes

Special Issue Information

The concept of food system has gained much prominence in recent years, to the point that it already replaces the focus on agriculture or trade in some of the discussions on food security, nutrition and environment (see e.g. HLPE 2017, Willett et al. 2019). This broadening in the attention of decision-makers and scholars’ is legitimate. With more than half of the world population now living in peri- or urban centers and the vast majority of farmers (even in the most remote areas) being increasingly connected to and dependent on local and international supply chains, the food and nutritional security of the world population not just relies on the capacity of farmers to produce food, but on the capacity of the entire system to produce, process, transport and distribute safe, affordable and nutritious food, in ways that are socially and environmentally sustainable.

In this special issue of the Journal Agriculture, we are interested in exploring and learning more about how food systems and agriculture are ultimately linked and interact with each at various scales (from local to global, from rural to urban) to deliver safe, affordable and nutritious food in a sustainable manner. For this, geographic comparative analysis and similar analytical approaches offer potentially very powerful tools. Much can be learned from comparing and contrasting situations and contexts, be these observed at local, country, region, or global levels. We are therefore interested in scientific, high quality, empirical articles that contribute to increase our understanding of food systems and agriculture inter-dependent dynamics through those geographic or spatial comparative analyses.

The study could focus on any of the following domains: (bio)diversity, agro-ecology, modes of production, transport, processing, retail practices, food environment, consumer behavior, diets, food waste, food safety, organic food systems, local food (systems), national/international trade, policies, or sustainability.

Different levels (or scales) could be considered for those comparisons: (i) global or multi-countries; (ii) local systems across countries or regions; or (iii) within country (e.g. rural versus urban).

The following are examples of research questions that would be relevant for this issue; those are provided, however, for illustrative purpose only.

How dynamics of food systems link to dynamics of production systems, e.g. How do production systems and landscapes change as they are becoming connected to international food systems - how does this differ between geographies and countries?
Positioning better the role of responsible production in sustainable food systems. Healthier diets without sustainable land use and production will hardly conduce to sustainable food systems – what can be learned from different cases in different contexts?
The connection, complementarity and/or competition of local and international food systems - How do the local and global systems complement each other in different settings, what works well, what doesn’t work well?
Navigating potential synergies and trade-offs between outcomes of food systems (such as environmental and economic priorities) – what can we learn from comparative analysis of case-studies at municipality level?
How do consumers’ perception and behaviour vary within and between rural and urban contexts in response to issues such as farming unsustainable practices or food safety, and how does this feedback loop affect local production actors?
Comparison of the impacts of COVID-19 on local food systems and consumers’ food security and nutrition – lessons from low and middle income countries

If you are interested but are unsure of the relevance of your proposal, please contact the co-editors with a 200-300 word abstract. Note that the first submission is “Your paper, your way” (as long as it includes all the references cited in the text). Only when your paper is at the revision stage, will you be requested to put it in to the 'correct format' in accordance with the journal format.

Dr. Christophe Béné
Dr. Roseline Remans
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 systems
Geographic comparison
Rural–urban linkages
Food flows
Farmer–consumer feedback loops.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 4289 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Organic Food Needs More Land and Direct Energy to Be Produced Compared to Food from Conventional Farming: Empirical Evidence from the Czech Republic

by Radka Redlichová, Gabriela Chmelíková, Ivana Blažková, Eliška Svobodová and Inez Naaki Vanderpuje

Agriculture 2021, 11(9), 813; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11090813 - 27 Aug 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4519

Abstract

This study investigated direct energy consumption and land performance under two different methods of farming—organic and conventional. The aim of our study was to examine the performance of farmers in the Czech Republic and identify the differences between organic and conventional farming regarding food safety and direct energy consumption. Based on the data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network of the EU, we measured the performance of both organic and conventional farmers in terms of product per unit of land and direct energy consumption per unit of product regarding the natural condition of the farm localization. Our findings show that organic farms produce lower output with less direct energy per unit of land; however, they need more direct energy for one unit of production. We found that a product from organic agriculture consumes 1.7-fold greater direct energy than a conventional product. The worse the natural conditions for farming, the broader the difference between organic and conventional regimes regarding their performance and energy consumption. Our conclusions may help shape agricultural policy in the Czech Republic, where organic farming is receiving systematic political support, leading to an increase in the proportion of organically farmed arable land. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture and Food Systems – Global and Local Comparisons)

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31 pages, 5185 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Interactions between Food Environment and (Un)healthy Consumption: Evidence along a Rural-Urban Transect in Viet Nam

by Trang Nguyen, Huong Pham Thi Mai, Marrit van den Berg, Tuyen Huynh Thi Thanh and Christophe Béné

Agriculture 2021, 11(8), 789; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11080789 - 18 Aug 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3667

Abstract

There is limited evidence on food environment in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the application of food environment frameworks and associated metrics in such settings. Our study examines how food environment varies across an urban-peri-urban-rural gradient from three sites in North Viet Nam and its relationship with child undernutrition status and household consumption of processed food. By comparing three food environments, we present a picture of the food environment in a typical emerging economy with specific features such as non-market food sources (own production and food transfers) and dominance of the informal retail sector. We combined quantitative data (static geospatial data at neighborhood level and household survey) and qualitative data (in-depth interviews with shoppers). We found that across the three study sites, traditional open and street markets remain the most important outlets for respondents. Contrary to the common concern that urban households are the major consumers of processed foods, peri-urban and rural areas on average had higher consumption of ultra-processed foods than in urban areas. The low price levels of processed foods and the presence of processed foods even among the traditional convenience stores, those in closest proximity to the rural households, offer potential explanations of this result. Regarding undernutrition, low retail diversity and a household’s dependence on own production have important implications for the high prevalence of child undernutrition in rural areas. Our findings add to the current discussion on the critical role of the food environment on nutrition, such as the potential link between economic marginalization and access to food, and the role of food supply channels in consumption of processed foods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture and Food Systems – Global and Local Comparisons)

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16 pages, 2518 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

You Say You Want a Data Revolution? Taking on Food Systems Accountability

by Quinn Marshall, Alexandra L. Bellows, Rebecca McLaren, Andrew D. Jones and Jessica Fanzo

Agriculture 2021, 11(5), 422; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11050422 - 07 May 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4951

Abstract

Dramatic improvements in data availability and quality are needed to meet the challenge of monitoring and analyzing food systems, so that appropriate policies and actions to improve human and planetary health can be identified and data-informed accountability mechanisms put in place to strengthen food systems governance. Studying food systems is complex due to diverse actors and interlinking processes that operate on multiple spatial and temporal scales, and their multiple outcomes, which may be subject to hidden feedback mechanisms and tradeoffs. However, descriptive research to characterize food system components and make comparisons across geography, income groups, and population groups is an important foundation. The first part of this article details a series of critical data gaps and limitations that are currently hindering food systems learning and accountability, also comparing these gaps across regions and income groups. The second part of the article introduces the Food Systems Dashboard, a new data visualization tool that aims to improve access to and usage of food systems-related data, thus strengthening the data value chain and better informing policies and actions intended to improve diets, nutrition, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture and Food Systems – Global and Local Comparisons)

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20 pages, 3359 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diets, Food Choices and Environmental Impacts across an Urban-Rural Interface in Northern Vietnam

by Huong Thi Trinh, Vincent Linderhof, Vy Thao Vuong, Erin E. Esaryk, Martin Heller, Youri Dijkxhoorn, Trang Mai Nguyen, Tuyen Thi Thanh Huynh, Ricardo Hernandez, Thanh Thi Duong, Van Thi Luu, Andrew D. Jones, Elise F. Talsma, Mai Tuyet Truong, Thom Achterbosch and Stef de Haan

Agriculture 2021, 11(2), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11020137 - 07 Feb 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4359

Abstract

Human diets and their associated environmental impacts differ across segments of the population. There is evidence that consumer choices of food intake can also affect the overall environmental impacts of a food system. This paper analyzes the environmental impact of diets and food choices across a rural–urban transect in Northern Vietnam by using mixed survey data from 619 adult respondents. The average greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) resulting from producing the daily food intake of adults in the urban and peri-urban districts were similar, while the average in the rural district was lower. Although starchy staples contributed the most to energy intake, pork and beef were the largest contributors to GHGE. Metrics of blue water use were higher for diets of males than those of females in all three districts. Interestingly, the difference in mean diet diversity score between urban and rural households was significant, and females’ diets were more diverse than those of males. As expected, urban households were more likely to buy food, while rural households often produced their own foods. Urban households reported prioritizing personal health and the natural content of food and would increase seafood and fruits if their income were to increase. In rural regions, interventions aimed at reducing undernutrition should address improving diet quality without significant increases to diet-related environmental impacts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture and Food Systems – Global and Local Comparisons)

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20 pages, 2771 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Farmscape Composition and Livelihood Sustainability in Deforested Landscapes of Colombian Amazonia

by Lisset Pérez Marulanda, Patrick Lavelle, Martin Rudbeck Jepsen, Augusto Castro-Nunez, Wendy Francesconi, Karen Camilo, Martha Vanegas-Cubillos, Miguel Antonio Romero, Juan Carlos Suárez, Antonio Solarte and Marcela Quintero

Agriculture 2020, 10(12), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10120588 - 27 Nov 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3210

Abstract

In this article, we operationalized a sustainability framing based on the Sustainable Rural Livelihood Resources Framework (SLF), which consists of five capitals—human, physical, social, financial, and natural. We proposed a sustainability index (SI) for two landscapes dominated by two agricultural systems: cattle ranching and small-scale family agriculture. Farm variables within each capital were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. Key variables were identified and index values were calculated for each capital. These were combined through a set of simultaneous equations to estimate farm-specific capitals and SI from the observed farm variables. Principal component and cluster analyses were used to group the farms according to their index scores and to further compare their characteristics. Furthermore, with the purpose of comparing the index scoring with an independent metric, a landscape indicator, which comes from a continuous forest, was calculated. From the results, the capitals that contributed to a higher SI score the most were financial and physical. As cattle ranching was associated with higher economic returns and infrastructure investments, this livelihood was identified as the most sustainable. Yet, cattle ranching has been a deforestation driver in the region. These results are attributed to the current conceptual framework design, which gives greater weight to material and economic variables; therefore, it generates a weak sustainability measure. Although the framework allowed us to identify land-use alternatives that could improve SI scores (i.e., silvopastoral systems), corrections to the proposed framework and methodological approach will need to include additional environmental benefits currently unaccounted for. Farmers that use their farms for conservation purposes should be recognized and compensated. An improved environmentally focused SI operational framework could help to endorse and promote sustainable livelihoods and to generate a strong sustainability measure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture and Food Systems – Global and Local Comparisons)

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Review

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21 pages, 1000 KiB

Open AccessReview

Construction and Interpretation of Production and Market Metrics Used to Understand Relationships with Dietary Diversity of Rural Smallholder Farming Households

by Eric O. Verger, Cédric Gaillard, Andrew D. Jones, Roseline Remans and Gina Kennedy

Agriculture 2021, 11(8), 749; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11080749 - 06 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2519

Abstract

Indicators of agricultural production diversity and market access and/or participation have often been used to try to understand how agricultural production and markets influence dietary diversity of rural smallholder households. Based on a standardized search strategy, 37 studies investigating the association between an indicator of agricultural production diversity and any indicator of dietary diversity were reviewed. The characteristics of the indicators of agricultural production diversity, as well as indicators of market access and/or participation, were assessed. This review demonstrated the wide range of indicators; four types and 14 subtypes of indicators of agricultural production diversity were found in the 37 studies, and three types and 14 subtypes of indicators of market access and/or participation were found in 25 studies. While diversity of measurement ideas allows flexibility, it precludes comparability with other studies and might make it difficult to build a robust body of evidence of the impact of agriculture at farm household level on food security, diet, and nutrition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture and Food Systems – Global and Local Comparisons)

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