Search Results (14)

Background: Food insecurity among college students is a multidimensional challenge shaped by individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and policy factors. Although many campuses require or provide meal plans, students may experience food insecurity when barriers related to agency (choice and autonomy), utilization (nutrition security), and availability persist. This study explored how undergraduate students at a private, urban U.S. university experience and navigate the multiple dimensions of food insecurity. Methods: We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews via Zoom between December 2024 and January 2025 with n = 22 undergraduate students recruited based on food security status, determined by a Fall 2024 longitudinal survey using the USDA Six-Item Short Form. Transcripts were double-coded by trained research assistants in ATLAS.ti using an inductive codebook. Thematic analyses followed a phronetic, iterative approach, organizing findings within a socio-ecological determinants framework and comparing themes by food security status. Results: We identified nine themes across four domains (individual, interpersonal, institutional and community, and political). At the individual level, constrained personal resources for groceries and cooking, time scarcity leading to skipped meals, and health impacts that detracted from academics emerged as key themes. Interpersonally, reliable family financial support was protective and informal support from peers/coaches filled gaps sporadically for some. At the institutional and community level, dining hall hours misaligned with student schedules, perceived limited variety and nutrition quality reduced food agency and utilization, and transportation impeded use of the sole grocery partner accepting university meal plan benefits. Notably, meal plans including unlimited meal swipes provided stable access but did not guarantee food security when food agency and utilization barriers persisted. Many students relied on campus events for free food; formal assistance (e.g., food pantry) was largely underused. At the policy level, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) awareness and enrollment was limited among our sample. Conclusions: Meal plan access alone is insufficient to ensure food security. Campus strategies should extend beyond access to prioritize flexibility, variety, and alignment with students’ schedules and preferences, while strengthening communication and eligibility support for external benefits. Future work should design and evaluate interventions that integrate all dimensions of food security and address institutional policies affecting students’ basic needs. Full article

Rice farming is a double-edged sword essential to humans as a staple food, yet it is also a source of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, a threat to human life. Adopting innovative technologies is one of the sustainable ways to maintain rice production and mitigate climate change. This review aims to comprehensively explore and analyze innovative climate-resilient technologies on productivity, environment, and economic sustainability to implement net-zero agriculture. We conducted a bibliometric analysis based on Scopus data using RStudio and VOSViewer and a systematic literature review using PRISMA guidelines with keywords such as rice, agriculture, technology, land, sustainable, economy, profitability, environment, and ecology. A total of 703 articles were obtained in the initial stage, and 27 articles were deemed eligible for further analysis. We found that precision agriculture, biofertilizers, climate-resilient rice varieties, irrigation technologies, carbon and methane mitigation strategies, and mechanization technologies can increase productivity and mitigate climate change. Adopting these innovative technologies also has a positive impact on environmental and economic sustainability, as well as farmers’ livelihoods. This review emphasizes the importance of collaboration among scientists, the private sector, farmers, and policymakers to achieve food security amidst climate change. Full article

Under the “double security” goal of achieving both food security and ecological protection, this study explores the green and low-carbon utilization efficiency of cultivated land (GLCUECL) in the Huaihe River Ecological Economic Belt (HREEB). This study identifies the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and trends, promoting the green, low-carbon, and sustainable utilization of arable land resources in the HREEB, thus contributing to regional and national food and ecological security. Using a global super-efficiency EBM framework that accounts for undesirable outputs, as well as the GML index, the researchers measured and decomposed the GLCUECL in 25 prefecture-level cities of the HREEB from 2005 to 2021. The Theil index and kernel density estimation were applied to analyze regional disparities and changing developmental traits. Spatial convergence and divergence were assessed using the coefficient of variation and spatial convergence models. Key findings include the following: (1) Over time, the GLCUECL in the HREEB exhibited an overall upward trend and a non-equilibrium characteristic, namely the “East Sea-river-lake Linkage Area (ESLA) > Midwest Inland Rising Area (MIRA) > Huaihe River Ecological Economic Belt (HREEB) > North Huaihai Economic Zone (NHEZ)”. The increase in the GML index of the GLCUECL is mainly attributable to a technical progress change. (2) The overall difference in the GLCUECL tends to decline, which is mainly attributable to the intra-regional differences. (3) The overall kernel density curves for the HREEB and its three sub-regions exhibited a “rightward shift” trend. Except for the expansion and polarization of the absolute difference in the GLCUECL in the NHEZ, the absolute difference in GLCUECL in other regions, such as the HREEB, ESLA, and MIRA, exhibited a decreasing trend. (4) Spatial convergence analysis revealed that only the NHEZ lacks σ-convergence, whereas all regions exhibited β-convergence. Moreover, factors such as rural economic development level, cultivated land resource endowment, agricultural subsidy policy, crop planting structure, and technological input exerted a heterogeneous effect on the change in the GLCUECL. Based on these findings, this study offers recommendations for improving GLCUECL in the HREEB. Our recommendations include the implementation of the concept of green new development, optimization of the institution supply, establishing a regional cooperation mechanism for green and low-carbon utilization of cultivated land, and formulation of differentiated paths for improving the green and low-carbon utilization efficiency of cultivated land according to local conditions. Full article

Climate change has magnified health disparities across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region by destabilizing the critical natural systems, which include water security, food production, and disease ecology. The IPCC (2007) underscores the disproportionate impact on low-income populations characterized by limited adaptive capacity, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Rising temperatures, erratic precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events ranging from prolonged droughts to catastrophic floods have created favourable conditions for the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, as well as the expansion of vector-borne diseases zone also characterized by warmer and wetter conditions where diseases like malaria thrives. This study employed a comparative analysis of climate and health data across Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa examining the interplay between climatic shifts and disease patterns. Through reviews of national surveillance reports, adaptation policies, and outbreak records, the analysis reveals the existence of critical gaps in preparedness and response. Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland region experienced a doubling of diarrheal diseases in 2019 due to drought-driven water shortages, forcing communities to rely on unsafe alternatives. Mozambique faced a similar crisis following Cyclone Idai in 2019, where floodwaters precipitated a threefold surge in cholera cases, predominantly affecting children under five. In Malawi, Cyclone Ana’s catastrophic flooding in 2022 contaminated water sources, leading to a devastating cholera outbreak that claimed over 1200 lives. Meanwhile, in South Africa, inadequate sanitation in KwaZulu-Natal’s informal settlements amplified cholera transmission during the 2023 rainy season. Malaria incidence has also risen in these regions, with warmer temperatures extending the geographic range of Anopheles mosquitoes and lengthening the transmission seasons. The findings underscore an urgent need for integrated, multisectoral interventions. Strengthening disease surveillance systems to incorporate climate data could enhance early warning capabilities, while national adaptation plans must prioritize health resilience by bridging gaps between water, agriculture, and infrastructure policies. Community-level interventions, such as water purification programs and targeted vector control, are essential to reduce outbreaks in high-risk areas. Beyond these findings, there is a critical need to invest in longitudinal research so as to elucidate the causal pathways between climate change and disease burden, particularly for understudied linkages like malaria expansion and urbanization. Without coordinated action, climate-related health inequalities will continue to widen, leaving marginalized populations increasingly vulnerable to preventable diseases. The SADC region must adopt evidence-based, equity-centred strategies to mitigate these growing threats and safeguard public health in a warming world. Full article

The Huaihe River Basin stands as a vital grain-producing base in China. Predicting the dynamic evolution of its carbon storage (CS) is of great theoretical value and practical significance for maintaining regional ecological security, guaranteeing food production capacity, and coping with climate change. This study established a multi-dimensional analysis framework of “scenario simulation–reservoir assessment–value quantification”. Using a sample of 195 cities, the PLUS-InVEST-GIS method was combined to explore the overall CS, spatial differentiation, and value changes in future scenarios. The results indicate that the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, CS kept on declining, with cultivated land and forest land being the dominant carbon pools, accounting for over 86% of the total CS. (2) From a “city–grid–raster” perspective, the spatial pattern of high-value hot spots of CS remained stable, and the overall pattern remained unchanged under multi-scenario simulation, yet the overall carbon sink center of gravity shifted to the southwest. (3) The top five driving factors are elevation, slope, NDVI, GDP per capita, and population density, accounting for 77.2% of the total driving force. (4) The carbon sequestration capacity at the county scale continued to weaken, and the overall capacity presented the following order: 2035 Farmland protection scenario (FPS) > 2035 Natural development scenario (NDS) > 2035 Urban development scenario (UDS). The resulting carbon economic losses were USD 2.28 × 10⁸, 4.57 × 10⁸, and 6.90 × 10⁸, respectively. The research results will provide scientific land use decision-making support for the realization of the “double-carbon” goals in the Huaihe River grain-producing area. Full article

The global dependence on a narrow range of crops poses significant risks to food security, and exploring alternative crops that enhance agrobiodiversity is crucial. Lupinus pilosus L., a wild lupin species native to Israel, represents a promising candidate for domestication due to its large seeds and high protein content. This study is the first to evaluate the agronomic potential of L. pilosus, focusing on populations from basalt and limestone soils. We hypothesized that L. pilosus has significant potential as a novel high-protein crop and that its agronomic characteristics vary among geographically distinct populations. We performed a net-house experiment to test these hypotheses, exploring dozens of agronomic traits for each of the 10 accessions originating in wild populations. We found that basalt-origin accessions exhibited 34.2% higher seed weight, while limestone accessions doubled their seed yield when exposed to honeybee pollination. Notably, high-density cultivation did not reduce seed yield, suggesting that L. pilosus could be successfully cultivated under crop-like conditions. Our findings highlight the species’ adaptability to different soil types and its responsiveness to pollination, traits that align with the need for climate-resilient crops. This study presents a significant step forward in the domestication of wild lupins, particularly in regions prone to environmental stressors. Compared to other studies on wild lupin domestication, this research provides new insights into the role of ecology in shaping agronomic traits, emphasizing the unique combination of seed yield and plant traits under diverse growing conditions. Full article

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most widely cultivated grain crops globally. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), it plays an important role in ensuring both food and income security for smallholder farmers. This study was conducted to (i) assess the performances of testcross hybrids constituted from maize lethal necrosis (MLN) tolerant doubled haploid (DH) lines under various management conditions; (ii) estimate the combining ability effects and determine the nature of gene action in the DH lines; and (iii) identify DH lines and testcross hybrids for resistance to MLN, high grain yield, and other important traits. Eleven DH lines were crossed with 11 single-cross testers using the line-by-tester mating design, and 115 successful testcross hybrids were generated. These hybrids, along with five commercial check hybrids, were evaluated across four optimum management conditions, two MLN artificial inoculations, and one managed drought environment in Kenya. Under each management condition, the effects of genotypes, environments, and genotype-by-environment interactions were significant for grain yield (GY) and most other traits. Hybrids T1/L3, T10/L3, and T11/L3 exhibited higher grain yields under at least two management conditions. A combining ability analysis revealed that additive gene effects were more important than non-additive effects for GY and most other traits, except for leaf senescence (SEN) and MLN disease severity score. DH line L3 exhibited a desirable general combining ability (GCA) effect for GY, while L5 was the best general combiner for anthesis date (AD) and plant height (PH) across all management conditions. DH lines L2, L6, and L7 showed negative GCA effects for MLN disease severity. Single-cross testers T11 and T10 were good general combiners for GY under all management conditions. Hybrids T2/L11, T9/L10, and T2/L10 demonstrated high specific combining ability (SCA) effects for GY under all conditions. This study identified DH lines and testers with favorable GCA effects for grain yield, MLN resistance, and other agronomic traits that can be used in breeding programs to develop high-yielding and MLN-resistant maize varieties. Better-performing testcross hybrids identified in the current study could be verified through on-farm testing and released for commercial production to replace MLN-susceptible, low-yield hybrids grown in the target ecologies. Full article

Agriculture contributes to the South African economy, but this sector is highly vulnerable to climate change risks. Smallholder maize farmers are specifically susceptible to climate change impacts. The maize crop plays a crucial role in the country’s food security as is considered a staple food and feed. The study aimed at examining the socioeconomic factors influencing smallholder maize farmers’ willingness to adopt climate-smart agriculture in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. It was conducted in three different areas due to their specific agro-ecological zones. A multipurpose research design was used to gather data, and multistage random sampling was used to choose the study areas. Subsequently, 209 purposefully selected farmers were interviewed face-to-face using structured questionnaires and focus discussion groups. Descriptive results revealed that 81%, 67%, and 63% farmers in Ga-Makanye, Gabaza, and Giyani were willing to adopt CSA. Using the double-hurdle model, the t-test was significant at 1%, Prob > chi2 = 0. 0000, indicating a good model. At a 5% confidence level, education, crop diversification, and information about climate-smart agriculture (CSA) positively influenced adoption, while household size and agricultural experience negatively influenced it. It is recommended that the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development provide CSA workshops and educational programs to farmers to enhance their knowledge and decision-making processes regarding adaptation strategies. Full article

With the progress of economic development and increase in income, there have been significant transformations in the food consumption patterns among Chinese residents. Grain consumption has declined while the consumption of livestock products such as meat, poultry, eggs, and milk has gradually risen. Moreover, noteworthy adjustments have been observed in the meat consumption structure itself, with a substantial increase in poultry consumption and a significant decrease in pork consumption as representative of red meat. This study collects data mainly from the “Brick Agricultural Database” and “China National Grain & Oils Information Center”. And then, we employ the China Agricultural Industry Model (CASM) to simulate the economic and ecological consequences of augmenting poultry consumption as a substitute for red meat intake. The research findings demonstrate that ensuring an adequate intake of livestock products for residents without any decline will stimulate the doubling of China’s poultry meat demand by 2035 compared to 2020 while replacing pork. This would reduce feed grain requirements by 50 million tons and achieve carbon emission reductions amounting to 82 million tons. If we consider the consumption of poultry consumption growth in conjunction with its substitution for other red meats such as pork, beef, and mutton, this will save approximately 20 million tons of feed grains and lead to a reduction of around 103 million tons in carbon emissions. In conclusion, promoting future increases in poultry consumption as a substitute for pork and other red meat will yield extensive economic andecological benefits contributing toward international food security goals, as well as global carbon reduction targets. Additionally, advocating for increasing poultry consumption will also reduce the risk of chronic diseases and malignant tumors; this will significantly improve the national health states. Full article

The uncontrolled logging of Pterocarpus tinctorius Welw. in the Kasenga territory in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is of significant socioeconomic benefit, but above all, it is a threat to the stability of forest ecosystems. Based on Landsat images from 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021, the landscape dynamics of the Kasomeno region in the Kasenga territory, a P. tinctorius exploitation area, was quantified using a mapping approach coupled with landscape ecology analysis tools. The results reveal a continuous loss of forest cover over all the periods studied, mostly between 2013 and 2017, primarily through the dissection of patches. Also, through the spatial process of attrition, the fields recorded a regressive dynamic between 2013–2017, a sign of abandonment of agricultural activity in favour of P. tinctorius illegal logging. These landscape dynamics are the consequences of strong anthropic activities in the study area, leading to an important spatial expansion of the savannah. Consequently, the level of landscape disturbance doubled from 0.8 to 1.7 between 2009 and 2021. Our results suggest that, without regulatory enforcement, illegal logging of P. tinctorius seriously compromises forest ecosystem health and household food security in the region. Full article

The world’s urban population is expected to nearly double by 2050, making urbanization one of the most disruptive developments of the 21st century. On a global-to-local scale, ensuring a secure and reliable supply of food energy and water (FEW) resources for all humans is a major challenge in such a scenario. While much attention has recently been focused on the concept of FEW security and the interactions between the three sectors, there is no universally acceptable framing of the concept due to the fact that latest studies are mainly focused on individual FEW sectors, with not much investigation into how they interact. This research aims to create a localized framework based on the principles of the emerging concept of the Circulating Ecological Sphere (CES), introduced by the government of Japan, for a limited number of security indicators and dimensions. It began with a thorough study of the relevant literature using the PRISMA method, identification of gaps in local indicators for urban areas in each of the existing frameworks, and the proposal of a new indicator framework that tackles collective FEW security in urban environments is made accordingly. The authors have applied a special mechanism for filtration of this literature dataset in the context of Nagpur City in accordance with data availability and case study context. To test the applicability of the indicator set, it has been applied to the specific case of Nagpur. Both online and offline surveys were conducted to collect data, and subsequently a weighted mean method was adopted to analyze the data and derive values for the indicator set. Full article

Rice is an important food crop in China, fertilization measures significantly affect soil properties and ultimately change rice yield. Thus, examining the effects of long-term green manure cultivation on the rice yield and the driving factors on rice yield, plays a crucial role in maintaining food security. Based on the long-term green manure cultivation, the treatments included no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer (NPK), chemical fertilizer + Chinese milk vetch (NPK + GM), chemical fertilizer + Chinese milk vetch + rice straws (NPK + GM + S), and chemical fertilizer + Chinese milk vetch + pig manure (NPK + GM + M) treatments. One-way repeated ANOVA was used to determine the effects of diverse fertilizer modes on temporal variations in rice yields. The redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to calculate the magnitudes of the effects of soil properties on rice yield. Compared with the CK treatment, four fertilizer treatments led to significantly increased double-season rice yields (116.40–124.49%), with no significant difference between four fertilizer treatments (p> 0.05). There were five soil properties accounting for 66.3% variation in rice yield (p< 0.05), with available potassium (AK) being the most influential factor (32.2% variation), whereas potential of hydrogen (pH), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and soil organic carbon (SOC) accounted for 15.3%, 10.5%, 5.1%, and 3.2% variation in rice yield (p< 0.05), respectively. Thus, SOC, TN, TP, AK, and pH were major factors affecting the double-season rice yield of red paddy soil under long-term green manure cultivation. However, the results suggested that the effect of green manure on soil fertility is limited by the relatively large amount of chemical fertilizer. The results reported herein can not only increase soil fertility and improve the soil ecological environment, but also enhance and stabilize the yields of double-season rice grown in the red paddy soil of southern China. Full article

Cacao cultivation is rapidly increasing in Latin America under the influence of public policies and external markets. In Ecuador, the cultivated surface of high quality cacao trees has doubled in the last 50 years, creating great expectations in neighboring countries. Here, we investigated the social-ecological sustainability of cacao-based agroforestry systems in four rural Amazonian highlands communities in eastern Ecuador, close to the region where cacao was once domesticated. Kichwa- and Shuar-speaking groups were interviewed by adapting Ostrom’s institutional diagnostic framework for social-ecological systems. Through a set of specifically created indicator variables, we identified key interactions and outcomes to understand the fragility and the sustainability of those communities. The studied communities were fairly young, with land rights secured less than 30 years ago in most cases. Per-family surfaces were very restricted (typically one hectare) and plots were divided between cash producing crops and their own home food. The small production per household goes through a precarious commercialization by both intermediaries and cooperatives, making the cacao bean production merely sufficient for pocket money. Ties with specialist producers in one community close to the capital has promoted the use of native cacao lines. Elsewhere, improved varieties of high productivity are planted along native trees being commercialized indistinctly. The continuity of these communities currently depend on a reorganization of their demography with parts of the population working elsewhere, as cacao bean production alone will continue to be insufficient, and will compete with their food self-sufficiency. Full article

(1) Background: The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is a complex problem involving the coexistence of under- and over-nutrition within the same individual, household or population. This review aimed to discuss the correlates of the double burden of malnutrition through the socio-ecological model (SEM); (2) Methods: The PubMed database was systematically searched for peer-reviewed articles related to the double burden of malnutrition. Information on correlates of the double burden of malnutrition was extracted for analysis and discussion in alignment with the levels of the socio-ecological model.; (3) Results and Discussion: The correlates of the double burden of malnutrition identified from previous literature were: Race/genetics; maternal short stature; breastfeeding status; low maternal education; family size; household food security; household dietary diversity; and rural and urban settings. In the absence of evidence linking factors in a certain level of the SEM and the double burden of malnutrition, we employed correlates of overweight status and obesity to complete this narrative. Potential intervention strategies were proposed in alignment with the targets and settings identified, based on the socio-ecological approach; (4) Conclusions: The double burden of malnutrition is a public health phenomenon associated with a variety of socio-ecological determinants. An integrated approach is needed to address the root causes of malnutrition in all its forms, and at all life stages. Full article