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Theeraseematham P, Aht-Ong D, Honda K, Napathorn SC. Valorization of agro-industrial waste from the cassava industry as esterified cellulose butyrate for polyhydroxybutyrate-based biocomposites. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292051. [PMID: 37992009 PMCID: PMC10664873 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to utilize cassava pulp to prepare biocomposites comprising microcrystalline cellulose from cassava pulp (CP-MCC) as a filler and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesized in-house by Cupriavidus necator strain A-04. The CP-MCC was extracted from fresh cassava pulp. Next, the CP-MCC surface was modified with butyryl chloride (esterified to CP-MCC butyrate) to improve dissolution and compatibility with the PHB. FTIR results confirmed that the esterified CP-MCC butyrate had aliphatic chains replacing the hydroxyl groups; this substitution increased the solubilities in acetone, chloroform, and tetrahydrofuran. Biocomposite films were prepared by varying the composition of esterified CP-MCC butyrate as a filler in the PHB matrix at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 100 wt%. The results for the 95:5 and 90:10 CP-MCC butyrate biocomposite films showed that esterification led to improvements in the thermal properties and increased tensile strengths and elongations at break. All prepared biocomposite films maintained full biodegradability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Duangdao Aht-Ong
- Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kohsuke Honda
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
- International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Suchada Chanprateep Napathorn
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
- International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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Does Voluntary Family Planning Contribute to Food Security? Evidence from Ethiopia. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15051081. [PMID: 36904080 PMCID: PMC10005042 DOI: 10.3390/nu15051081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aims to explore the effects of voluntary family planning (FP) utilization on food security in selected districts of Ethiopia. Quantitative research methods were used to conduct a community-based study among a sample of 737 women of reproductive age. The data were analyzed using a hierarchical logistic regression constructed in three models. The findings showed 579 (78.2%) were using FP at the time of the survey. According to the household-level food insecurity access scale, 55.2% of households experienced food insecurity. The likelihood of food security was lower by 64% for women who used FP for less than 21 months (AOR = 0.64: 95%CI: 0.42-0.99) in comparison to mothers who used FP for more than 21 months. Households having positive adaptive behaviors were three times more likely (AOR = 3.60: 95%CI 2.07-6.26) to have food security in comparison to those not having positive adaptive behaviors. This study also revealed that almost half of the mothers (AOR: 0.51: 95%CI: 0.33-0.80) who reported being influenced by other family members to use FP had food security, in comparison to their counterparts. Age, duration of FP use, positive adaptive behaviors, and influence by significant others were found to be independent predictors of food security in the study areas. Culturally sensitive strategies need to be considered to expand awareness and dispel misconceptions that lead to hesitancy around FP utilization. Design strategies should take into account households' resilience in adaptive skills during shocks, natural disasters, or pandemics which will be invaluable for food security.
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Sileshi M, Sieber S, Friedrichs K, Rybak C, Feyisa BW, Lana MA. Adoption and Impact of Kitchen Garden on Food and Nutritional Security of Farming Households in Tanzania. Ecol Food Nutr 2022; 61:651-668. [PMID: 36031880 DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2022.2116433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
This article analyzes factors influencing the adoption of kitchen gardens and food and nutrition security implications of kitchen gardens on farming households. For this, the Per Capita Kilocalorie Intake (PKCI) and Food Consumption Score (FCS) were applied as food and nutrition security indicators. This paper is based on cross-sectional data that include a sample of 825 households from two districts in Tanzania. Endogenous Switching Regression is employed to determine factors influencing the adoption of a kitchen garden and its impact on food and nutrition security of the involved farming households. The results of the analysis indicate that the adoption of a kitchen garden increased with the family size (adult equivalent), credit use, access to information, districts (location), and the usage of other water sources for agriculture in addition to rainfed. It decreased with total land size and TLU. While the adoption of a kitchen garden significantly increased adopters' FCS by 1.45 or 2.96% and non-adopters' FCS by 1.26 or 2.69%. In contrast, the adoption of a kitchen garden significantly reduced non-adopters' PKCI by 101.18 or 3.92% but it does not have significant impact for adopters. Therefore, policymakers and development organizations should further promote and scale-up the kitchen garden intervention in order to use it as a tool to enhance the household's food and nutrition security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Million Sileshi
- School of Agriculture Economics and Agribusiness, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | - Stefan Sieber
- Sustainable Land Use in Developing Countries, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Muncheberg, Germany
| | - Katrin Friedrichs
- Sustainable Land Use in Developing Countries, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Muncheberg, Germany
| | - Constance Rybak
- Sustainable Land Use in Developing Countries, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Muncheberg, Germany
| | - Bekele Wegi Feyisa
- School of Agriculture Economics and Agribusiness, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | - Marcos Alberto Lana
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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Kibria ASMG, Costanza R, Soto JR. Modeling the complex associations of human wellbeing dimensions in a coupled human-natural system: In contexts of marginalized communities. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.109883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Tize I, Fotso AK, Nukenine EN, Masso C, Ngome FA, Suh C, Lendzemo VW, Nchoutnji I, Manga G, Parkes E, Kulakow P, Kouebou C, Fiaboe KKM, Hanna R. New cassava germplasm for food and nutritional security in Central Africa. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7394. [PMID: 33795808 PMCID: PMC8016988 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86958-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Cassava is a key food security crop in Central Africa, but its production depends largely on the use of local farmers' varieties characterized by inherently low yield which is compounded by generally high susceptibility to various growth and yield-limiting pests and diseases. Improved cassava genotypes have demonstrated the potential to substantially improve cassava's contribution to food security and the development of the cassava industry and the improvement of nutrition status elsewhere in Western Africa. Eleven improved cassava genotypes were compared with a local landrace (LMR) used as a check under field conditions over two years in eight locations, grouped in four agro-ecologies in Cameroon. Pest and disease abundance/incidence and damage severity were evaluated. At harvest, root yield and carotenoid content were measured. Best linear unbiased predictors showed the lowest breeding value for LMR with the cassava mosaic virus disease (+ 66.40 ± 2.42) compared with 1.00 ± 0.02% for the most susceptible improved genotype. Two genotypes (I010040-27 and I011797) stood out for having higher predicted fresh root yield means which were at least 16 times greater compared with LMR. Predicted total carotenoid content was the highest (+ 5.04 ± 0.17) for improved genotype I070593 compared with LMR which showed the lowest (- 3.90 ± 0.06%) and could contribute to the alleviation of vitamin A deficiency from cassava-based food systems. Diffusion of high-yielding and nutritious genotypes could alleviate food and nutritional security in Central Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Tize
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, BP 2008, Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, BP 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
| | - Apollin Kuate Fotso
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, BP 2008, Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Elias Nchiwan Nukenine
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, BP 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
| | - Cargele Masso
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, BP 2008, Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Christopher Suh
- Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, BP 2067, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Ibrahim Nchoutnji
- Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, BP 2067, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Gabriel Manga
- Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, BP 2067, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Elisabeth Parkes
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, PMB 320 Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Peter Kulakow
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, PMB 320 Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Christiant Kouebou
- Agricultural Investment and Market Development Project, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Komi K M Fiaboe
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, BP 2008, Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Rachid Hanna
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, BP 2008, Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Congo Basin Institute, Institute of Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Box 951496, Los Angeles, USA
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Renwick LLR, Kimaro AA, Hafner JM, Rosenstock TS, Gaudin ACM. Maize-Pigeonpea Intercropping Outperforms Monocultures Under Drought. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.562663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need to develop resilient agroecosystems capable of helping smallholder farmers adapt to climate change, particularly drought. In East Africa, diversification of maize-based cropping systems by intercropping with grain and tree legumes may foster productivity and resilience to adverse weather conditions. We tested whether intercropping enhances drought resistance and crop and whole-system yields by imposing drought in monocultures and additive intercrops along a crop diversity gradient—sole maize (Zea mays), sole pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan), maize-pigeonpea, maize-gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium, a woody perennial), and maize-pigeonpea-gliricidia—with and without fertilizer application. We developed and tested a novel low-cost, above-canopy rainout shelter design for drought experiments made with locally-sourced materials that successfully reduced soil moisture without creating sizeable artifacts for the crop microenvironment. Drought reduced maize grain yield under fertilized conditions in some cropping systems but did not impact pigeonpea grain yield. Whole-system grain yield and theoretical caloric and protein yields in two intercropping systems, maize-pigeonpea and maize-gliricidia, were similar to the standard sole maize system. Maize-pigeonepea performed most strongly compared to other systems in terms of protein yield. Maize-pigeonpea was the only intercrop that consistently required less land than its corresponding monocultures to produce the same yield (Land Equivalent Ratio >1), particularly under drought. Despite intercropping systems having greater planting density than sole maize and theoretically greater competition for water, they were not more prone to yield loss with drought. Our results show that maize-pigeonpea intercropping provides opportunities to produce the same food on less land under drought and non-drought conditions, without compromising drought resistance of low-input smallholder maize systems.
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Dissanayake L, Perera P, Attanayaka T, Heberle E, Jayawardhana M. Early Development of Direct Embryos in the Cultured Anthers of Manihot esculenta Crantz. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E1315. [PMID: 33036131 PMCID: PMC7650799 DOI: 10.3390/plants9101315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Cassava is one of the most important sources of energy. To meet the growing demand, genetic improvement is of utmost importance. Its cross-pollinating nature limits the opportunity of exploitation of hybrid vigor and demands the development of homozygous lines through doubled-haploid technologies. The problems in callus-mediated embryogenesis, such as longer processing time and genetically unstable nature, can be overcome by direct embryogenesis. Conditions to produce embryos directly from microspores in cultured anthers were optimized. The optimum stress pretreatment condition was 40 °C for 6 h after culturing the anthers into the induction medium. For proembryo formation, 2% sucrose and 5 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or 1 mg/l 1-naphthaleneacetic acid were optimum. Globular embryos were formed by subculturing proembryos into the medium with 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D and 5 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine after two weeks of culturing. Light microscopy of cultured anthers demonstrated the formation of multicellular structures and their further development into proembryos. Microscopic studies showed proembryos emerging through the damaged anther wall. Monoallelic banding in simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis indicated homozygous or haploid states in some of the originated embryos. The conditions optimized in this study were effective in the early development of direct embryos after two weeks of culture initiation. This is the first report of the formation of direct embryos in cultured anthers of cassava.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakmali Dissanayake
- Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, 60170 (NWP), Sri Lanka; (L.D.); (T.A.); (M.J.)
| | - Prasanthi Perera
- Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, 60170 (NWP), Sri Lanka; (L.D.); (T.A.); (M.J.)
| | - Thilak Attanayaka
- Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, 60170 (NWP), Sri Lanka; (L.D.); (T.A.); (M.J.)
| | - Erwin Heberle
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Max-Perutz-Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9, A-1030 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Manosha Jayawardhana
- Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, 60170 (NWP), Sri Lanka; (L.D.); (T.A.); (M.J.)
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Effects of Cultivated Area on Smallholder Farm Profits and Food Security in Rural Communities of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12083272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
As rural poverty deepens over much of Sub-Saharan Africa, smallholder transformation has become more urgent than ever before. A majority of rural people derive their livelihoods from agriculture, hence the urgent need for transforming the sector. The South African government launched a comprehensive land reform programme at the dawn of democracy in the country on the assumption that constraints on land size would be eliminated to make room for a more inclusive agricultural economy. The present study sought to assess how cultivated area affects food security and the profits of maize and cabbage farmers. The purposive sampling technique was used for the selection of study sites, from which 158 irrigators and homestead gardeners were selected. The data were then subjected to analysis by defining a maximum likelihood estimator that combines the seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) and one-way error correction model, to determine the factors influencing food security and farm profits. The model revealed diverse relationships, suggesting that location, farm type and income were important variables in explaining food security. The area under cultivation was found to influence profits for both crops. Policies in favour of technology adoption, market access and input use would greatly incentivize farmers to cultivate larger plots of land.
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Experimenting with RRI tools to Drive Sustainable Agri-Food Research: The SASS Case Study from Sub-Saharan Africa. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12030827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The need to develop experimental tools for a responsible research and innovation (RRI) framework is relevant for managing research agendas and policy making that seriously take into account the complex conditions of innovation development (linked to multidisciplinarity and interaction processes) between the researchers and their fieldwork activities. The adoption of an RRI framework is even more important for multidisciplinary and complex issues, such as the agri-food system. In this context, the SASS (Sustainable Agri-food Systems for Sustainable Development (SASS) project represents a good example for verifying the application of the RRI strategy in a varied research group committed to the development of sustainable agri-food systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. The project, which involves more than 50 researchers from different fields of knowledge and theoretical backgrounds, showed the importance of the processes of reflection, re-driving, and convergence in the definition of research objectives and strategies. This process started by experimenting with new dedicated RRI tools in order to allow interactions between the researchers, including exchanging their experience in data collection and theoretical reflection development. With respect to this analysis, it was interesting to analyze how the RRI tools and strategies have been activated between researchers and different stakeholders, generating reflections capable of re-adapting the results towards shared and accessible innovation for the extended society. Following the discussion based on the description of the SASS-RRI agenda tools and following an internal verification given from an RRI-based web survey, this contribution provides new insights, in terms of tools and strategies, to promote and refine RRI approaches. This work underlines how RRI methods have promoted internal and external interactions to connect the research objectives towards a model of open innovation.
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Exploring the Determinants of Food Security in the Areas of the Nam Theun2 Hydropower Project in Khammuan, Laos. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12020520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This article examines the driving forces of food security in the areas of the Nam Theun2 Hydropower Project (NT2) in Khamuan, Laos. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from 100 NT2 resettlement households based on the random sampling technique. A linear regression technique was used to identify the influence of household food insecurity. The result showed that household size, food price, drought, shock, household income per month, number of laborers, gender of the household head, and farmland areas are important factors for household food insecurity. Policies should focus on irrigation that will permit yearlong cultivation. This will in turn become the stimulus for a concatenation of events in the process of development. People will resettle to practice agriculture while also expanding non-agricultural employment. Businesses in skills training, fish processing, textile, services, and crafts will be created, boosting household income. With inevitable population expansion, education in family planning will also be necessary to control population in relation to available resources.
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