Biodiversity in agricultural and food systems of jhum landscape in the West Garo Hills, North-eastern India

The role of the fishery industry in the shift towards sustainable food security: a critical study of blue food

Blue foods have traditionally been undervalued in their contribution to global food systems. Yet they are incredible sources of locally produced nutrition for millions of people. In late 2022, there was a call for global action on food system transformation in the United Nations Food Systems Summit. The Blue Food Assessment, a scientific assessment of blue foods and their potential to contribute to sustainable and just food systems, reveals gaps where innovation could meaningfully bolster the blue food ecosystem. This article aims to examine the dynamic impact of the fishery sector on long-term food security in 27 European Union (EU27) countries while considering the contribution of agricultural output, energy production, economic development, and governance between 1990 and 2022. The findings showed a substantial positive link between fishery production and sustainable food security at a 5% statistical level, except the fifth quantile, using the new method of moment quantile regression (MMQR) with fixed effects. From the first to the ninth quantiles, fishery output considerably improves sustainable food security, with a more substantial benefit at the highest (≈ 0.021) and a lower impact at the lowest quantile (≈ 0.010). The findings also show that the EU13 developing countries see a more significant positive impact, at a 5% statistical level, on sustainable food security from fishery output than the EU14 developed nations. On the other hand, the findings also show that the EU14 developed countries see a more significant positive impact, at a 1% statistical level, from the agricultural output on sustainable food security than the EU13 underdeveloped nations. The results show a strong positive correlation between agricultural production and long-term food security at the median and most recent quantiles (≈ 0.362). In the EU27 area, sustainable food security rose across median and recent quantiles, supporting the growth hypothesis for nations that produce fisheries. In the EU27, the impact of governance was positive and statistically significant at 5% for both older and more recent quantiles. The findings also show that the EU14 nations have a more substantial beneficial effect of governance, at a 1% statistical level, on sustainable food security than the EU13 countries. With the help of effective fishery sector production, policymakers may raise the degree of food security in the EU14 and EU13 nations and ensure long-term food security.

Wild foods contribute to women's higher dietary diversity in India

Wild foods, from forests and common lands, can contribute to food and nutrition security. Most previous studies have established correlations between wild food consumption and children's dietary diversity in Africa, but other groups and geographic contexts remain understudied. Here a rigorous quasi-experimental method was combined with monthly interval data to assess the contribution of wild foods to women's diets. We collected 24 h diet recall data monthly, from November 2016 to November 2017, from 570 households in East India. We found that wild foods contributed positively to diets, especially in June and July (when consumption of wild foods was highest). Women who consumed wild foods had higher average dietary diversity scores (13% and 9% higher in June and July, respectively) and were more likely to consume nutrient-dense, dark-green leafy vegetables than those who did not. Our results underscore the importance of policies that increase knowledge of wild foods and protect people's rights to access forests and other common lands for improved nutrition.

Diet Quality, Nutritional Adequacy and Anthropometric Status among Indigenous Women of Reproductive Age Group (15-49 Years) in India: A Narrative Review

In India, indigenous communities are nutritionally vulnerable, with indigenous women suffering the greater burden. Studies and surveys have reported poor nutritional outcomes among indigenous women in India, yet systematic documentation of community-specific nutrition data is lacking. We conducted a narrative review of 42 studies to summarise the nutritional profile of indigenous women of India, with details on their food and nutrient intakes, dietary diversity, traditional food consumption and anthropometric status. Percentage deficits were observed in intake of pulses, green leafy vegetables, fruits, vegetables, flesh foods and dairy products when compared with recommended dietary intakes for moderately active Indian women. Indices of diet quality in indigenous women were documented in limited studies, which revealed poor dietary diversity as well as low consumption of diverse traditional foods. A high risk of nutritional inadequacy was reported in all communities, especially for iron, calcium, and vitamin A. Prevalence of chronic energy deficiency was high in most communities, with dual burden of malnutrition in indigenous women of north-eastern region. Findings from this review can thus help guide future research and provide valuable insights for policymakers and program implementers on potential interventions for addressing specific nutritional issues among indigenous women of India.

Agrobiodiversity and agroecological practices in 'jhumscape' of the Eastern Himalayas: don't throw the baby out with the bathwater

The values and roles of biodiversity at the grassroots level get little attention and are usually ignored, despite mounting evidence that effective relationships between biodiversity and indigenous people are critical to both ecological integrity and rural survival. 'Jhumscape' (the landscape of shifting cultivation) can contribute a great deal to enriching agrobiodiversity and ensuring food security, but this system of cultivation has been mostly neglected. The objective of the present study was twofold: (1) to quantify the agrobiodiversity of a jhumscape in the Eastern Himalayas, especially its contribution to food and nutritional security, and (2) to examine the jhum practices in view of the agroecological principles recently proposed by the Food and Agricultural Organization. Applying mixed-method research and using primary data from 97 households representing eleven villages, transect walks, and interviews of key informants, the plant diversity maintained in a traditional jhum system by the indigenous people was seen to comprise of 37 crops including many landraces and four non-descript breeds of livestock. The food basket was supplemented with wild edible plants collected from fringes of forests and fallow lands that are a part of the jhumscape. Diversity in food groups and the share of expenditure on food in the total budget indicates that the indigenous people are secure in terms of food and nutrition. Jhum agroecological practices such as zero tillage and organic mixed-crops farming based on traditional ecological knowledge helps to maintain a high level of agrobiodiversity. Using biodiversity more effectively for agroecological transition does not mean merely returning to traditional practices but requires a deeper understanding of how agrobiodiversity contributes to better nutrition, greater food security, and sustainability. Although some principles and local practices related to jhum are applicable globally, others may be specific to the region and the culture.