scholarly journals African Leafy Vegetables for Improved Human Nutrition and Food System Resilience in Southern Africa: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2896
Author(s):  
Admire Isaac Tichafa Shayanowako ◽  
Oliver Morrissey ◽  
Alberto Tanzi ◽  
Maud Muchuweti ◽  
Guillermina M. Mendiondo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Food System ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Processing Methods ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Seed Supply ◽  
African Leafy Vegetables

The economic potential of African leafy vegetables (ALVs) remains obscured by a poorly developed value chain. This scoping review assembled and examined scattered knowledge generated on ALVs across southern Africa, focusing on production, processing, marketing, and consumption. Two electronic databases (Scopus and Web of Science) were screened, and a total of 71 relevant studies were included and evaluated. The review provides a state of the art on knowledge related to utilisation of ALVs across the entire value chain. The findings show that functional properties are of prime importance in the production and consumption of ALVs. However, the lack of improved germplasm and a non-existent seed supply system are significant production bottlenecks. Pests and diseases affecting the productivity of ALVs remain mostly unexplored. Sun-drying and boiling were the most reported post-harvest processing methods, suggesting that traditional processing methods are still prominent. Many studies also confirmed the predominance of informal markets in the trading of ALVs as they fail to penetrate formal markets because of poor product positioning and exclusion from produce demand and supply forecasts. The inception of cultivar development, mechanised processing methods, and market linkages will enhance the profitability of ALVs in the region. This review enhances the gaining of insight into the state of different value chain components will assist in upscaling production, value addition of products, and enhance marketing efficiency. There is a great opportunity for basic and applied research into ALVs.

scholarly journals Immediate impacts of COVID-19 measures on bean production, distribution, and food security in Eastern Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Eileen Nchanji ◽  
Cosmas Lutomia ◽  
David Karanja
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Eastern Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Weak Institutions ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Bean Research

The outbreak of coronavirus was expected to adversely affect African countries more than any other region in the world. This assertion was based on the existing conditions in sub-Saharan Africa that exposed the region to the dire consequences of the pandemic. Previously existing underlying conditions that affected the food system include a high dependence on trade for inputs supply, the adverse effects of climate change, crop pests and diseases, poverty, low input use, weak institutions and ineffective poli¬cies, and insecurity and conflicts. We collected data from farmers, aggregators, bean research coordina¬tors, and urban and peri-urban consumers in five Eastern African countries in order to describe the immediate impacts of the pandemic on the bean value chain. Access to seed and labor appear to be the most critical impacts of the pandemic on bean production. There are observable differences in patterns and frequency of bean consumption in these regions, suggesting that the effect of the pandemic depends on the level of implementation of containment measures and pre–COVID-19 underlying conditions that affect the food systems. In the mid to long-term, the pandemic may disrupt food systems, resulting in hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity. Thus, governments should support farmers and businesses in becoming resilient to exogenous shocks through increased efficiency in supply chains, capacity building, and the adoption of modern digital technology.

scholarly journals The Diversity of Cultivated African Leafy Vegetables in Three Communities in Western Kenya

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (14) ◽  
pp. 01-15
Author(s):  
Mary Abukutsa-Onyango ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Subsistence Level ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Home Gardening ◽  
African Leafy Vegetables

High poverty levels in western Kenya that are manifested in malnutrition and poor health prevail yet the region is endowed with high agricultural biodiversity like African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs). The vegetables have high micronutrient content, medicinal properties, several agronomic advantages and economic value yet their potential in alleviating poverty and ensuring household food and nutrition security in the rural areas has not been exploited. Despite all the above advantages, these vegetables have been neglected and face several constraints hampering optimal production such that if the situation is left unchecked it may result in loss of this biodiversity. It is because of this that a study was conducted with the objectives of documenting the diversity of African Leafy Vegetables and to collect indigenous knowledge on production, agronomic and cultural practices in three communities of Western Kenya. A survey was conducted between January 2002 and March, 2003, in six districts in Western and Nyanza provinces representing the Luhya, Luo and Kisii communities. A structured questionnaire was administered to eighty purposively sampled respondents distributed in the ratio of 30:20:30 for Luhya, Luo and Kisii communities respectively. One focus group discussions per community was held and two key informants per community were interviewed. Over 90% of the respondents indicated that there was an increase in the cultivation of African Leafy Vegetables. Ten African Leafy Vegetables were found in the three communities representing eight botanic families. All the communities cultivated the ALVs at a subsistence level in home gardens, with organic sources of manure and under an intercrop system. Broadcasting was practiced by 20%, 40% and 60% of the respondents from the Luhya, Luo and Kisii communities respectively. Harvesting was done by first uprooting at thinning then ratooning. The major constraints facing production of African Leafy Vegetables included lack of quality seed, pests and diseases, drought, poor marketing strategies and lack of technical packages. In conclusion, the study showed that all the three communities studied had a high diversity of cultivated African Leafy Vegetables covering eight botanic families; respondents in all the communities cultivate African leafy vegetable in a subsistence, home gardening, intercrop system where the use of chemical fertilizers and chemicals was minimal and the major constraints of production of African Leafy Vegetables included, poor quality seed, drought and poor marketing systems and infrastructure. The identified species should be promoted and improved as commercial crops.

scholarly journals Analysing the value chain for African leafy vegetables in Limpopo Province, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1509417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grany M. Senyolo ◽  
Edilegnaw Wale ◽  
Gerald F. Ortmann ◽  
Danie Francois Toerien
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
African Leafy Vegetables

Conceptualising value chain research to integrate multiple food system elements

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 100500
Author(s):  
A.K. Farmery ◽  
T.D. Brewer ◽  
P. Farrell ◽  
H. Kottage ◽  
E. Reeve ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Food System

scholarly journals A SAM-Based Analysis of the Economic Impact of Frauds in the Italian Wine Value Chain

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donato Romano ◽  
Benedetto Rocchi ◽  
Ahmad Sadiddin ◽  
Gianluca Stefani ◽  
Raffaella Zucaro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Food System ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Wine Industry ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Italian Economy ◽  
Wine Production ◽  
Italian Wine ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe objective of this paper is twofold: firstly, it analyzes the evolution of frauds in the Italian wine value chain over the period 2007–2015, and then, using a properly disaggregated social accounting matrix (SAM) of the Italian economy, it simulates the impact of wine frauds on the national economy in terms of growth, employment, value added and income. The wine industry is the sector most exposed to frauds within the Italian agro-food system accounting for 88% of total value of seized agro-food outputs. Most irregularities (95%) are made by only three agents, specifically individual wineries, bottlers-wholesalers and retailers. We estimated industry-specific SAM multipliers to assess the share of the Italian economy depending on irregular wine production. These activities account for 11.5% of specialized permanent crop farms output and over 25% of wine industry output. This is a sign of vulnerability of the wine industry: should a food scandal/scare determine a drop in consumers’ demand, the negative effect on production activities of these sectors may be large. The SAM was also used to perform an impact analysis adopting a counterfactual approach. Results show a slightly positive increase of value added (6 million euro) along with an overall decrease in the activity level (an output loss of 406 million euro and more than six thousand full time jobs lost). This contractionary effect can be explained with fraud rents. Indeed, the extra-profits from frauds do not activate the economy circular flow as most of them leak out to exogenous accounts such as the public administration and the rest of the world.

Operationalising resilience in tropical agricultural value chains

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Aboah ◽  
Mark M.J. Wilson ◽  
Karl M. Rich ◽  
Michael C. Lyne
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Food System ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Citation Network ◽  
System Level ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Stakeholder Interactions

Purpose The analysis of the concept of resilience in supply chain management studies mostly focuses on the downstream side of the value chain and tacitly assumes an unlimited supply of raw materials. This assumption is unreasonable for agricultural value chains, as upstream disruptions clearly have a material impact on the availability of raw materials, and indeed, are a common source of supply problems. This paper aims to present a framework for the operationalisation of the concept of socioecological resilience in agricultural value chains that incorporates upstream activities. Design/methodology/approach A citation network analysis was adopted to review articles. A conceptual framework is then advanced to identify elements of resilience and indicators relevant to tropical agricultural value chains. Findings There are limited studies that assess resilience in the food chain context. Flexibility, collaboration, adaptability and resourcefulness are key elements for assessing resilience at the individual chain actor level. However, the paper argues that adaptability is the relevant element for the assessment of resilience at an aggregate food system level because it considers the alteration of a system’s state of resilience. Practical implications The proposed framework and propositions accommodate stakeholder interactions in the value chain and could serve as a tool to guide the assessment of resilience in agricultural value chains. Originality/value This paper is one of the few to extend resilience to cover the socioecological interaction aspects for supply chains that yield the raw materials needed for continuity in channel-wide value creation processes.

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