The process of developing a nutrition-sensitive agriculture intervention: a multi-site experience

Nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) interventions are of increasing interest to those working in global health and nutrition. However NSA is a broad concept, and there are numerous candidate NSA interventions that could be implemented in any given setting. While most agriculture interventions can be made “nutrition-sensitive”, there are few guidelines for helping to decide what agriculture component should be tried in an NSA intervention. Based on previous models, we developed a framework with explicit questions about community factors (agricultural production, diets, power and gender), project factors (team capacity, budget, timelines) and external factors that helped our team of agriculture scientists, nutritionists and local officials identify NSA interventions that may be feasibly implemented with a reasonable chance of having positive agricultural and nutritional impacts. We applied this framework to two settings in upland Vietnam, and one setting in upland Thailand. From an initial list of nineteen interventions that have been tried elsewhere, or may reasonably be expected to be appropriate for NSA, five or six candidate interventions were chosen per site. Based on the criteria, three to four interventions were selected per site and are being implemented. Poultry rearing and home gardening were selected in each site. They and the other selected interventions, hold promise for capitalizing on underused agricultural potential to improve diets, while working with (or improving) existing gender relationships and power structures. The process for identifying NSA interventions was thorough and identified reasonable candidates, but it was very time consuming. Further efforts should focus on streamlining the process, so that promising and appropriate NSA interventions can be identified quickly and reliably.     

Production and processing of foods as core aspects of nutrition-sensitive agriculture and sustainable diets

Some forms of malnutrition are partly due to agriculture not having nutrient outputs as an explicit goal. A better understanding of what is required from agricultural production and food processing for healthy and sustainable diets is needed. Besides nutritional quality or nutrient output, important factors are: water, soil, health hazards, agrobiodiversity and seasonality. Therefore, possible interactions among constituents of the food chain – human health, the environment, knowledge and education – should be considered from a systemic perspective. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture needs to consider and understand the role of biodiversity in improving dietary quality and dietary diversity as well as seasonality in food supply. Apart from improving agricultural systems in order to close the nutrition gap, efficient storage and food processing technologies to prolong shelf-life are required. If processing is poor, high food losses can cause food insecurity or increase the risk of producing unsafe and unhealthy food. Food storage and processing technologies, particularly at household level, are challenging and often not applicable to traditional crops. In order to achieve the aims of nutrition-sensitive agriculture, it is necessary to comprehend its complexity and the factors that influence it. This will require a trans-disciplinary approach, which will include the three sectors agriculture, nutrition and health at research, extension and political levels. Ensuring that farmers are knowledgeable about production systems, which sustainably provide adequate amounts of nutritious food while conserving the environment is an essential part of nutrition-sensitive agriculture. At the same time, for the benefits of nutrition-sensitive agriculture to be realized, educated consumers are required who understand what constitutes a healthy and sustainable diet.     

循环农业:现代烟草农业可持续发展的必然选择

从循环经济理念出发,阐述了循环农业的基本内涵及其与现代农业发展的关系,结合烟叶生产实际情况,提出发展循环农业,加快现代烟草农业建设的若干思路与对策。     

Home and community gardens in Southeast Asia: potential and opportunities for contributing to nutrition-sensitive food systems

Southeast Asia is home to both severe over- and under-nutrition. Continued pressures on environmental sustainability and rapid urbanization are also of growing concern in the region. This paper focuses on home and community gardens and is based on examples from various parts of the world. The paper addresses how their risks and benefits may be assessed within a framework of nutrition-sensitive food systems and in the context of sustainable development. Entry points for policy makers in the Southeast Asian region, who wish to support home and community gardens, are identified and the paper concludes with a set of recommendations.     

Plant pathogens as agroterrorist weapons: assessment of the threat for European agriculture and forestry

Malevolent use of plant pathogens in an act of agroterrorism represents a potential threat for European agriculture and forestry. We investigated the risk of agroterrorism sensu lato, which is raising debates among the community of plant pathologists. In the absence of a previous unambiguous definition of agroterrorism we characterized the risk for Europe by taking into account the multiplicity of the threat, of the perpetrator’s objectives, and of potential modus operandi. To this end, we have applied a three-step methodology involving: (1) the building of a list of candidate pathogens, (2) a scenario-based exploration of potential agroterrorist acts, and (3) the design of a risk evaluation scheme (RES), derived from the standard pest risk analysis (PRA). We adopted a congruent risk assessment strategy consisting of coupling the foresight exercise (assignment of nine key pathogens extracted from the list to nine scenarios and comparison of different intrinsic criteria) to the analytical assessment (application of the RES to the nine key pathogens and qualitative analysis resulting in a pentagonal star plot representing risk profiles). Analysis was performed by non-experts on the selected diseases, and thus enabled a comparison between crops or pathogens on the basis of the characterization of the threat. The risk, considered in its hybrid dimension (both factual because it refers to crop protection and an effective stake, and also irrational because it refers to bioterrorism, a vague and unobservable concept) was characterized exhaustively for the selected plant pathogens and the success of a malevolent act appeared to be much more uncertain than believed. However, agroterrorism should be considered as a plausible threat, potentially more important by the consequences of the securitization of the concept, which could imply disruption of regulations and trade, than by direct damaging consequences on European crops. There is probably not a single short-list of threatening pathogens: different pathogens would be most threatening for different purposes, for different perpetrators, and for different target crops.

Useful byproducts from cellulosic wastes of agriculture and food industry--a critical appraisal

Cellulose, an important cell wall polysaccharide, which is replenished constantly in nature by photosynthesis, goes waste in a lion's share in the form of pre-harvest and post-harvest agricultural losses and wastes of food processing industry. These cellulose wastes have an immense potential to be utilized for the production and recovery of several products and ingredients in food application. In this present study, a wide spectrum of researches in the arena of properties of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin; their degradation; sources and composition of cellulosic and lignocellulosic wastes of agriculture and food industry; present status of converting them into value-added products of food applications; constraints in their conversions and future prospects therein has been reviewed in details. The study has encompassed production of biomass for various utilization and production and recovery of protein and amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, organic acids, foods & feeds and other miscellaneous products.     

Interrelationships between recent developments in molecular genetics and cytogenetics and animal breeding

Animal breeding traditionally has entailed devising means to apply quantitative and population genetic theory to increase productive capacity of livestock. A highly developed and successful industry has been built on foundations established by academic animal breeders. Recent developments in related sciences such as reproductive biology, molecular biology, cellular biology, and cytogenetics offer prospects for the emergence of a number of methodologies that might usefully be applied to animal breeding. Scientists engaged in development of the newer technologies are not wholly familiar with the livestock industry, its breeding structure, its objectives, its institutions or its peculiarities. Animal breeders, however, are not fully cognizant of the scientific advances being made in related fields, their potential for development and application or their limitations, and therefore, animal breeders have not seriously thought about how they might be integrated most usefully and efficaciously into the animal breeding enterprise. A collaboration is needed in which the laboratory scientists produce new ideas, products, and methods and the animal breeders--using system analysis, simulation procedures, and laboratory animal and livestock breeding tests--help make rational choices, partially direct work of the laboratory scientists, help the industry integrate new methods, and monitor the extent of success of adapted innovations.     

Screening and HPLC methods for carotenoids in sweetpotato, cassava and maize for plant breeding trials

Analytical methods for sweetpotato, cassava and maize were developed. In orange and salmon-fleshed sweetpotatoes, (all-E)-β-carotene predominated and results of spectrophotometric screening and HPLC quantification did not differ significantly. In yellow-fleshed sweetpotato and cassava, however, spectrophotometric screening overestimated the HPLC values because of the presence of several minor carotenoids. Aside from (all-E)-β-carotene, Z-isomers were present in cassava in appreciable amounts. For both crops, extraction with acetone or tetrahydrofuran:methanol (1:1), using a mortar and pestle or a Polytron homogenizer, gave equivalent results. Rehydration of dry maize at room temperature for 30 min or at 85 °C for 5, 10 or 15 min gave equivalent results. Concentrations obtained with the C18 and C30 columns did not differ significantly for zeaxanthin, lutein, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene in the all-E-configuration, but their Z-isomers were difficult to locate in the chromatogram obtained with the C30 column. Extraction with tetrahydrofuran:methanol (1:1) gave significantly lower results for zeaxanthin and lutein.     

SCI agriculture group symposium advances in rhizosphere biology: Implications for reduced input agriculture

The following are summaries of papers presented at a meeting of the SCI Agriculture Group held at SCI, 14/15 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PS, on 18 February 1992. The papers published here are entirely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.     

Substantivity of sunscreens: an appraisal of some quaternary ammonium sunscreens

Two series of quaternary ammonium UV-B sunscreens, derived from salicylic acid (S) and from p -methoxycinnamic acid (C), and containing N-alkyl chains of different length (C₂ to C₁₆) were prepared and submitted to substantivity tests on animal (wool) keratin, and to microbiological tests. A direct correlation between substantivity and antimicrobial/antifungal activity was observed in all cases, the compounds bearing C₁₂ alkyl chains displaying peak values. The C-derivatives, when compared with the S-derivatives, showed relatively higher substantivity and sunscreen index (SI) values, coupled with lower antibacterial activity. The substantivity-microbiological activity correlations and the particular behaviour of the C₁₂ derivatives are briefly discussed in the light of the existing literature data. On the basis of the experimental results, possible guidelines for the development of substantive and non-antibacterial (and possibly, non-irritant) quaternary ammonium sunscreens are indicated.
La substantivité des filtres solaires     

近红外反射光谱法在烟草育种中的运用

为选育新的烟草品种,在育种过程中需尽早对候选品系能否产出具有理想化学特性原烟的能力做出评定。大量的候选品系要求采用快速测定工具以代替化学分析。因近红外反射光谱法(NIRS)可以直接通过对研磨得到的烤烟烟末的测定获得一系列化学参数以及更为复杂的特征数据,该项技术目前已成为Bergerac烟草研究所的常规方法。对每一种烟草类型,如:深色晾烟,白肋烟和烤烟等,首先应建立校正PLS(Partial Least Squares)预测模型,将NIR光谱数据与生物碱,氮,还原糖和灰分含量建立数学关系。所建模型基于超过1600份烟末样本的测定数据(1995~2000农事…     

Trevira:家纺纱线的发展

2007年,德国Trevira化纤制造公司尽管在年初失去了短纤维生产企业,但营业额仍增加了6％,达到3．5亿欧元。家纺、汽车用纺织品以及其他领域各占了全部纤维销售的1／3,所有纤维制造部门的全年计划已经排满。     

发展农产品加工业 推动农业再冲新高

<正> 农业是关系国计民生的基础产业,也是适应社会生产力发展和人类消费水平提高而不断演变发展的产业。农产品加工业的出现和发展,是传统农业向近代和现代农业转变的一个重要标志。随着社会的全面进步和市场需求的不断变化,农业市场化、国际化进程的不断加快,农产品加工业发展的前景愈来愈广阔,在农业发展中的地位也愈来愈重要,农产品加工业的发展已成为推动农业现代化进程和增强农业市场竞争力的决定性因素。     

Potential for increasing the amounts of bioavailable zinc in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L) through plant breeding

A whole‐body radioassay procedure was used to assess the bioavailability to rats of zinc (Zn) in seeds of 18 genotypes of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L) that were grown hydroponically. Dry beans that were labelled intrinsically with ⁶⁵Zn were added to test meals fed to rats that were marginally Zn‐deficient. The amount of Zn in the seeds varied between genotypes and ranged from 26.7 to 62.4 µg g^?1 (from 0.41 to 0.95 µmol g^?1) dry weight (DW). Similarly, the amount of iron (Fe) in the beans varied nearly twofold (from 52.3 to 96.3 µg g^?1 DW), and Zn and Fe concentrations were positively correlated. Concentrations of myo‐inositolhexaphosphate (IP6) plus myo‐inositolpentaphosphate (IP5) varied from 18.1 to 27.3 µmol g^?1 DW. Cultivars with white‐coloured seeds contained relatively small amounts of tannins varying from 0.12 to 0.16 mg g^?1 DW (determined as catechin equivalents) compared to those with coloured seed coats (up to 2.58 mg g^?1 DW). All rats readily ate the test meals so that Zn intake varied directly with seed‐Zn concentration. As indicated by ⁶⁵Zn absorption, the bioavailability to rats of Zn in the seeds varied between genotypes and ranged from about 78 to 95% of the total Zn in the seeds. The bioavailability of Zn to marginally Zn‐deficient rats was not affected markedly by either IP5 + IP6 or tannin in the dry beans. These results demonstrate that the concentration of Zn in dry beans can be increased through traditional plant‐breeding techniques and that this may result in significant increases in the amount of bioavailable Zn in the beans. Increasing the amount of Zn in beans may contribute significantly to improving the Zn status of individuals dependent on beans as a staple food. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evidence for a molten globule state in an oligomeric plant protein

Three different mustard globulin (isoforms), purified and isolated, using three extraction solutions (differing in ionic strength) were studied for structural integrity as a function of pH. Evidence of a molten globule state (a reversible intermediary state between the native and fully denatured forms) was obtained. This phenomenon may ultimately prove to be important in the translocation of these proteins across biological membranes at the time of their biosynthesis. Circular dichroism, hydrophobic probe, fluorescence spectral scans and differential scanning calorimetry were used to study this phenomenon. Secondary and tertiary structures (circular dichroism (CD) data) were found to be similar for globulins from higher ionic strength extractions, but different from the globulin from distilled water extraction; however, for all three isoforms, little change in secondary structure fractions as a function of pH was observed. Changes in tertiary structure (near-UV CD and intrinsic fluorescence data) as a function of pH were observed for all three globulin isoforms with greatest changes in tertiary structure being seen in the acidic pH range, i.e. 3–5. In contrast, all globulins were shown to undergo the least conformational change in the pH range of 6–9.