Agriculture, Food Systems, and Nutrition: Meeting the Challenge

Abstract

Malnutrition is a global challenge with huge social and economic costs; nearly every country faces a public health challenge, whether from undernutrition, overweight/obesity, and/or micronutrient deficiencies. Malnutrition is a multisectoral, multi‐level problem that results from the complex interplay between household and individual decision‐making, agri‐food, health, and environmental systems that determine access to services and resources, and related policy processes. This paper reviews the theory and recent qualitative evidence (particularly from 2010 to 2016) in the public health and nutrition literature, on the role that agriculture plays in improving nutrition, how food systems are changing rapidly due to globalization, trade liberalization, and urbanization, and the implications this has for nutrition globally. The paper ends by summarizing recommendations that emerge from this research related to (i) knowledge, evidence, and communications, (ii) politics, governance, and policy, and (iii) capacity, leadership, and financing.

The role of genetics in mainstreaming the production of new and orphan crops to diversify food systems and support human nutrition

“…Rediversifying crop production is important to promote a wider range of healthier foods and more sustainable and stable production systems (von Grebmer et al ., ). Efforts to promote diversification, however, require that policies and research priorities change (Khoury & Jarvis, ; Gillespie & van den Bold, ; Willett et al ., ). In a revised agenda, new and orphan crops rich in valuable micro‐ and macronutrients, capable of fitting into multiple niches in production systems (where they provide environmental services as well as direct provisioning services), and relatively well adapted to low‐input conditions, have an important role (Gruber, ; AOCC, ; Mustafa et al ., ).…”

Biodiversity-based innovations fortify agricultural growth in Asia-Pacific economies

“…However, modern BC explicitly balances ecological risks with multi-faceted benefits, and its judicious use can thus safely defuse invasive species impacts (Bradshaw et al, 2016;Paini et al, 2016), ease vector-borne disease burden (Benelli et al, 2016), and exert stabilizing effects on global commodity markets . Moreover, as BC resolved 80% losses of breadfruit i.e., the 'staff of life' of Pacific Islanders (Kirch & Ralu, 2007) or enhanced dietary carbohydrate intake of root, tuber and bananaconsuming communities in eastern Indonesia and PNG, it raised the carrying capacity of local food systems (Mottesharrei et al, 2014;Dangour et al, 2017;Gillespie & van den Bold, 2017), enhanced workforce productivity (Haggblade et al, 2007) and generated 'win-win' outcomes for human and natural capital (Rasmussen et al, 2018).…”

Introduction: Who Delivers Nutritious Foods, How and To Whom in South Asia?

“…The changing roles of women, the primary carers of children, is also a key intra-household driver, not necessarily leading to nutritional gains for their families (Balagamwala and Gazdar 2013). Malnutrition is a complex challenge, impacted by the agri-food, health, and care systems, often at the same time (Gillespie and van den Bold 2017).…”