{"title":"Decreasing farm sizes and the viability of smallholder farmers: Implications for resilient and inclusive rural transformation","authors":"Sarah K. Lowder , Garima Bhalla , Benjamin Davis","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100854","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100854","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Smallholder farmers are key to achieving a more resilient and inclusive process of rural transformation in the developing world. This article reflects on trends in farm size and the implications for the viability of small-scale producers across the developing world within the context of resilient and inclusive rural transformation. While the farmland consolidation expected under structural transformation has occurred in high income countries, average farm sizes are decreasing across developing regions. Clearly, more is driving farm size than simply economic growth. Most smallholders struggle for viability in terms of earning a living income from farming alone. However, viability needs to be viewed through a broader perspective that considers the role of smallholder farming within diversified household livelihood and risk mitigation strategies and their social and environmental contributions, such as ecosystem services. Recognizing the multiple social and economic roles played by small farms helps explain the continued persistence and relevance of smallholders in the face of structural transformation in much of the developing world. Investment and policy and programmatic support focusing on both on-farm and off-farm interventions within a territorial approach are crucial to strengthening the role of smallholders in resilient and inclusive rural transformation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100854"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143817615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Saskia de Pee , Claudia Damu , Frances Knight , Jo Jacobsen
{"title":"Diet cost and affordability metrics, their application today and in the future","authors":"Saskia de Pee , Claudia Damu , Frances Knight , Jo Jacobsen","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100853","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100853","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100853"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143817614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erdgin Mane , Annarita Macchioni Giaquinto , Carlo Cafiero , Sara Viviani , Gustavo Anríquez
{"title":"Closing the gender gap in global food insecurity: Socioeconomic determinants and economic gains in the aftermath of COVID-19","authors":"Erdgin Mane , Annarita Macchioni Giaquinto , Carlo Cafiero , Sara Viviani , Gustavo Anríquez","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100850","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100850","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the socio-economic determinants of the gender gap in global food insecurity, analyzing data from 792,000 individuals across 137 countries, between 2014 and 2022. The findings reveal that women are consistently more likely than men to experience food insecurity, even after controlling for income, employment, education, and other factors. Moreover women, rural areas and younger adults, particularly those aged 15–24 and 25–34, have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A macro-level analysis estimates that closing gender gaps in farm productivity and wages in agrifood systems could increase global GDP by nearly USD 1 trillion and reduce food insecurity for around 45 million people. At the micro-level, eliminating gender disparities in education, income, and labour-force participation could close 52 percent of the gender gap in food insecurity, with the remaining gap driven structural inequalities and discriminatory gender norms. These findings underscore the urgent need for gender-responsive policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100850"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143791762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vanya Slavchevska, Muriel Veldman, Clara Mi Young Park, Veronica Boero, Leman Yonca Gurbuzer, Annarita Macchioni Giaquinto
{"title":"From law to practice: A cross-country assessment of gender inequalities in rights to land","authors":"Vanya Slavchevska, Muriel Veldman, Clara Mi Young Park, Veronica Boero, Leman Yonca Gurbuzer, Annarita Macchioni Giaquinto","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100852","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100852","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study provides an up-to-date analysis of the status of women's land rights in the law and in practice globally using the most recent national statistics reported under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.a.1 and legal analyses of laws and policies in line with the SDG indicator 5.a.2. The study also analyses the discrepancy between women's formal rights to land and the reality on the ground and dives deeper in uncovering the factors that contribute to their effective attainment. The evidence shows that, globally, women continue to lag behind men in ownership and secure rights over land in both the law and practice. Joint land registration, participation in household and community decision-making in relation to land, equal inheritance and ensuring that the principle of non-discrimination and gender equality applies to customary law are all pivotal in advancing women's land rights. However, effective implementation mechanisms, including the allocation of adequate financial resources, are also needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100852"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Mader , Tim Ölkers , Oliver Mußhoff , Sheila Sagbo
{"title":"Saving instruments and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa: A case study of smallholder farmers in Mali","authors":"Anna Mader , Tim Ölkers , Oliver Mußhoff , Sheila Sagbo","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100847","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100847","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food security is of high concern in Mali and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Nonetheless, existing policies primarily target the health and agricultural sectors, overlooking potential benefits of financial sector development. We aim to fill this gap through a case study, relying on primary collected saving and food security data from smallholder farmers in Mali. By using ordinary least square models as well as an instrumental variable approach, we analyze the associations between farmers’ saving instruments and food security. We focus on four different saving instruments, including formal mechanisms such as bank accounts, semi-formal mechanisms such as mobile money, and informal mechanisms such as saving in secret hiding places, and with a trusted person. These four instruments are common in Mali and across Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings reveal heterogeneity in the choice of saving instruments and amounts and food security. Our contribution aims to inform decision makers on designing policies at the nexus of finance and agriculture, which is crucial for addressing the vulnerability of smallholder farmers. Since the severe nutritional situation in Mali is indicative of a crisis-affected region, our findings might be applicable to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa as well.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100847"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143725435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Clare E. Kazanski , Mulubhran Balehegn , Kristal Jones , Harriet Bartlett , Alicia Calle , Edenise Garcia , Heidi-Jayne Hawkins , Dianne Mayberry , Eve McDonald-Madden , Wilfred O. Odadi , Jessica Zionts , Michael Clark , Tara Garnett , Mario Herrero , Hannah VanZanten , John Ritten , Giovanni Mallmann , Matthew Tom Harrison , Deborah Bossio , Sasha Gennet
{"title":"Context is key to understand and improve livestock production systems","authors":"Clare E. Kazanski , Mulubhran Balehegn , Kristal Jones , Harriet Bartlett , Alicia Calle , Edenise Garcia , Heidi-Jayne Hawkins , Dianne Mayberry , Eve McDonald-Madden , Wilfred O. Odadi , Jessica Zionts , Michael Clark , Tara Garnett , Mario Herrero , Hannah VanZanten , John Ritten , Giovanni Mallmann , Matthew Tom Harrison , Deborah Bossio , Sasha Gennet","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100840","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100840","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ruminant livestock production is arguably the most varied, complex, impactful, and controversial land use sector of our global food system today. Despite calls for improved sustainability across the sector, progress has been limited. To advance effective solutions, there is a need to understand livestock systems and outcomes at regional scales, grounded enough in local conditions to be relevant, yet broad enough to be generalizable for policy or funding interventions. Using a comparative qualitative analysis of ten expert-led case studies from diverse agroecological regions and production systems around the world, we offer an updated approach to categorizing livestock systems, discuss relevant outcomes, and offer insight into the key contextual factors that influence current systems and potential for change. We find that in addition to livestock production system classes, economic (local, regional, and global economics and markets), environmental (biome suitability for ruminant grazing, land condition, precipitation), and social and cultural factors (land tenure, cultural embeddedness of livestock) are important to consider. Our case study analysis also shows that livestock management is typically motivated by at least five outcomes, with priority outcomes shifting from region to region, highlighting that livestock plays different roles, with different implications, in different places. We conclude that use of a context-based lens considering multiple outcomes and perspectives will likely improve the pace of progress toward environmental and social sustainability of livestock production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100840"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Subnational and lifecycle-specific estimates of diet costs support nutrition-sensitive policies and programmes","authors":"Janosch Klemm , Zuzanna Turowska , Gregory Sclama , Saskia de Pee","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100838","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100838","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>National level estimates of diet costs are increasingly being published and serve to track global goals and compare costs across countries. Subnational level estimates, which can be aggregated to a national average, can be used to inform local policies and programmes. This study has two objectives: First, to assess whether national level diet costs from the Fill the Nutrient Gap (FNG) analysis are in line with national estimates from the Food Prices for Nutrition (FPN) Project and discuss methodological differences. Second, to review the added value of subnational and lifecycle-specific estimates from FNG to inform design of policies and programmes for improving nutrition of the most vulnerable groups. We examined the subnational estimates and national level averages of the cost of energy-sufficient and nutrient-adequate diets calculated in 26 FNG country analyses. We assessed the correlation with the corresponding national-level estimates for 2017 that were published in the FPN DataHub for energy-sufficient (r = 0.79, p < 0.001) and nutrient-adequate diets (r = 0.61, p = 0.001). For many countries, subnational variation of diet costs within the country was as large as variation across countries. Of individuals considered in the FNG approach, the cost of a nutrient-adequate diet was found to be highest for the adolescent girl. Subnational and lifecycle-specific estimates of the cost of nutrient needs from FNG analyses provided valuable additional information that has successfully informed policies and programmes in health, education and social protection sectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100838"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Han Su , Timothy Foster , Rick J. Hogeboom , Diana V. Luna-Gonzalez , Oleksandr Mialyk , Bárbara Willaarts , Yafei Wang , Maarten S. Krol
{"title":"Nutrient production, water consumption, and stresses of large-scale versus small-scale agriculture: A global comparative analysis based on a gridded crop model","authors":"Han Su , Timothy Foster , Rick J. Hogeboom , Diana V. Luna-Gonzalez , Oleksandr Mialyk , Bárbara Willaarts , Yafei Wang , Maarten S. Krol","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100844","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100844","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural water consumption is the main contributor to water scarcity worldwide, while small-scale and large-scale agriculture have distinguishing characteristics. Significant gaps remain in the process-based agricultural production and water consumption estimates distinguishing small-scale and large-scale agriculture, which inhibits our deep understanding of where, how, and by whom crops are produced and against what water outcomes. We close this gap by leveraging a gridded crop model, covering 61% of the global harvested area using a 2010 baseline. Results show small-scale agriculture accounts for 43% of the total harvested area, however, contributes to relatively less nutrient production despite cultivating more food crops (relative to their total harvested area) than large-scale agriculture. This result challenges the assumption made by existing global scale studies when allocating national agricultural production to small-scale and large-scale agriculture, which (partly) ignores the differences in climate conditions, soil characteristics, input level, and type of irrigation that small-scale versus large-scale agriculture may have. The lower contribution is due to both water and soil fertility stress. Small-scale agriculture overrepresents in water-scarce regions but consumes much less blue water (38%) compared to its harvested area (54%). In water-scarce regions, soil fertility stress causes small-scale agriculture the unproductive green water utilization and a 70–90% unmet crop production potential. Our findings demonstrate the unequal exposure and contribution to water scarcity between small-scale and large-scale agriculture and between food and non-food crops. Understanding such disparities is one of the first and necessary steps toward enhancing the resilience and sustainability of agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100844"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143611518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zewdu Abro , Kibrom T. Sibhatu , Gebeyehu Manie Fetene , Mohammed Hussen Alemu , Chrysantus M. Tanga , Subramanian Sevga , Menale Kassie
{"title":"Global review of consumer preferences and willingness to pay for edible insects and derived products","authors":"Zewdu Abro , Kibrom T. Sibhatu , Gebeyehu Manie Fetene , Mohammed Hussen Alemu , Chrysantus M. Tanga , Subramanian Sevga , Menale Kassie","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100834","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100834","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rising global demand for protein, driven by population growth, urbanization, economic development, and climate change, underscores the need for sustainable alternative protein sources. Edible insects have emerged as a viable solution to enhance foodfeed and nutritional security while contributing to waste management. This study reviews 128 peer-reviewed publications to assess consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for edible insects and their derivatives. Findings reveal that studies predominantly focus on Europe and insect-based foods, with limited research on insect-based feeds and derived products. Consumers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America show higher acceptance of insect-based food compared to those in Western nations, where psychological barriers such as neophobia, disgust, and limited awareness hinder adoption. WTP for insect-based foods varies, with some consumers willing to pay a premium while others expect lower prices than conventional options. Integrating edible insects into sustainable food and feed ssytems requires public education, innovative marketing, and scaling up production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100834"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143534433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}