African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development最新文献

{"title":"Bilateral agricultural aid to Ghana and Uganda: donor practices under different institutional quality","authors":"Hyejin Lee","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.24830","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.24830","url":null,"abstract":"Agriculture has been the backbone of African economies, and agricultural development has the potential to drive overall economic growth. Considering the importance of agriculture in Africa, foreign aid donors have supported the sector to help push economic growth and reduce poverty. Studies indicate governance quality of a recipient country is an important factor for agricultural aid. Building upon this, the paper explores how bilateral donors provided agricultural aid to two African countries that have different institutional quality, Ghana and Uganda. The analysis of agricultural aid in those two countries was carried out with bilateral aid-profile data from 2011 to 2022. Despite the similar economic importance of agriculture in Ghana and Uganda, donors to Ghana invested the largest amount in agriculture among aid sectors, followed by health. On the other hand, donors to Uganda supported mainly health-relevant sectors with agriculture being ranked only fifth. Donors in both countries implemented agricultural aid mostly as project types. Yet, donors disbursed their aid funds through different aid channels. Donors to Ghana disbursed 48% of agricultural aid funds through the public sector institutions channel (or the state channel). By contrast, donors to Uganda disbursed only 24% of agricultural aid funds through the state channel, essentially bypassing Ugandan public agencies. They instead provided 76% of agricultural aid through the non-state channels such as non-governmental organizations, multilateral organizations, and private entities. Similar donor preferences of the aid disbursement channels were observed with total aid across all aid sectors. Overall, the donor aid profiles suggested donors provided Ghana with more flexible agricultural aid, while in Uganda they controlled agricultural aid more tightly. There could exist multiple underlying reasons for this, but the different level of institutional quality is highly likely one of the possible reasons. For foreign aid, governance quality is an important issue equally to both donors and recipients. Key words: Africa, agriculture, aid channel, bilateral aid, foreign aid, Ghana, governance, Uganda","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"10 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141797094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of globalization on economic growth: insights from sub-Saharan Africa (1971-2019)","authors":"C-L Chang, W. Awoke","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.24910","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.24910","url":null,"abstract":"As globalization continues to shape the global economic landscape, understanding its intricate relationship with economic growth remains paramount in regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, this study presents a comprehensive analysis of globalization's impact on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa from 1971 to 2019. Using panel data from reputable databases on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Development Indicators, Penn World Table 10.0, and Our World Data, the paper explores various dimensions of globalization, including economic, social, and political factors. The feasible generalized least square (FGLS) estimation technique was used to analyze data. Findings reveal nuanced dynamics, with social and financial globalization indices showing positive effects on economic growth and statistically significant at 1% significance level. Additionally, this study uncovers the influence of demographic indicators, government consumption, and the rule of law on economic growth. The result of the study revealed demographic indicators, government consumption, and the rule of law had statistically significant impacts on the economic growth of sub-Sahara Africa. In contrast, certain aspects of economic globalization exhibit negative impacts. However, political, trade, information, and cultural globalization had no significant impact on economic growth of the region. It is important to recognize that the absence of significant effects does not necessarily imply an absence of impact, but rather reflects the multifaceted nature of globalization's influence on economic growth. Several factors, including differences in the periods analyzed, may account for the differences in these results compared to previous studies. This study not only adds to the existing literature on globalization and economic growth but also offers valuable insights for policymakers tasked with promoting sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. By acknowledging the complexities of globalization's impact, policy makers can formulate more effective strategies to harness its benefits while mitigating its potential drawbacks. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of globalization's role in economic development, laying the foundation for evidence-based policy interventions tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities facing sub-Saharan Africa. Key words: Social globalization, financial globalization, government consumption, economic growth","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"3 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141797300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential contribution of Kenyan-grown quinoa in improving macronutrient and micronutrient intake in children aged 2-6 years in Kenya","authors":"LN Thuku, S. Ngala, Kaindi Dwm, W. Kogi-Makau, Linet Njeri Thuku","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.24095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.24095","url":null,"abstract":"The triple burden of malnutrition is a problem that is being fought against at global, continental, regional and national levels. When consumed in adequate quantities, healthy diets are important in reversing the menace of malnutrition. In Kenya, grains are an important source of energy and micronutrients. Even though they contribute most energy and micronutrients, a huge Recommended Daily Allowance deficit still exists. Incorporating ancient grains such as quinoa which are nutrient-rich and can survive in harsh climatic zones into the diets, can boost the efforts made towards the fight against malnutrition. Though quinoa adaptation trials have been conducted in Kenya, expanded data on the nutrient content are yet to be compiled. Between May 2022 and August 2022, four varieties of quinoa; Cherry Vanilla, Titicaca, Brilliant Bright Red and Biobio were grown at the University of Nairobi, Upper Kabete campus field station. The harvests of the four varieties were separately analyzed to determine and compare the content levels of macronutrients (carbohydrates, crude protein, fats) and micro-nutrients (manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, copper and zinc). The four varieties were significantly different in all the analyzed elements except moisture content. Cherry vanilla had the highest level of crude protein (25.1±0.3g/100g) and fat (11.46±0.184g/100g) but the lowest level of carbohydrates (42.5±0.4%). Titicaca had the highest amounts of; manganese (21.9±0.06g/100g), potassium (511.9±0.03mg/100g), iron (11.5± 0.07mg/100g) and zinc (14.1±0.0mg/100g). Biobio variety exhibited the highest amount of magnesium (73.9±0.1mg/100g). In conclusion, the different varieties of quinoa significantly differ in their levels of macro and micronutrients. The Kenyan-grown quinoa has the potential to contribute to increased dietary intake of both macronutrients and micronutrients of children aged 2-6 years old. The Kenyan-grown quinoa contains levels of micronutrients in higher amounts compared to maize, rice and wheat - the commonly consumed cereals in Kenya. On this basis, the study recommends that the growing and consumption of quinoa should be promoted in Kenya and introduced into the diets of children aged 2-6 years of age in Kenya. Quinoa-based products for children aged 2-6 years should be developed. Climate zone-oriented agronomic trials on quinoa farming should be conducted. Key words: Quinoa, varieties, Cherry Vanilla, BBR, Titicaca, Biobio, micronutrients, macronutrients","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"67 21","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141798591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Moringa oleifera leaf powder and turmeric powder on carcass composition and meat quality of broiler chickens","authors":"IO Limbe, J. Tanganyika, A. Safalaoh","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.23860","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.23860","url":null,"abstract":"The escalating demand for animal products has led to widespread antibiotics usage in broiler diets to maintain health and productivity. However, concerns regarding the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, potential negative impacts on animal welfare and public health, and consumer preferences for natural alternatives have driven the search for safer and more sustainable approaches. This study aimed to investigate the potential of Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) and turmeric powder (TP) as antibiotic growth promoter alternatives in broiler chickens, focusing on their impact on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. In a 3x3 factorial experiment, 360 Cobb-500 broilers were allocated to nine treatment groups receiving varying dietary levels of MOLP (0%, 1%, 2%) and TP (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%). Additionally, a separate experiment with 80 birds evaluated the effects of flavomycin supplementation (0.1%) compared to a control group. The results demonstrated that MOLP supplementation significantly increased key performance parameters, including feed intake, body weight gain, final body weight, and production efficiency factor, particularly at the 2% inclusion level. TP supplementation did not significantly influence overall growth performance. Flavomycin, as a positive control, significantly improved final body weights compared to the control group. Interestingly, significant interactions were observed between MOLP and TP, influencing specific aspects of carcass composition and meat quality. Combined supplementation significantly affected liver yield and meat flavour, suggesting potential synergistic effects. However, no significant impacts were observed on other carcass composition parameters, physical meat measurements (colour, drip loss, cooking loss), or sensory attributes (appearance, juiciness, tenderness). Notably, supplementation with 2% MOLP increased dressed weight and breast yield while simultaneously reducing meat redness. Additionally, 0.5% TP supplementation significantly increased gizzard yield, indicating potential benefits for digestive function. Flavomycin supplementation did not significantly influence any carcass composition, physical, or sensory parameters. These findings offer promising evidence that MOLP and TP can be incorporated into broiler diets at levels up to 2% and 0.5%, respectively, as viable alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. MOLP and TP demonstrated the potential to enhance broiler performance, influence specific carcass and meat quality attributes without compromising overall quality, and promote specific physiological processes like gizzard development. Further research is encouraged to explore the long-term effects of these additives, optimize their inclusion levels for specific benefits, and investigate their potential impact on broiler health and disease resistance. Key words: Antibiotic alternatives, Broiler Meat, Moringa, Performance, Phytobiotics, Turmeric","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"2 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141797505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toxicity of rock dust and charcoal powder enhanced with diatomaceous earth against rice weevil in maize stored by smallholder farmers","authors":"M. Sitoe, J. Zorzetti, Pmoj Neves","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.23240","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.23240","url":null,"abstract":"Maize is a major staple food in Africa, its production and post-harvest generally occurs on smallholder farmers' properties, where significant food losses occur in the field during harvesting, processing and storage. Most smallholder farmers lack access to modern methods of harvesting, processing and storage. Generally, the storage structures used are ineffective against storage pests, leading to post-harvest losses due to insect pests that, in some cases, can reach about 40% of the total production. Pest control is generally scarce, and when adopted, it is based on local knowledge-based pest control alternatives or on the application of synthetic pesticides known to be harmful to the environment and human and animal health. So, alternative pest control methods commonly found include the use of inert dust as an integrated pest management approach, without residual effects and ideal for food safety. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of charcoal powder (CP) and rock dust (RD) alone or combined with diatomaceous earth (DE) in the control of rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae). Maize grains were treated and infested by the addition of Sitophilus oryzae, on the day they were treated and, 30 and 60 days after treatment. Mortality was assessed at 10 and 20 days after each infestation. Emerged insects were counted 40 days after the second mortality assessment for each infestation period. At 90 days after treatment, the seed germination test was performed. The best treatments for Sitophilus oryzae control (mortality) and F1 emergence reduction were RD (0.5, 0.25 and 0.10 g/kg), RD+DE (0.5+0.05, 0.25+0.05 and 0.10+0.05 g/kg), and CP+DE (1.0+0.05, 0.50+0.05 and 0.25+0.05 g/kg). The RD and RD+DE remained efficient in maize treated and stored for 60 days. The treatments did not interfere with seed germination. Rock Dusts, RD+DE, and CP have the potential to be used as stored grain protectants, providing economically and environmentally friendly pest control alternatives, especially in small-scale agriculture. In developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, studies for optimization and introduction of inert dusts tested in this research, have the potential to reduce post-harvest losses, improving food security. Key words: Inert dust, stored maize, biological agriculture, storage pests, diatomaceous earths","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"4 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141797478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A diallel cross-based analysis of the genetic basis of pod quality and pod yield in snap bean","authors":"SN Njau, EE Arunga, R. Otsyula, S. Njau","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.24675","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.24675","url":null,"abstract":"Snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is among the leading vegetables in Kenya that is mainly grown for export with the potential to increase household income. There are few programs in Kenya that focus on breeding new cultivars for increased production. The development of snap bean varieties that are resilient to the changing climate is crucial for sustainable agriculture in Kenya. To achieve this, knowledge of gene action, trait expression, and heritability is vital in effective breeding for quantitative traits like pod quality and yield. A study was conducted to investigate the inheritance of pod quality and yield traits in snap beans, which can inform the breeding of snap beans. A half diallel cross involving two indeterminate dry beans (G2333 and MCM 5001) and five determinate snap beans (Amy, Moonstone, Seagull, Serengeti and Vanilla) varieties was conducted. Data on pod traits (pod weight per plant, pod number per plant, pod length, pod diameter, pod wall fiber and pod suture string) were collected from 21 F1s and 7 parents grown in two locations (Embu and Kirinyaga Counties) in Kenya. The results showed significant genotypic and environmental effects (P < 0.001) for all traits, with significant genotype by environment (G × E) interactions for most traits. Additionally, general combining abilities (GCA) and specific combining abilities (SCA) were significant for all traits evaluated. The significance of GCA and SCA indicated the importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects in controlling the traits, although the additive gene effects were predominant. The study revealed that Vanilla and Serengeti had the highest GCA estimate for pod quality traits, while G2333 and MCM5001 had the highest GCA estimate for pod yield traits. Snap bean pod yield and quality are quantitative traits controlled by multiple genes and influenced by the environment. Therefore, the predominance of additive gene effects suggests that selection for these traits in segregating generations could yield satisfactory gains. The results of this study could impact the development of snap bean varieties that are more resilient to the effects of climate change. Thus, improving the sustainability and productivity of the agriculture sector in Kenya. Key words: Snap bean, GCA, SCA, gene action, heritability, combining ability","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"8 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141797845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use of technology for sustainable livestock processes: a bibliometric review","authors":"J. Ramírez-Durán, WA Niebles, Stojanovich-Morante, JA Guerra-Cogollo, J. Ramírez-Durán","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.23515","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.23515","url":null,"abstract":"To this date, livestock activity continues to constitute one of the main bastions of the world economy and global food security. Still, just as it is vital for the subsistence of humanity, it also generates environmental and health effects that deserve attention, and that forge the irrevocable need to look for all possible alternatives to guarantee the sustainability of animal production processes. Therefore, this research has been developed under the framework of a review of the scientific literature related to the use of technology to develop sustainable livestock production processes. This review consisted of a bibliometric analysis developed within the Scopus database, delimiting all the documents published between 1987 and 2023, based on the keywords: \"Sustainability\", \"Livestock\" and \"Technology\", from which the data was obtained, using the search equation (TITLE-ABS-KEY ( \"sustainability\" ) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY ( \"livestock\" ) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY ( \"cattle breeding\" ) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY ( \"cattle raising\" ) OR TITLE-ABS -KEY ( \"cattle\" ) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY ( \"technology\" ) ). A total of 887 papers in all were discovered as a consequence, with journal articles accounting for 59% of them, reviews for 19%, conference articles for 11%, and other formats for the remaining 11%. The scientific output examined between 1987 and 2023 demonstrates an increasing tendency in the study area, with the years 2019 to 2022 exhibiting the biggest publishing peaks (47% of all published papers). The findings indicate that 60% of the papers produced for the study subject were published in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Australia and Italy. Furthermore, Sustainability (Switzerland), Animal, Journal of Animal Science, Journal of Cleaner Production and IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, were the journals that published the most on the topic, accounting for 13% of the total publications. The remaining publications are distributed among various journals. Considering that 92% of researchers in this subject are temporary, Koziel JA is the author with the most publications with seven. Similarly, Wageningen University and Research, Iowa State University, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária - Embrapa, University of Guelph and Università Degli Studi di Milano were the institutions that conducted the most research on the study's subject, accounting for 11% of the publications. Key words: livestock, sustainability, cattle raising, cattle breeding, cattle, technology, health, environment","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"2 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141798106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainability of the agricultural sector in Mexico – compliance or not - with key United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals: Aguascalientes as a case study","authors":"J. Domínguez-Soberanes, MA Mendoza-Moreno, GL De Feis, M. Peralta-Contreras","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.24770","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.24770","url":null,"abstract":"Mexico is considered one of the most critical countries contributing to food production worldwide. However, Mexico needs help in agricultural practices and the pressure to optimize water usage. Considering that food production worldwide, directly and indirectly, relates to Goals 2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 15 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015, it is essential to address the challenges and pressure Mexico faces in its agricultural practices to optimize technical irrigation, access to land extension, and crop rotation usage. Some productive zones within central Mexico are called the Bajío Region, where Aguascalientes is located and the main focus of the current case study. This study aims to collect information to understand the main factors and challenges in the primary sector in this region. This study used a survey instrument to assess the actions of 54 farmers during the pandemic, to detect farmers’ technical needs, level of preparedness, water conservation knowledge, technology adaptability, and knowledge of the current public policy in Aguascalientes State. The data analyzed included; socioeconomic aspects, water and energy conservation, food processing awareness, and public policy perception. The results showed that participants could adjust public policies and use more technical training to build sustainable agricultural growth to the SDGs, and look for increased productivity within the representative crops in the region. The significant challenges Aguascalientes face are, limited water resources, the incentive production mindset, and a more technology-intensive approach, as is needed in Northern Mexico as a region. The primary goal is to develop a more resilient agricultural system, and to find characteristics for small and medium-sized producers. The first step is to increase knowledge among the main actors in the primary sector regarding the potential technical barriers to increasing productivity. The study concluded that the socioeconomic background of agricultural entrepreneurs and their education level is essential to adopting technology for production to increase and strengthen food security for Aguascalientes. Key words: Aguascalientes, Agricultural Sector, Agricultural Entrepreneurs, Public Policy, Water","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"6 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141797640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"African Youth are Truly Rising: Can Africa Feed itself","authors":"Ruth Khasaya Oniang'o","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.ed142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.ed142","url":null,"abstract":"AFRICA RISING: This is a term coined in 2011 to describe the rapid economic growth across Sub-Saharan Africa since 2000 and the anticipated continuation. The Financial Times defines Africa Rising as a \"narrative that improved governance means the continent is almost predestined to enjoy a long period of mid-to-high single-digit economic growth, rising incomes and an emerging middle class\" [1]. The term was first coined by The Economist in December 2011 [2, 3]. Was that term Africa Rising timely then? Going by what is going on in my mother country of Kenya, I believe this is now truly Africa Rising. Why is that so? This is a new era in the world, a unique era, a turning point, the era of the internet, the era of AI, the era of fast growth, and meta data, an era of going to the bottom of the ocean, to the skies and the orbit, it is an era of information overload, it is an era of Innovation and Kenya and Africa will not be left behind. But things can only work when there is good governance and political good will. Africa has a huge youth population and the youngest population in the world; there is no doubt we are sitting on a powder keg if we cannot think of how best to manage this population. This is currently being demonstrated in Kenya. The genesis is in when primary education was made free at the start of year 2003. The adult literacy rate in Kenya is over 83 percent, and the graduate output is about 50, 000 per year, yet very few job opportunities. As a country, Kenya has invested very well in education, but the question is: where do the so many well educated Kenyans go for jobs? We come from a terrible past of colonialism (1920-1960) and a hard won independence. The Mau Mau struggle (1952-1960) during which many Kenyans were massacred, mutilated, executed and separated from their families. To date, as a nation we have never recovered from the atrocities of the colonial era. We are told the Kenyan coffers were empty when power changed hands. The initial freedom fighters might have had a good vision, and hopes for their people to have better prospects in life. The political elites and opportunists took over and just continued with \"things as usual\", without addressing what the struggle was all about. Sixty years later, after independence in 1963, the young generation are at a loss as to what freedom we actually got, just for a few? They cite a myriad of problems starting with bad governance which leads to: joblessness, theft of public resources, inept public services, promotion of mediocracy and refusal to recognize and promote talent and innovation, high cost of living, over taxation without much to show for it, and so on. As I have grown older, I appeal to the young people of Africa to work on ridding the continent of the indignity of hunger, malnutrition, poverty and disease. This for me is the start of Africa rising, a new phase that will run for a couple of decades or so, as we try to change African citizens’ mindsets. Good luck to all of ","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"66 14","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141798303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of small-scale farmers’ indigenous knowledge of bambara groundnut - a case of Syringavale, Zimbabwe","authors":"Y. Maphosa, Victoria Jideani","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.132.23500","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.132.23500","url":null,"abstract":"Bambara groundnut (BGN), a legume in the Fabaceae family, is typically cultivated on a small scale by female subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite being the largest exporter of BGN in southern Africa, Zimbabwe considers BGN a supplementary crop. Although components of BGN have been previously studied, this study involved active participation from local farmers, leading to a more community-driven understanding of perceptions and practices surrounding this legume. This study was conducted in the Syringavale community in Marula, situated in the Matabeleland South province of Zimbabwe and consisted of fifty Black African respondents [females (86%) and males (14%)]. The primary aim was to collect indigenous information on consumer perceptions, agricultural and processing practices, cultural beliefs and superstitions, and the overall significance of BGN in the community. Simple random sampling was used to select fifty households, from a list of sixty BGN-cultivating households, in the study area, followed by judgmental sampling to choose one respondent per selected household. Then after, a mixed-methods approach was applied, with structured questionnaire administered first, followed by in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to systematically identify and categorise themes, sub-themes and patterns within qualitative responses. Bambara groundnut was cultivated at household level, mostly by married women over the age of 40 and held dietary, agricultural, medicinal and traditional significance. Different components of the BGN crop, such as the seeds, leaves, flowers, roots and pods were reported to serve as food, fodder, medicine, maturity indicators and compost. Boiling, soaking, roasting, baking, cracking and frying were the cooking methods used in the community, with boiling being the most common method used by 100% of respondents. Respondents (100%) showed a preference for the mature green seed over the dry seed due to the significant time and energy consumption associated with cooking the latter. Some respondents (52%) sold their BGN produce in the open market, at home, to wholesalers, as well as in petty batter. Urbanisation, heavy rains and cultural beliefs were cited as major hindrances to BGN production. The prioritisation of BGN in terms of land allocation was recommended considering its nutritional and economic value as well as its potential contribution to the alleviation of poverty and malnutrition. Key words: Bambara groundnut, subsistence farming, legumes, poverty alleviation, small scale farmers","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"3 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141797547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}