Nourishing millions: Stories of change in nutrition: Synopsis

Nourishing millions: Stories of change in nutrition: Synopsis
Author: Yosef, Sivan
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 8
Release: 2016-06-29
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0896299902

In recent years, the world has seen unprecedented attention and political commitment to addressing malnutrition. Milestones such as the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, the Lancet Maternal and Child Nutrition Series, and the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) have marked the rapid rise of nutrition on the global policy and research agenda. These developments reverse years of relative neglect for nutrition. Undernutrition is a global challenge with huge social and economic costs. It kills millions of young children annually, stunts growth, erodes child development, reduces the amount of schooling children attain, and increases the likelihood of their being poor as adults, if they survive. Stunting persists through a lifetime and beyond—underweight mothers are more likely to give birth to underweight children, perpetuating undernutrition across generations. Undernutrition reduces global gross domestic product by US$1.4–$2.1 trillion a year—the size of the total economy of Africa south of the Sahara.

Nourishing millions

Nourishing millions
Author: Gillespie, Stuart
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 236
Release: 2016-06-29
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0896295885

The stories in this book are diverse, spanning five decades and playing out in different arenas, from local to global. They take place in developing countries all over the world, and they involve many sectors and disciplines beyond nutrition itself, including health, agriculture, education, social protection, and water and sanitation. Most importantly, they paint a nuanced picture of success as a context-specific achievement that may, or may not, endure into the future.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Through Sustainable Food Systems

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Through Sustainable Food Systems
Author: Riccardo Valentini
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2019-10-10
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3030239691

This publication offers a systemic analysis of sustainability in the food system, taking as its framework the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations. Targeted chapters from experts in the field cover main challenges in the food system and propose methods for achieving long term sustainability. Authors focus on how sustainability can be achieved along the whole food chain and in different contexts. Timely issues such as food security, climate change and migration and sustainable agriculture are discussed in depth. The volume is unique in its multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach. Chapter authors come from a variety of backgrounds, and authors include academic professors, members of CSO and other international organizations, and policy makers. This plurality allows for a nuanced analysis of sustainability goals and practices from a variety of perspectives, making the book useful to a wide range of readers working in different areas related to sustainability and food production. The book is targeted towards the academic community and practitioners in the policy, international cooperation, nutrition, geography, and social sciences fields. Professors teaching in nutrition, food technology, food sociology, geography, global economics, food systems, agriculture and agronomy, and political science and international cooperation may find this to be a useful supplemental text in their courses.

Plant Micronutrients

Plant Micronutrients
Author: Tariq Aftab
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 470
Release: 2020-08-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030498565

Plants require essential nutrients (macronutrients and micronutrients) for normal functioning. Sufficiency range is the levels of nutrients necessary to meet the plant’s needs for optimal growth. This range depends on individual plant species and the particular nutrient. Nutrient levels outside of a plant’s sufficiency range cause overall crop growth and health to decline, due either to deficiency or toxicity from over-accumulation. Apart from micronutrients (B, Cl, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mo), Aluminum (Al), cerium (Ce), cobalt (Co), iodine (I), lanthanum (La), sodium (Na), selenium (Se), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), and vanadium (V) are emerging as novel biostimulants that may enhance crop productivity and nutritional quality. These beneficial elements are not "essential" but when supplied at low dosages, they augment plant growth, development, and yield by stimulating specific molecular, biochemical, and physiological pathways in responses to challenging environments. The book is the first reference volume that approaches plant micronutrient management with the latest biotechnological and omics tools. Expertly curated chapters highlight working solutions as well as open problems and future challenges in plant micronutrient deficiency or toxicity. We believe this book will introduce readers to state-of-the-art developments and research trends in this field.

Biofortification of Grain and Vegetable Crops

Biofortification of Grain and Vegetable Crops
Author: Muhammad Tehseen Azhar
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 360
Release: 2023-11-28
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0323972144

Biofortification of Grain and Vegetable Crops: Molecular and Breeding Approaches is a comprehensive overview of important food crops whose vitamin and mineral enhancement can contribute significantly to improved food and nutrition security. Providing the latest information on crops including cereals, oilseeds, legumes and vegetables, this book provides details of agronomic and molecular resources for enhanced mineral production. Each chapter focuses on a specific food crop and the unique opportunities offered by each through breeding practices. This will be a valuable resource for researchers, academics and those in industry who are exploring biotechnological approaches as a powerful tool to combat malnutrition. Presents the potential of a variety of food crops for increased bioavailability of micronutrients Enhances our understanding of agronomic and molecular mechanisms of biofortification Provides insights to mitigate hidden hunger

Genome Engineering for Crop Improvement

Genome Engineering for Crop Improvement
Author: Santosh Kumar Upadhyay
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 416
Release: 2021-01-05
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1119672406

In recent years, significant advancements have been made in the management of nutritional deficiency using genome engineering—enriching the nutritional properties of agricultural and horticultural crop plants such as wheat, rice, potatoes, grapes, and bananas. To meet the demands of the rapidly growing world population, researchers are developing a range of new genome engineering tools and strategies, from increasing the nutraceuticals in cereals and fruits, to decreasing the anti-nutrients in crop plants to improve the bioavailability of minerals and vitamins. Genome Engineering for Crop Improvement provides an up-to-date view of the use of genome editing for crop bio-fortification, improved bioavailability of minerals and nutrients, and enhanced hypo-allergenicity and hypo-immunogenicity. This volume examines a diversity of important topics including mineral and nutrient localization, metabolic engineering of carotenoids and flavonoids, genome engineering of zero calorie potatoes and allergen-free grains, engineering for stress resistance in crop plants, and more. Helping readers deepen their knowledge of the application of genome engineering in crop improvement, this book: Presents genetic engineering methods for developing edible oil crops, mineral translocation in grains, increased flavonoids in tomatoes, and cereals with enriched iron bioavailability Describes current genome engineering methods and the distribution of nutritional and mineral composition in important crop plants Offers perspectives on emerging technologies and the future of genome engineering in agriculture Genome Engineering for Crop Improvement is an essential resource for academics, scientists, researchers, agriculturalists, and students of plant molecular biology, system biology, plant biotechnology, and functional genomics.

On an Empty Stomach

On an Empty Stomach
Author: Tom Scott-Smith
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2020-04-15
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 150174867X

On an Empty Stomach examines the practical techniques humanitarians have used to manage and measure starvation, from Victorian "scientific" soup kitchens to space-age, high-protein foods. Tracing the evolution of these techniques since the start of the nineteenth century, Tom Scott-Smith argues that humanitarianism is not a simple story of progress and improvement, but rather is profoundly shaped by sociopolitical conditions. Aid is often presented as an apolitical and technical project, but the way humanitarians conceive and tackle human needs has always been deeply influenced by culture, politics, and society. Txhese influences extend down to the most detailed mechanisms for measuring malnutrition and providing sustenance. As Scott-Smith shows, over the past century, the humanitarian approach to hunger has redefined food as nutrients and hunger as a medical condition. Aid has become more individualized, medicalized, and rationalized, shaped by modernism in bureaucracy, commerce, and food technology. On an Empty Stomach focuses on the gains and losses that result, examining the complex compromises that arise between efficiency of distribution and quality of care. Scott-Smith concludes that humanitarian groups have developed an approach to the empty stomach that is dependent on compact, commercially produced devices and is often paternalistic and culturally insensitive.

Food systems for an urbanizing world

Food systems for an urbanizing world
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2018-08-29
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9251301271

Food Systems for an Urbanizing World is a joint report prepared by the World Bank and FAO. It aims to stimulate discussion and suggest pathways to support local and national governments, and civil society and private sector actors in their efforts to improve the performance and capacity of food systems. The report describes the diversity and ever-changing nature of food systems, with interlinked traditional, modern and informal channels that respond to different market segments and different consumer preferences. It also underscores the importance of targeting support to the type of city and food system. The task is not an easy one. Data are weak and empirical analysis is weaker. As cities’ engagement in urban food issues is relatively new, the institutions, governance mechanisms and capacities needed for effective design, implementation and delivery of this agenda must be strengthened. Finding effective ways to prioritize, mobilize and coordinate contributions from multiple sectors will be essential for achieving food system goals.

Millets

Millets
Author: Latika Yadav
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 122
Release: 2024-01-31
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1837687005

Millets are a group of small-seeded grasses that have been grown as food sources for humans and animals since ancient times. These crops are highly nutritious and have a range of health benefits. They are also highly adaptable to different growing conditions, making them an important crop for farmers in arid and drought-prone regions. Millets have been an integral part of the traditional diets of many cultures around the world and have gained renewed attention in recent years as a sustainable, low-input alternative to other cereal crops. Despite their many benefits, millets have been largely overlooked by modern industrial agriculture, and their cultivation and use have declined in many regions. There is a growing recognition of the need to promote and support the conservation and revival of millet cultivation as a key strategy to enhance food security and resilience in the face of climate change.