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May 2017 / CAPSA is pleased to share this month'sE-DIGEST with you.
E-DIGEST is a compendium of newly published scientific articles (abstract and citation)related to sustainable agriculture, markets, poverty reduction and food security in the Asia and Pacific Region.
Long-term change in rainfall distribution in Northeast Thailand:will cropping systems be able to adapt?
Guillaume Lacombe, Anan Polthanee and Guy Trébuil
Cahiers Agricultures
Volume 26, Number 2
March-April 2017
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The objectives of this study were to assess local and regional trends in agriculturally-relevant rainfall variables over the last half century in Northeast Thailand (NET), which is the Mekong sub-region where the longest rainfall records are available, and infer future challenges for cropping systems adaptation. Based on an intimate knowledge of the local farming systems, the authors discuss the cropping systems adaptation to these rainfall changes. If the wetting of the dry season extends in the future, as expected according to most climate projections, households would not find it difficult to adapt, except for the problems caused by temperature rise, mainly due to their renowned adaptive capacity and high mobility that historically produced diverse and resilient rural livelihood systems.
KeywordsClimate change adaptation, Cropping systems, Rainfall patterns, Thailand, Trend
more
Small-scale poultry and food security in resource-poor settings:A review
J.T. Wonget al.
Global Food Security
May 2017
Elsevier
/ Abstract
Small-scale poultry production systems are mostly found in rural, resource-poor areas that often also experience food insecurity. They are accessible to vulnerable groups of society, and provide households with income and nutritionally-rich food sources. However, they also improve food security in indirect ways, such as enhancing nutrient utilization and recycling in the environment, contributing to mixed farming practices, contributing to women's empowerment, and enabling access to healthcare and education. Further, they may contribute to several of the Sustainable Development Goals, and to future food security through maintaining biodiverse genomes. In extensive small-scale poultry production systems, significant impediments to achieving these contributions are disease and predation, which can be reduced through improved agricultural and livestock extension and community animal health networks. For small-scale intensive systems, feed price fluctuations and inadequate biosecurity are major constraints.
KeywordsSmall-scale poultry, Food security, Nutrition security, Women's empowerment, Sustainability, Low- and middle-income countries
more
Women's empowerment and gender equity in agriculture:A different perspective from Southeast Asia
Sonia Akteret al.
Food Policy
Vol. 69, May 2017
Elsevier
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This paper aims to generate a better understanding of the global landscape of gender inequity by presenting evidence from four Southeast Asian countries: Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Using the framework recommended by the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI), 37 focus group discussions were conducted with 290 women farmers in the above mentioned countries. The results reveal trends that contradict the conventional narratives of gender inequity in agriculture in certain domains of empowerment. In all four countries, women appear to have equal access to productive resources such as land and inputs, and greater control over household income than men. Important intra-regional heterogeneity is observed in terms of community-level empowerment. While women play an active role in agricultural groups in Thailand and in the Philippines, this is predominantly men's territory in Indonesia and Myanmar. These findings imply that country-specific gender intervention frameworks are necessary to overcome gender gaps in agriculture.
KeywordsGender equity, Agriculture, Southeast Asia, Women's empowerment, Rice
more
Fertilizing growth: Agricultural inputs and their effects in economic development
John W. McArthur and Gordon C. McCord
Journal of Development Economics
Vol. 127, July 2017
Elsevier
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This paper estimates the role of agronomic inputs in cereal yield improvements and the consequences for countries' processes of structural change. The evidence in this paper points to strong potential yield and growth effects resulting from policy efforts to support adoption of a green revolution-type package of complementary inputs in economies with low agricultural productivity and a large share of the labor force still in agriculture. The results suggest a clear role for fertilizer, modern seeds and water in boosting yields. The authors also estimate that a half ton increase in staple yields generates a 14 to 19 percent higher GDP per capita and a 4.6 to 5.6 percentage point lower labor share in agriculture five years later. The outcomes imply a strong role for agricultural productivity as a driver of structural change.
KeywordsAgriculture, Fertilizer, Structural change, Growth, Green revolution
more
School gardening in Bhutan:Evaluating outcomes and impact
Pepijn Schreinemacherset al.
Food Security
April 2017
Springer
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School gardening interventions have been promoted as an effective approach to improve children's eating habits in developed countries, but there is little evidence for their impact in developing countries. The authors studied the combined effect of school gardens linked to complementary lessons and promotional activities on the eating behavior and nutritional status of 9- to 15-year-old schoolchildren in Bhutan. They also studied the effect on a range of secondary indicators derived from the impact pathway. The data are from 468 schoolchildren in 9 control and 9 treatment schools following a randomized controlled trial design. Findings show that the school gardening intervention significantly increased children's awareness about vegetables, their knowledge about sustainable agriculture, and their preferences for healthier foods. Furthermore, it shows an 11.7-percentage point increase in the probability that children included vegetables in their meals (p < 0.05), but not in the number of different fruits or vegetables consumed. These results support the idea that comprehensive school garden interventions, combining gardening with education and promotion, can positively influence food preferences and food behavior in developing countries.
KeywordsEducation, Food behavior, Vegetables, Malnutrition, Nutrition-sensitive agriculture, Impact evaluation, Randomized controlled trial
more
Ranking and relationship of agricultural credit with food security: A district level analysis
Sana Iftikhar and Hafiz Zahid Mahmood
Cogent Food and Agriculture
May 2017
Taylor and Francis
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The agricultural credit plays an important role in farming sector for more and efficient production in developing economies and Pakistan. One of the major problems faced by the farmers is the shortage of credit availability. This study aims to observe the impact of institutional and non-institutional agricultural credit on food security in the districts of Punjab province of Pakistan. In this regard multiple linear regression models are provided to quantify the relationship between food security and Agricultural Credit. The study finds that Institutional Agricultural Credit is significantly helping in combating food insecurity while Non-Institutional Agricultural Credit shows unexpected results. Therefore it is strongly recommended to cates institutional credit to reduce food insecurity issues in the country.
KeywordsFood security, Institutional Agricultural Credit, Non-Institutional Agricultural Credit, Punjab, Pakistan
more

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