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Foods
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Sustainable Agriculture for Food and Nutrition Security
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Sustainable Agriculture for Food and Nutrition Security

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Security and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2025 | Viewed by 2615

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Peter J. Gregory

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Agriculture, Policy & Development, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AD, UK
Interests: crop production; soil–plant interactions; plant nutrition; sustainable food systems; climate change; underutilized crops
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Greg Rebetzke

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia
Interests: delivery of cereal water productivity traits; statistical and quantitative genetics; phenomics in breeding; grain yield; filling period
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The fundamental purpose of agriculture is to produce nutritious food for people. This production needs to be carried out in a way that it does not permanently degrade the environment or result in the loss of habitats for other organisms.

These are challenging objectives. As such, the aim of this Special Issue is to examine what ‘sustainable agriculture’ may look like in different parts of the world as the human population continues to increase, climate changes and becomes more variable, and the means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are implemented. Different views and contributions about how sustainable production systems might emerge are welcome and could include aspects of regenerative, low-input, climate-smart, net-zero, intensified, mixed or conservation production systems. Articles that include data about the nutritional value of the crops and animals to humans in addition to details about production methods and yields are particularly encouraged. We are also keen to explore how sustainable production systems can lead to a more efficient processing of products and thereby contribute to more sustainable food systems.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Agronomy.

Prof. Dr. Peter J. Gregory
Dr. Greg Rebetzke
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • production systems
  • sustainable intensification
  • regenerative agriculture
  • vertical farming
  • integrated pest management
  • nutritious food
  • food security
  • sustainable agriculture

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1560 KiB  
Article
Livelihood and Food Security in the Context of Sustainable Agriculture: Evidence from Tea Agricultural Heritage Systems in China
by Jilong Liu, Chen Qian and Xiande Li
Foods 2024, 13(14), 2238; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13142238 - 16 Jul 2024
Viewed by 251
Abstract
The conservation of agricultural heritage systems (AHSs) has played a pivotal role in fostering the sustainable development of agriculture and safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods and food security worldwide. This significance is particularly evident in the case of tea AHSs, due to the economic and [...] Read more.
The conservation of agricultural heritage systems (AHSs) has played a pivotal role in fostering the sustainable development of agriculture and safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods and food security worldwide. This significance is particularly evident in the case of tea AHSs, due to the economic and nutritional value of tea products. Taking the Anxi Tieguanyin Tea Culture System (ATTCS) and Fuding White Tea Culture System (FWTCS) in Fujian Province as examples, this study uses statistical analyses and a multinomial logistic regression model to assess and compare farmer livelihood and food security at the tea AHS sites. The main findings are as follows. First, as the tea industries are at different stages of development, compared with agricultural and non-agricultural part-time households, the welfare level of pure agricultural households is lowest in the ATTCS, while welfare is the highest in the FWTCS. Second, factors such as the area of tea gardens and the number of laborers significantly affect farmers’ livelihood strategies transformation from pure agricultural households to agricultural part-time households in the ATTCS and FWTCS. Third, the high commodity rate of tea products, combined with compound cultivation in tea gardens, provides local people with essential sources of income, food, and nutrients, so as to improve food security in the ATTCS and FWTCS. These findings are essential for designing policies to ensure farmers’ livelihoods and food security through AHSs and other sustainable agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture for Food and Nutrition Security)
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21 pages, 8336 KiB  
Article
Land Carrying Capacity in China: A Perspective on Food Nutritional Demand
by Jinyi Zhang, Li Tan, Dong Ai, Fei Lun, Nan Wang, Mengbing Wu and Jinmin Hao
Foods 2023, 12(24), 4378; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12244378 - 5 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1277
Abstract
The sustainable and stable population support capacity of a country or region is of great concern. This study proposes a new method for evaluating the land carrying capacity (LCC) based on food nutrition demand and establishes a clear link between nutritional health and [...] Read more.
The sustainable and stable population support capacity of a country or region is of great concern. This study proposes a new method for evaluating the land carrying capacity (LCC) based on food nutrition demand and establishes a clear link between nutritional health and land. We delved into the evolving dynamics of food consumption and production structures in China between 1990 and 2020, with a focus on the spatial variations among its 31 provinces. The objectives of this study were to assess the status of LCC, identify the critical nutritional factors constraining LCC enhancement, and propose differentiated pathways for improving LCC. The results showed that: (1) There has been a steady increase in the annual consumption of animal-based products, while plant-based product consumption has declined. (2) Overall, food supply capacity has expanded, displaying an “east high, west low” trend, resulting in an imbalanced food supply level. (3) The LCC for energy and carbohydrates exhibited continuous fluctuating growth but displayed a declining trend after 2018. (4) The pressure on land carrying capacity has shifted from a state of “surplus” to “abundant surplus,” signifying a safe food system level. However, significant spatial variations persist, leading to shortages and surpluses. Therefore, this work suggests that addressing these disparities requires the optimization of food consumption structures and increasing the supply of animal-based foods. This approach leverages regional advantages and reduces disparities in regional LCCs. This study provides a valuable reference for ensuring food security in response to unprecedented global changes in sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture for Food and Nutrition Security)
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Review

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38 pages, 2065 KiB  
Review
Research Progress and Production Status of Edible Insects as Food in China
by Boxuan Xie, Yuxuan Zhu, Xiaoyi Chu, Sabin Saurav Pokharel, Lei Qian and Fajun Chen
Foods 2024, 13(13), 1986; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13131986 - 24 Jun 2024
Viewed by 592
Abstract
Based on the background of the exacerbating food shortage in the world, it is particularly important to diversify food resources in every possible direction. Among the choices available, edible insects have become an important alternative source of animal food with their high nutritional [...] Read more.
Based on the background of the exacerbating food shortage in the world, it is particularly important to diversify food resources in every possible direction. Among the choices available, edible insects have become an important alternative source of animal food with their high nutritional and functional (pharmacological) values, partially replacing normally consumed animal and livestock protein food sources. The utilization of edible insects has been an ancient custom since the dawn of civilization, attributed to their rich nutrition, alternate protein source, medicinal values, and presence of diverse secondary metabolites and alkaloids. This review provides an introduction to three key aspects of edible insects as food: freshness, long-term preservation, and medicinal value. It also provides details on the food source and products of edible insect species, their detailed nutritional composition and medicinal values, and their potential in producing alternative protein sources. Additionally, the review also encompasses rearing and producing technologies, resource utilization, and industrial development in China. Simultaneously, the problems and challenges faced in the artificial rearing and production development of edible insects, the production advantages over traditional livestock, and the farming evaluation and prospects of edible insects, as well as the lack of specific legislation on edible insects in China, are discussed. This review will be helpful in scientific knowledge propagation regarding edible insects for the public, guiding consumers to establish a diverse perception of sustainable agriculture and food sources in the world that has, as yet, been thwarted by food insecurity. Moreover, though edible insects could potentially serve as part of a commercial and industrial agri-enterprise that could generate a huge income, artificial rearing technology and edible insect product manufacturing and processing have not received sufficient attention from the government on a policy level, thereby leaving an open space for extensive research on edible insects as an alternate food source as well as an examination of the industrial prospects of edible insect products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture for Food and Nutrition Security)
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