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Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy
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Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2023) | Viewed by 17009

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Rimante Ronto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
Interests: sustainable diets and food systems; food literacy; dietary behaviour change; public health; young adults

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food and nutrition security is a cornerstone of sustainable and healthy diets and food systems. Achieving food and nutrition security, due to the world’s population growth which is estimated to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, is an urgent matter that depends on collaborative efforts from individuals, governments, and the private and public sectors. There is a need for research that promotes food and nutrition security of individuals and communities through food policy. Therefore, we seek research that addresses food and nutrition insecurity issues at individual and food policy levels. More specifically, we are looking for qualitative and quantitative research which explores food policy development, implementation and effectiveness in addressing food and nutrition insecurity issues at local and global levels.

In addition, the COVID-19 health crisis had significant impact on food and nutrition security. There is a need for further research on the impact of COVID-19 health crisis on food and nutrition security and diet quality from a food policy perspective. Therefore, we are looking for research that addresses COVID-19-related food and nutrition insecurity through policy development and implementation.

We welcome the submission of original research articles, short communications, and reviews.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Rimante Ronto
Guest Editor

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. Sustainability 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 2400 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.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 7400 KiB  
Article
The Social Exclusion Perspective of Food Insecurity: The Case of Blacked-Out Food Areas
by Daniela Bernaschi, Davide Marino, Angela Cimini and Giampiero Mazzocchi
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 2974; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15042974 - 7 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3181
Abstract
The United Nations Global Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly through Goal 2, simultaneously seeks to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on the agricultural production system and on consumption conditions. This means [...] Read more.
The United Nations Global Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly through Goal 2, simultaneously seeks to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on the agricultural production system and on consumption conditions. This means that ‘access’ to food should be determined with respect to the three dimensions of economic, physical and solidarity access to a quantity of food that fulfils both people’s nutritional needs and environmentally responsible consumption patterns. In Italy, 9.9% of the total population, i.e., six million people, live in a state of food insecurity. In Rome, 9.4% of the population lives in a condition of material deprivation, and applications for Citizens’ Income have increased, as well as food aids which amounted to EUR 20 million in 2020. The relationships between the cost of healthy and sustainable diets (which would cost 60% more than a staple diet) and the increasing economic difficulties people are facing, have prompted a focus on the multidimensional nature of food security, with particular emphasis on people’s ability to access food. In this paper, analyzing the Metropolitan City of Rome (Italy) as a case study, we present a pilot and innovative work on an affordability index to healthy and sustainable diet. A geospatial analysis highlights areas where economic difficulties in accessing food overlap with the shortage/absence of food retail outlets and with a lack of solidarity networks (e.g., civil society food distribution initiatives), allowing a new concept to come into focus, namely the blacked-out food areas. This concept helps to identify those areas in which people are socially excluded and cannot enjoy the same substantive food-related choices as people in other areas. The research outcomes provide insights into the geographical areas and neighborhoods characterized by critical access to healthy and sustainable food, providing crucial information for the planning and implementation of targeted social policies to tackle food insecurity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy)
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12 pages, 282 KiB  
Article
Web-Based Experiential Nutrition Education Intervention “The Green Hub” to Promote Sustainable and Healthy Diets among Young Adults in Australia
by Nadine Ghammachi, Seema Mihrshahi and Rimante Ronto
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15207; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215207 - 16 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1627
Abstract
Background: Sustainable and healthy dietary patterns can help achieve both optimal health and reduce environmental impacts. They involve the increased intake of plant-based foods which are local and seasonal, and reduced intake of animal-derived foods and food wastage. There is emerging evidence regarding [...] Read more.
Background: Sustainable and healthy dietary patterns can help achieve both optimal health and reduce environmental impacts. They involve the increased intake of plant-based foods which are local and seasonal, and reduced intake of animal-derived foods and food wastage. There is emerging evidence regarding the use and effectiveness of web-based health promotion programs to improve diet related behaviours especially in young adults. This study investigated the effectiveness of the “Green Hub” pilot study, a four-week web-based experiential nutrition education intervention to promote sustainable and healthy diets among young adults in Australia. Methods: This study used a pre-/post-study design with process evaluation. The four-week intervention integrated modules on different aspects of a sustainable and healthy diets and was delivered through a private Facebook group. Eligible participants were young adults between the age of 18–25 years old residing in Australia. Results: Out of 19 participants who consented, 17 participants completed the program. Two thirds of participants (67%) stated that they were familiar with the sustainable and healthy diet concept but only 33% were able to define this concept comprehensively. The post-intervention survey resulted in improved knowledge, attitudes, and motivation to adopt more sustainable eating patterns. Conclusion: The “Green Hub” experiential nutrition education program showed positive impact on participants’ willingness to adopt sustainable and healthy diets. The findings of this pilot study will inform future larger scale studies and policy development on improving sustainable and healthy diets among young adults. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy)
14 pages, 443 KiB  
Article
Can Agricultural Insurance Improve the Nutritional Status of Rural Residents?—Evidence from China’s Policy-Based Agricultural Insurance
by Shuang Fu, Wenzhong Li and Shengzhong Jiang
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14295; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114295 - 1 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1484
Abstract
Based on the provincial panel data from 2008 to 2019, this paper constructs a mediating effect model to analyze the impact of China’s agricultural insurance development on the nutritional status of rural residents theoretically and empirically. This study found that agricultural insurance significantly [...] Read more.
Based on the provincial panel data from 2008 to 2019, this paper constructs a mediating effect model to analyze the impact of China’s agricultural insurance development on the nutritional status of rural residents theoretically and empirically. This study found that agricultural insurance significantly affects the nutritional status of rural residents through two mediators: increased income level and the regional crop diversity. Meanwhile, regional heterogeneity exists in the impact of agricultural insurance on the nutritional status of rural residents. Overall, this paper argues that agricultural insurance should be one of the tools to improve the nutritional status of rural residents in China. Specifically, the design and implementation process of policy-based agricultural insurance should put the nutritional health of rural residents and their complex impact into consideration. Therefore, this paper suggests that even though agricultural insurance can facilitate rural residents’ income stability and generation, relevant stakeholders also need to draw awareness, popularize the importance of nutrition and health, and optimize the supply structure of agricultural products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy)
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26 pages, 16953 KiB  
Article
Less Water, Less Oil: Policy Response for the Kenyan Future, a CGE Analysis
by Davide Bazzana, Aidin Mobasser and Sergio Vergalli
Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11273; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811273 - 8 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1921
Abstract
The continuous depletion of nonrenewable natural resources and climate change may lead to a future characterized by a higher frequency of extreme natural events (i.e., flooding, hurricanes, and droughts) and resource supply shocks (i.e., oil price shock). Sub-Saharan African countries will be particularly [...] Read more.
The continuous depletion of nonrenewable natural resources and climate change may lead to a future characterized by a higher frequency of extreme natural events (i.e., flooding, hurricanes, and droughts) and resource supply shocks (i.e., oil price shock). Sub-Saharan African countries will be particularly exposed to these types of shock due to their socioeconomic conditions and geographical conformation. This study investigates the impact of two contemporaneous covariant sudden shocks (i.e., drought and price oil shock) and the possible coping strategies through a static computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for Kenya. The results suggest that a mitigation policy as public transfers is an effective mitigation tool for drought effects, improving welfare and GDP in the short run. However, adopting public transfers during an oil crisis may have regressive effects on population income and welfare. Because the mitigation effectiveness is strongly affected by the complex interaction of combined shocks, the public authorities should pay attention to policy implementation. These findings call for a new scheme of transfer allocation where rural and low-income household quantiles should receive more attention by postdrought mitigation policy, being that they are more vulnerable to external shocks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy)
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Review

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26 pages, 3222 KiB  
Review
Youth Engagement in Agribusiness: Perception, Constraints, and Skill Training Interventions in Africa: A Systematic Review
by Mortala Boye, Abdul Ghafoor, Abdulazeez Hudu Wudil, Muhammad Usman, Piotr Prus, Alexander Fehér and Roman Sass
Sustainability 2024, 16(3), 1096; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031096 - 27 Jan 2024
Viewed by 2086
Abstract
The participation of young people in agriculture is crucial in generating job opportunities and fostering the growth of agri-food systems in developing countries, particularly in Africa. This study aims to provide an in-depth review of existing studies on young people’s perceptions and factors [...] Read more.
The participation of young people in agriculture is crucial in generating job opportunities and fostering the growth of agri-food systems in developing countries, particularly in Africa. This study aims to provide an in-depth review of existing studies on young people’s perceptions and factors influencing their participation in agribusiness. Additionally, the study aims to investigate the impact of the skill training intervention on youth engagement in agribusiness. The study also identifies and analyzes the constraints that hindered their engagement. The PRISMA guideline was followed to analyze 57 studies across Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies published from 2012 to 2022 were retrieved from various digital libraries, such as Google Scholar, Emerald Insight, Taylor & Francis Online, Wiley Online Library, and Science Direct. The review findings highlight that many young people in Africa view agriculture as a profitable industry and a means of subsistence. However, it was also observed that there are divergent opinions regarding agribusiness among young individuals. Factors such as access to finance, education, skills training, perceived social support, and prior experience in farming emerged as critical determinants influencing their decision to engage in agribusiness. Moreover, the study reveals that skill training programs positively impact youth participation in agribusiness. These interventions enhance their skills, increasing productivity, income, and employment opportunities. Nevertheless, access to finance and other essential resources, such as land and extension support, were identified as significant barriers to the involvement of young people in agribusiness. In order to promote the advancement of agri-food systems in Africa through youth participation, youth policies must prioritize access to various resources, including but not limited to capital, education, skills training, land, extension support, social support, mentoring, and private-sector involvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy)
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25 pages, 1534 KiB  
Review
Aboriginal Food Practices and Australian Native Plant-Based Foods: A Step toward Sustainable Food Systems
by Carla Vanessa Alves Lopes, Seema Mihrshahi, Rimante Ronto and John Hunter
Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11569; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511569 - 26 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4704
Abstract
The current food system and food choices have resulted in the increased human use of natural resources such as water and soil, and have directly impacted the ‘Global Syndemic’—climate change, obesity, and undernutrition. Revitalising Indigenous food systems and incorporating native plant-based foods into [...] Read more.
The current food system and food choices have resulted in the increased human use of natural resources such as water and soil, and have directly impacted the ‘Global Syndemic’—climate change, obesity, and undernutrition. Revitalising Indigenous food systems and incorporating native plant-based foods into current food systems may have the potential to reduce diet-linked chronic diseases and environmental degradation, and are important steps toward Indigenous rights and self-determination. This study aims to identify and describe Aboriginal food practices and Australian native plant-based foods and their social, environmental, and economic impacts on sustainable food systems. A scoping review was conducted using the five-stage framework informed by Arksey and O’Malley. To describe the results, the framework for sustainable food systems from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations—FAO was used. Articles were included if they described the impacts of Aboriginal food practices on sustainable food systems, were confined to studies that were conducted in the Australian context, and included native Australian plant-based foods. A total of 57 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. The major social impacts incorporated the nutritional and health benefits of Australian native plant-based foods, such as antidiabetic properties, anticancer and antioxidant activities, and cultural identification, involving Aboriginal ecological knowledge and their connection to their country. Within the environmental impacts category, studies showed that Australian native plant-based foods have environmental stress tolerance and some ecosystem benefits. The main economic impacts discussed in the literature were the source of income for remote communities and the potential market for Australian native plant-based foods. This review demonstrates that Aboriginal food practices and Australian native plant-based foods can contribute to more sustainable food systems and diets and give more voice and visibility to Aboriginal knowledge and aspirations. More research and investments are needed to face the challenges of including these foods in our current food systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy)
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Other

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20 pages, 600 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review on Food Baskets Recommended in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
by Mona Pourghaderi, Anahita Houshiarrad, Morteza Abdollahi, Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh, Fatemeh Esfarjani, Mohammad-Reza Khoshfetrat, Ghasem Fadavi and Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi
Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 14781; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014781 - 12 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1114
Abstract
To assist in providing a robust regional set of data and international comparisons, a systematic review was conducted to identify and characterize food baskets (FBs) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries. Electronic databases of peer-reviewed literature, including PubMed, Scopus, ISI/WOS and Google [...] Read more.
To assist in providing a robust regional set of data and international comparisons, a systematic review was conducted to identify and characterize food baskets (FBs) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries. Electronic databases of peer-reviewed literature, including PubMed, Scopus, ISI/WOS and Google Scholar, and also, online grey literature, were systematically searched from January 2000 to September 2021. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI) Critical Appraisal checklists for analytical cross-sectional studies. A total of 20 studies and reports were identified as eligible for inclusion in this systematic review. Linear & goal programming is used in many studies to estimate the FB groups. According to the recent recommendations based on sustainability, less consumption of red meat is proposed, and the poultry group, along with eggs, plays an important role in supplying animal protein in EMR FBs. More than 30 g of legumes has been suggested based on the dietary habits of this area, whereas consumption of more than 30–40 g of oils and fats will not be appropriate for the region. The research results are not comparable due to differences in the tools, protocols, and methods; hence, there is a need for a standardized regional approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Research on the Nutrition Security and Food Policy)
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