Trusting trade and the private sector for food security in Southeast Asia (English)
Abstract
Trusting Trade and the Private Sector for Food Security in Southeast Asia challenges policy makers who oversee the rice sector in Southeast Asia and reexamines deep-rooted precepts about their responsibilities. The authors argue that fixating on national self-sufficiency has been costly and counterproductive, and cooperation can both improve rice production at home and expand regional trade. Trusting Trade specifically examines private sector participation in the rice and (yellow) maize markets in five countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The study identifies both the private sector s potential role in providing greater regional food security and feasible ways to strengthen public and private sector cooperation in managing regional food supply chains. Trusting Trade also examines actionable ways to deepen and strengthen regional markets that support trade in food staples. The study s recommendations are meant to be implemented primarily through new forms of partnerships between the public and private sectors. Trusting Trade will be of interest to policy makers in the ASEAN member states and its development partners as well as others interested in food security, supply chains, and trade in Southeast Asia.
... Lack of appropriate machine (Mechanical threshers) for mechanization is the main reason for post-harvest losses. Delay in threshing after harvesting of paddy results in loss of significant quantity and quality loss as the crop is exposed to atmosphere, and is vulnerable to rodents, birds, and insect attack (Alavi, 2012). ...
... drying is a important step after to maintain the crop quality and minimize storage losses. Drying of grains are performed either naturally (sun or shade drying) or using mechanical dryers (Alavi, 2012). Drying is carried out through either a mechanical dryer or in the sun light on a large flat surface. ...
... The paddy milling process removes the husk and bran layers of paddy. The operation is performed either manually by repeated pounding or using mechanical milling machines (Alavi, 2012). When grain is delivered to the flour or rice mill it should be inspected by taking a sample from the batch. ...
... Quantity losses are the loss of product quantity. They are more common in developing countries (Alavi et al. 2012) than in developed ones. At the global level, the amount of lost and wasted food in high-income regions is higher in the further phases of the food chain, and vice versa situation is in low-income regions, where more food is lost and wasted in the start-up phase (Anonymous 2010a(Anonymous , b, 2011Aulakh et al. 2013). ...
... In turn, the quality losses also include those that affect the nutritional composition, calorie content, digestibility, and acceptability of the food product. These losses are generally more common in developed countries (Abass et al. 2014;Alavi et al. 2012). Yield losses occur during the post-harvest treatment of seeds, fruit, or tubers as a result of physiological processes in vegetative and generative organs of plants, uneconomic collection, loading and unloading (e.g., in the process of transporting seeds for purchase), cleaning and calibration, drying, and storage. ...
... Seed splitting, incomplete separation from the chaff, and cracking of seeds due to excessive impact force are the main causes of threshing losses (Baloch 2010; Shah 2013). Delay in threshing after harvesting results in a significant loss of the quantity and quality of the crop, because the plant is exposed to atmospheric and biotic factors (rodents, birds, and insects) (Gliński et al. 2014;Alavi et al. 2012;Sarkar et al. 2013). Lack of mechanization is the main cause of this delay, which causes significant losses. ...
At a time when the demand for food of a growing population is a major global problem, more than a third of food is lost or wasted in post-harvest agricultural operations. Reducing the waste after harvest, especially in developing countries, can be a sustainable solution to increase food availability, reduce pressure on natural resources, eliminate hunger and improve farmers’ living conditions. Cereal crops are the basis of food in most developing countries around the world. The maximum losses after harvest are estimated on the basis of calories among all agricultural products. As much as 50-60% of cereal yields can be lost at the storage stage due to the lack of technical possibilities for their proper harvesting and storage. The use of scientific storage methods can reduce these losses by up to 1-2%. The post-harvest losses of agricultural crops in developing countries, the condition and causes of losses during the storage as well as technological interventions aimed at reducing these losses were discussed. The principles of storing seeds of cultivated plants in silos as well as the principles of hermetic storage and its effectiveness for several types of crops are also presented. Losses and waste of food generate many negative effects that can directly or indirectly affect the main pillars of food security: food availability, access to food, food use and stability of accessibility and access to food over time. Many actions are taken to prevent or minimize these losses and wastage. Wasted food can be used, among others, to redistribute or re-use its components
... Quantity losses are the loss of product quantity. They are more common in developing countries (Alavi et al. 2012) than in developed ones. At the global level, the amount of lost and wasted food in high-income regions is higher in the further phases of the food chain, and vice versa situation is in low-income regions, where more food is lost and wasted in the start-up phase (Anonymous 2010a(Anonymous , b, 2011Aulakh et al. 2013). ...
... In turn, the quality losses also include those that affect the nutritional composition, calorie content, digestibility, and acceptability of the food product. These losses are generally more common in developed countries (Abass et al. 2014;Alavi et al. 2012). Yield losses occur during the post-harvest treatment of seeds, fruit, or tubers as a result of physiological processes in vegetative and generative organs of plants, uneconomic collection, loading and unloading (e.g., in the process of transporting seeds for purchase), cleaning and calibration, drying, and storage. ...
... Seed splitting, incomplete separation from the chaff, and cracking of seeds due to excessive impact force are the main causes of threshing losses (Baloch 2010; Shah 2013). Delay in threshing after harvesting results in a significant loss of the quantity and quality of the crop, because the plant is exposed to atmospheric and biotic factors (rodents, birds, and insects) (Gliński et al. 2014;Alavi et al. 2012;Sarkar et al. 2013). Lack of mechanization is the main cause of this delay, which causes significant losses. ...
Food losses and waste are the result of inefficient functioning of food systems. "Post-harvest loss" in the PHL system refers to the quantitative and qualitative loss of food in various post-harvest operations. 'Loss of food' is also defined as food available for human consumption but not consumed. Limiting post-harvest losses (PHL) is a priority area of cooperation between FAO and global development banks.
... Grain spillage, incomplete separation of the grain from chaff, grain breakage due of excessive striking, are some of the major reasons for losses during the threshing process [20,25]. Delay in threshing after harvesting of crop results in significant quantity and quality loss, as the crop is exposed to atmosphere, and is susceptible to rodents, birds, and insect attack [26]. As in the case of harvesting, lack of mechanization is the major reason for this delay that causes significant losses. ...
... However, they suffer with the limitations of high initial and maintenance cost, adequate size availability, and lack of knowledge to operate these dryers, especially with smallholders. Due to these limitations, these dryers are rarely used by smallholders in the developing countries [26]. ...
... Even the trucks used in the developing countries are not totally suitable to transport cereals and oil seed crops. Alavi et al. [26] reported 2%-10% losses during handling and transportation of rice in Southeast Asia. ...
While fulfilling the food demand of an increasing population remains a major global concern, more than one-third of food is lost or wasted in postharvest operations. Reducing the postharvest losses, especially in developing countries, could be a sustainable solution to increase food availability, reduce pressure on natural resources, eliminate hunger and improve farmers’ livelihoods. Cereal grains are the basis of staple food in most of the developing nations, and account for the maximum postharvest losses on a calorific basis among all agricultural commodities. As much as 50%–60% cereal grains can be lost during the storage stage due only to the lack of technical inefficiency. Use of scientific storage methods can reduce these losses to as low as 1%–2%. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review of the grain postharvest losses in developing countries, the status and causes of storage losses and discusses the technological interventions to reduce these losses. The basics of hermetic storage, various technology options, and their effectiveness on several crops in different localities are discussed in detail
... Among various storage pests, Sitophilus oryzae is reported to be one of the major pests of stored cereals (including rice) causing heavy losses both quantitatively and qualitatively throughout the world (Arannilewa et al., 2002) [4] . (Alavi et al. 2012) [5] Compiled data on postharvest losses in rice value chains from different studies conducted by the FAO and reported 10-37 per cent losses in rice in Southeast Asia. The rice weevil can cause grain loss between 12 and 20 per cent and under favourable conditions, the extent of damage may go up to 80% (Tefera et al., 2013) [6] . ...
... Among various storage pests, Sitophilus oryzae is reported to be one of the major pests of stored cereals (including rice) causing heavy losses both quantitatively and qualitatively throughout the world (Arannilewa et al., 2002) [4] . (Alavi et al. 2012) [5] Compiled data on postharvest losses in rice value chains from different studies conducted by the FAO and reported 10-37 per cent losses in rice in Southeast Asia. The rice weevil can cause grain loss between 12 and 20 per cent and under favourable conditions, the extent of damage may go up to 80% (Tefera et al., 2013) [6] . ...
The present study was carried out at Seed Research and Technology Centre, PJTSAU, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during 2019-20. Chemical traits like protein and ash contents of twenty five rice genotypes were assessed to know their effect on Sitophilus oryzae infestation. It was revealed that ash content had significant negative effect on mean adult emergence (-0.42) and per cent seed damage (-0.47), while it had significant positive effect with mean development period (0.41). On the other hand, protein content had significant positive relationship with mean adult emergence (0.44), per cent seed damage (0.42) and negative with mean developmental period (0.28).
... Food security not only relies on self-sufficiency, but also requires the integration of capital, energy, technology, and experienced management into sustained efforts to heighten the efficiency of food production. In fact, self-sufficiency has been revealed as an inefficient, a costly, and a counterproductive path to food security (Alavi et al., 2012). A food self-sufficiency approach to food security has been widely criticized as a misguided policy decision and furthermore, it seeks to achieve food security that reflects political Agricultural import tariffs 86 7 ...
... In addition, regional trade agreements are hypothesized to receive positive responses from participating member countries. Nevertheless, "since the issuance of the ASEAN Integrated Food Security framework in 2008 and the further successful adoption of the ASEAN Trade in Goods and Agreement (ATIGA) in 2009, food deficit countries within the region would prefer to hang tenaciously on their long-held goal of self-sufficiency" (Alavi et al., 2012). The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreement also seeks to open trade initiatives among the members, particularly major rice exporters -Vietnam and Australia -thus contributing to food security (Ministry of International Trade Industry, 2015). ...
Issues pertaining to sustainability and food security in agricultural development are still the main agenda of Malaysia in its vision of being a developed nation. It is basically the government's responsibility of installing public confidence that food is available and affordable as well as ensuring the sustainability of the agri-food sector, for the welfare of today's and future generation. Apart from defining food security and sustainability, the paper reviews Malaysia's position on food security considering the global food security index as well as identification of its strengths and weaknesses. Some of the descriptions are also presented as part of a policy review on food security and sustainability as well as government regulations that have been established to ensure the effective implementation of relevant initiatives. This paper also focuses on agri-food research direction particularly in MARDI in addressing food security and sustainability. It encompasses the areas of research that need to be strengthened to address food security issues and sustainable agriculture through technology and innovation. Discussions within this framework also include the relationship of climate change with food security and sustainability with special emphasis on rice production. This is due to the fact that rice is a major commodity in the context of food security in our country.
... For example, rice production in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries experiences post-harvest losses of between 10 and 15 per cent. Halving these losses could release an additional 4.3 million tonnes of rice for consumption, which could help meet demand in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam (Alavi et al., 2012). Some countries in the region are attempting to address such shortcomings. ...
... Influencing factors include income security, policies such as government subsidies, price control, taxes and tariffs, and market prices. The presence of infrastructure bottlenecks, particularly those relating to logistics and transportation, may impact economic as well as physical access to food by reducing the efficient functioning of bridges and ports and has been shown to raise food prices for ASEAN consumers by as much as 25 per cent (Alavi et al., 2012). ...
Research report and recommendations, including scenario study outlining possible food futures in the Asian region on the basis of the Commission's research, consultations and the combined expertise of its Commissioners. The composition of the Commission and its research was international and interdisciplinary, with Commissioners from a range of Asian nations and a research program that undertook consultations and field studies in a number of Asian countries.
... However, because of the high rainfall and humidity that characterized the study area within the major season, a large portion of the maize grains was not fully dried, leading to discoloration, decay, deterioration, and the growth of aflatoxin during storage (Opit et al., 2014). In support of this finding, Alavi et al. (2012) in a multi-country study across developing economies, observed high postharvest loss of maize grains during drying at the farm level. More so, because all farmers harvest within same period to pave way for planting in the minor crop season, the availability of labour and mechanical threshers is limited, which delays harvesting, gathering and, de-husking and shelling, leaving maize grains on the cobs, or in heaped forms on the farm, which could lead to in decay and deterioration. ...
Maize is a vital staple food crop in Ghana, providing nutrition and income for millions of farm households. However, postharvest losses pose a significant threat to the maize value chain, limiting its impact on livelihoods. Besides, there are few empirical studies that examine the socioeconomic and farm-level factors that influence maize postharvest losses at the farm level. This study aimed to assess maize post-harvest losses in Ghana using farmers' declarations of their losses expressed as a quantity (kg/acre) and a percentage and, their determining factors. Survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 189 maize farmers on their perception of quantitative and qualitative postharvest losses at Atebubu-Amantin municipality in the 2021 production season. The data was analyzed using descriptive, seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) and multivariate ordered probit (MOP) models. The quantitative data shows higher postharvest loss of Gh₵362.19/acre (US43.02/acre). Data on the qualitative estimation is similar to the quantitative losses as it also depicts higher perceived maize postharvest lost during the major production season compared with the minor season. Both methods of estimation further show increased postharvest losses associated with the drying and winnowing of maize grains, implying that adoption of modern technologies such as the solar dryer that effectively dry maize grains would be crucial towards reducing losses at the farm level. Likewise, the SUR and MOP models reveal that the main drivers of maize postharvest losses are age, sex, and the number of years in formal education and training. Production season, membership in farmer-based organisations, extension access, and credit access also appear as important factors influencing postharvest losses. The findings from these assessments provide valuable insights for policymakers, development practitioners, and farmers to develop effective strategies to reduce postharvest losses and improve food security in Ghana.
... Thus, grains contaminated by common ragweed seeds were primarily transported into urban areas. During transportation, grains can leak from vehicles 33,34 . The airflow created by vehicles can also facilitate the dispersal of common ragweed-contaminated grains [35][36][37] . ...
Common ragweed is an invasive alien species causing severe allergies in urban residents. Understanding its urban invasion pathways is crucial for effective control. However, knowledge is limited, with most studies focusing on agricultural and natural areas, and occurrence record-based studies exhibiting uncertainties. We address this gap through a study in East China cities, combining population genetics and occurrence records. Leaf samples from 37 urban common ragweed populations across 15 cities are collected. Genomic and chloroplast DNA extraction facilitate analysis of spatial genetic patterns and gene flows. Additionally, international grain trade data is examined to trace invasion sources. Results indicate spatial genetic patterns impacted by multiple introductions over time. We infer the modern grain trade between the United States and China as the primary invasion pathway. Also, cities act as transportation hubs and ports of grain importation might disperse common ragweed to urban areas. Invasive species control should account for cities as potential landing and spread hubs of common ragweed.
... The recent shifts in food consumption patterns in Southeast Asia have led to an increased demand for land resources. Consequently, food security and the pressure on cultivated land in Southeast Asia have become critical global concerns [34,35]. For instance, Kastner et al. investigated the total land requirement for food production in the Philippines from 1910 to 2003 [36]. ...
Southeast Asia plays a crucial role in global food production and trade, yet it grapples with challenges related to food security, regional stability, and security. Cultivated land is the material foundation for ensuring food production. With the development of society and the economy, people’s food consumption has undergone significant changes. This paper employs a comprehensive approach to analyze trends in food consumption, the cultivated land footprint, and associated land pressures in Southeast Asia over the period 1961–2019. The main findings are as follows: (1) Between 1961 and 2019, the total food consumption in Southeast Asia surged by 3.1 times. Notably, the proportion of livestock-based foods increased steadily from 6.62% in 1961 to 16.82% in 2019. (2) Due to advancements in agricultural productivity across Southeast Asia, the cultivated land footprint for food consumption only increased by 0.7 times, showcasing a diminishing demand for grain-cultivated land. (3) On the whole, the pressure of food consumption on cultivated land in Southeast Asia is on the decline, albeit with considerable variations among different countries. The Philippines is facing a relative undersupply, whereas Thailand has experienced the lowest cultivated land pressure. (4) Encouraging a shift towards a Mediterranean-style diet, aligned with existing dietary patterns, holds promise for reducing future pressures on cultivated land and promoting better health outcomes for the populace in Southeast Asia.
... The losses during storage can be of two types i.e. losses due to biotic factors (rodent/ weevil attack, pest or fungi infestation) and abiotic factors (humidity, rain, temperature) (Abedin et al., 2012). According to Alavi et al. (2012), milling losses are highest among the losses during post-harvest operations of rice in five Southeast countries: China, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam. Jha et al. (2015) conducted a nationwide survey in 2012-2014 to assess the harvest and post-harvest losses of major crops and commodities in India. ...
In India, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was implementing a project “Strengthening Agriculture Market Information System (AMIS) in India using Innovative Methods and Digital Technology” and supporting the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India. This project identified the potential of improving the data coverage on ‘on-farm’ post-harvest management of food grains through Input Survey carried out in Agriculture Census. Therefore, a pilot study on private food grains stock estimation at farm level aligned with Input Survey of Agriculture Census in India funded by FAO-India was conducted by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (ICAR‑IASRI). Under this study, a suitable sampling methodology aligned with existing Input Survey for estimation of private food grain stock at farm level has been developed. A suitable questionnaire aligned with existing Input Survey of Agriculture Census has been developed covering different food grains stock at farm level.
Under this study, a pilot survey was conducted in two states namely Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. The four crops under AMIS study i.e. wheat, paddy, maize and soybean along with pulses were covered under this pilot survey. The data was collected for all the three seasons. The estimates of food grains stock, pre-harvest opening stock, production obtained, quantity sold, quantity stored, quantity disposed and percentage stock at farm level were obtained along with its percentage Coefficient of Variation (% CV) and were found to be reasonably good for overall size classes. Therefore, it is expected that for overall holding size classes, the proposed methodology will provide farm level reliable estimates of food grains stock at district level. The study has established the feasibility of inclusion of developed questionnaire in the future Input Survey of Agriculture Census in India in
order to estimate the food grains stock at farm level which will bridge the gap on private food grains stock in on-farm and off-farm domains of the supply chain.
... All of these losses were due to scarcity in post-harvest storage infrastructure facilities, transit issues, etc. Also, Alavi et al. [11] consolidated the various post-harvest losses studies of FAO and concluded that Southeast Asia experienced around 10-37 per cent losses in rice value chains and 8-26 per cent in China. UNO in 2011 stated that relying on the different phases of the economic development of global nations, the extent of post-harvest spoilage of agricultural produce differs. ...
Over the last two decades, India’s food system with population surge has been undergoing a transformation with increase in demand for high value fruits and vegetables. However, farmers are not benefitted from these transitions as the post-harvest losses are fairly high due to poorly developed post-harvest management practices. The present study aims to estimate the nature and extent of losses and also analysed the determinants of post-harvest losses for major vegetables (gourds) in South India. Palakkad district of Kerala was chosen for the study as it contributes the most, for the state’s vegetable area and production. Multi-stage random sampling techniques were adopted and the vegetables selected were based on their annual production in the study area. The total loss observed in bitter gourd at farm level was about 12.46 percent (34.53 qtl/ha). At trader level, the physiological loss contributed to almost 45 percent of the total losses. Hence, the total loss in bitter gourd was observed to be 21.88 per cent. Likewise in snake gourd, the extent of losses at farm level was found to be 9 percent (26.1 qtl/ha), where the highest losses (4.74 percent) were due to biotic factors like pests and diseases prevailing in the study area. Therefore, the total loss estimated in snake gourd was 13.89 percent which included 4.89 percent loss at trader level. Regression analyses delineated that in bitter gourd, area under cultivation, unfavourable weather conditions, pests and diseases and use of packing materials like jute sacks and wooden baskets were found as major determinants for losses. Whereas, area under cultivation, experience in farming and prevailing pests and diseases in snake gourd were found to affect the volume of post-harvest losses at farm level. The study found that adoption of proper post-harvest handling practices by farmers would help minimizing the losses to a remarkable extent. Besides, analysis of farmers’ perception, brought out the fact that the farmers aware of losses incurred only to a limited extent.
... Tingkat food loss dalam transportasi bisa relatif rendah dengan prasarana jalan yang baik, sarana di lapangan, serta sarana bongkar muat yang layak [34] , [38] . Penyimpanan berpendingin dan sistem pengeringan industri (misalnya, pengering udara berpemanas) seringkali tidak bersesuaian akibat kendala energi dan keuangan di negara-negara berkembang, yang menyebabkan pembusukan signifikan produk segar [48], [49], [50]. Kontaminasi pada jalur pemrosesan yang terjadi akibat unit pemrosesan yang tidak dibersihkan dengan benar yang tidak disanitasi dari proses sebelumnya juga merupakan salah satu penyebab utama terjadinya food loss, terutama untuk produk hewani [36], [39]. ...
Food security is a priority issue that the global community must pay attention to. In the midst of the agricultural sector which was experiencing rapid growth, several country in the world, especially developing
countries, were still experiencing food insecurity. This situation was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic that occurred at the end of 2019, which had impacted on food security in many countries. Ef orts to reduce FLW are ongoing with the aim of reducing food loss at the production stage and along the supply chain. The need for improvement of FLW in the food supply chain itself includes the stages of production, storage and handling, processing (packaging), distribution (sales) to the consumption stage. Hence, minimizing FLW cannot be done separately. Otherwise, it must be doncollaboratively
by each stakeholder involved in each stage of the Food Supply Chain.
... Hooks used to lift and unload bags in another trolley increase spillage. While, seed viability also reduces owing to exposure to environmental conditions during the transportation (Alavi et al. 2012). ...
Current world population is expected to reach 10.5 billion by 2050; further adding threats to global food security concerns. With the rising human population and increasing livestock production, it is a well accepted fact that agricultural production must be increased considerably in the foreseeable future to meet food and feed demands. According to FAO, in the developing countries, the problem of competition from insect pests is further complicated with a rapid annual increase in the human population (2.5-3.0%) in comparison to a 1% increase in food production. Crop protection research mainly focused on the curative control of pests, diseases and weeds. In which, agrochemicals are widely used in agriculture and have significant benefits by contributing to a sustainable production of food and feed. If these are used in an inappropriate manner, they also can present unacceptable risks to human and animal health and to the environment. The sustainable and efficient use of available protection resources is the basis for ensuring food security, which means an adequate level of own long-term satisfying the demand of food, which may have the positive impact on the stability and quality of food supply in the global market that is increasingly at risk. Therefore, governments set high standards for the registration of new pesticides as well as for re-evaluation of pesticides that are already on the market to ensure that they meet the current health, environment and safety standards.
... In addition, the results reflect the different levels of logistics development in the respective countries. By comparing the Logistics Performance Index in five countries, Alavi et al. (2012) reported that Thailand and Malaysia were among the group of high performers, while Indonesia and Vietnam were in a group with lower performance, and the Philippines was in the middle of the two groups. At the same time, the results of the estimations of the FL values for six major agricultural products in each country support the findings of Kumar and Kalita (2017), FAO (2018) and Saba and Ibrahim (2018) on the issue of post-harvest losses at different stages in Asian rice production. ...
The research finding showed that the Food Loss (FL) value as a percentage of GDP in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV countries) which it was clearly shown higher than Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. In particular, Cambodia revealed the highest FL value as a percentage of GDP at 1.60%, which implied the lower level of development in post-harvesting and processing technologies as well as transportation in CLMV countries, while in Thailand and Malaysia, the FL values as a percentage of GDP were only 0.17% and 0.07%, respectively. Furthermore, in seven of these countries rice showed the highest FL value, while for Malaysia palm oil showed the highest FL value. On the other hand, in Indonesia the FL value of the palm oil continually increased at an average of 16% per year. In the 2000s, the ratio increased dramatically in Indonesia, from 3.60% during 1991–2000 to 24.43% during 2001–2010. Apart from rice in CLMV countries, it was further discovered in CLMV countries that significant FL values could also be found for bananas, cassava, maize, sugar cane, and sweet potato. In addition, estimates from an econometric model implicitly showed that the economic growth of ASEAN countries occurred at the expense of a higher food loss value. Economic development should therefore not focus purely on the expansion of conventional GDP only, but should also consider sustainability. Each country should set forth a target of “inclusive economic growth”. To reduce loss from the production processes and marketing, it is suggested that the economic system called the “circular economy for food” should be adopted. The government should divert more investment toward R&D regarding post-harvesting technologies and logistics system development to minimize the loss of agricultural products.
... Hooks used to lift and unload bags in another trolley increase spillage. While, seed viability also reduces owing to exposure to environmental conditions during the transportation (Alavi et al. 2012). ...
Accomplishment of yield potential following agronomic practices often acquaints with serious impairments in sustainability of agro-ecosystem. This chapter deals with jeopardies caused by agronomic practices and stratagems that can prove helpful to
alleviate the adverse impacts induced by these faulty agronomic practices. Ramifications of agronomic practices include poor soil physiochemical and
biological attributes, inefficient genotypic and environmental interactions, declined
nutrients, water and pesticide use efficiency, polluted soil, air and water, and reduced
profit margins at farmer level. Moreover, living organisms (humans, aquatic and
terrestrial animals and birds) are highly prone to disproportions in agro-ecosystem
since agricultural pollutant finds way to food webs of these organisms. Following
soil conservation practices during soil preparation reduces soil compaction, erosion, nutrient imbalances, salinity, water logging and other damages. While, genotypic × environment interaction can be optimized using biochemical and physiological markers that depict strong association with morphological attributes. Moreover, soil and plant analysis based site specific application of nutrients increases nutrient use efficiencies. Most importantly, enhancement of organic matter in soil diminishes the leakage of nutrients from system and improves water holding capacity of soil. Water losses can be minimized through proper scheduling of irrigation, application of water at moisture sensitive stages of crops and optimization of water application methods in different crops. While, combination of biological, mechanical, physical and chemical methods in an integrated manner reduces risks associated with application of herbicides. Post-harvest damages in crops can be minimized using cares during seed harvesting, transport, seed enhancements and storage. Conclusively, sustainability of agronomic practices is highly shaky and should be negotiated to attain natural balance. In this perspective, considering the soil as living entity and not only a physical substrate during soil preparation, working within a closed system during nutrient management using organic sources of nutrients and minimizing the use synthetic fertilizers during fertilizer applications, monitoring of soil and plant moisture status and crop stages during irrigation, utilizing natural predators of weeds and integrated approaches usually reduce risks caused by agronomic practices to the sustainability of environment.
... When a crop is delayed in harvesting, the products are mostly lost due to shattering, attacks by pests and birds, and natural calamities [63,64]. Similarly, when harvested crops are kept unattended in the open field, the delay in threshing results in quality and quantity loss due to exposure to the atmosphere and pests [65]. Moreover, grains are lost during the threshing processing due to grain breakage, spillage, and incomplete separation from the chaff [66,67]. ...
This study evaluated the linkages between the approaches adopted by extension agents in providing agricultural extension services to farmers, the capacity building of the extension personnel, and the challenges for cereal production. Using purposive sampling, 62 extension personnel were interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the deductive approach of qualitative content analysis. The study found that a participatory approach is not fully decentralized in planning and evaluation of the agricultural extension programs to meet the demand-driven services of the farmers. Moreover, there is a discrepancy between the capacity building of the extension personnel and the challenges incurred in cereal production— the training is mostly focused on production and post-harvest of cereal production, while having multitude of challenges in marketing as well. Therefore, it is recommended that a participatory approach must be fully promoted and the training of extension personnel must be melded with the demand-driven needs of farmers in approaching the cereal production issues. The study could be helpful for extension agents and policymakers to understand ways to increase the quality and effectiveness of agricultural extension services to foster agricultural production.
... Finally, losses occur during grain processing, e.g., pearling, dry milling, malting of the main cereals. Milling losses can be quite substantial in developing countries, and have for instance been reported to exceed 50% when rice was milled in small mills in Southeast Asian villages (Alavi et al., 2011). Section Barriers and Strategies to Formulating With By-Products will focus on the exploitation of the by-products coming from these processes, together with the main challenges/issues and potential solutions. ...
Cereals greatly contribute to achieving a healthy and sustainable diet. This chapter covers the main aspects related to sustainable cereal production from field to table, which can involve the exploitation of underutilized grains, the use of wholegrain or wholemeal flours and the valorization of processing by-products. Barriers are associated with each of these options, and research activity has taken place to address some of these challenges. Starting from the description of the kernel organization and composition, the main processing operations applied to major cereals are described to explain by-product generation. Factors that limit the utilization of by-products are discussed and the main processing techniques to enhance their incorporation and exploit their full potential are summarized.
... Another survey [3] showed that on-farm losses of cereals and pulses are highest in sub-Saharan Africa and in Eastern and Southeast Asia, and their losses range from 0.1% to 18%. ALavi et al. stated that the percentage of rice loss in Southeast Asia was 10%~37% [9]. Another postharvest loss study in India estimated a 10.3% increase in rice harvest losses due to delayed harvest because of a lack of adequate harvest equipment [10]. ...
Against the background of increased population and resource depletion, managing food losses means conserving agricultural production resources and increasing farmer income. This paper mainly introduces the discovery and value of latent loss. In 2019, our experimental team formulated the 5T management method, which concerned the rice harvest period. Moreover, to promote the 5T management method, our team conducted relevant experiments about rice grain growth curve and found an accidental reduction in the dry matter weight of rice. To ensure the accuracy of the results of the latent rice loss in 2019, easy-to-use nuclear magnetic resonance is a non-destructive, rapid evaluation method, which is suitable for accurately determining high-moisture content and multi-variety rice. Overall, the experimental results in 2020 showed that if rice was harvested at the optimal time, the rice loss rate could be reduced by 3.5346%, which is equivalent to a yield of 235,051 tons of rice. The results are in agreement with evidence from field trials and suggest that the latent loss of dry matter caused by delayed harvest not only causes yield losses and economic losses but also increases postharvest grain loss and rice seed shattering loss. This significant factor, the optimal harvest time, in harvest period is strictly controlled to prevent the dry matter loss caused by innate knowledge and traditional management and to provide new possibilities for increasing the amount of available fertile land and generating income.
... Liu Houqing from China stated that the loss of weight from rice due to over-drying is more than 2% of the total weight, and that the direct economic loss is more than 5% when the effects of over-drying are combined with the crushing that occurs during milling [22]. Alavi reported that the loss rate during rice processing and transportation in southeast Asia was 2-10% [23]. In a study of rice shattering in China, it was found that the loss rate due to natural shattering was only 0.47%, while the loss rates due to collision shattering and slapping shattering, which accounted for a large proportion of rice loss, were 9.75%. ...
Traditional post-harvest operation methods applied in rice fields lack advanced management knowledge and technology, which has led to post-harvest losses. We proposed the concept of Five Time (5T) management for the first time. 5T management divides the whole life cycle of rice into different growth time interval to complete process management. This paper mainly introduces the management of rice grain period, that is, the post-harvest management period, including the operation process management of harvesting, field stacking, drying, warehousing, and storing. In 2019, our research team formulated the 5T management method, which considers the entire post-harvest process, and carried out a pilot application of this method at the Jilin Rice Industry Alliance of Jilin Province. Moreover, to promote the 5T management method, our research team carried out follow-up experiments in rice production enterprises and found severe post-harvest rice losses. This paper combined a large number of literature and the basic theory research of rice post-harvest to analyze the traditional methods for post-harvest processing and the associated rice losses. By implementing the 5T management method, 4.33% of losses incurred during the T1 harvesting period could be recovered. In the T2 field period, drying rice within 48 h after harvesting could reduce losses by 2.5%. In the T3 drying period, the loss rate could be reduced by 1.6% if traditional drying methods were replaced by mechanical drying and by 0.6% if cyclic drying was implemented to prevent over-drying. In the T5 storage period, the loss rate of 7% could be reduced by adopting advanced grain storage technologies such as low-temperature storage. Overall, the rice loss rate could be reduced by 15.43%, which is equivalent to a yield of 32.68 million tonnes of rice. The important factors in each period are strictly controlled in the 5T management method to prevent the post-harvest losses caused by flawed concepts and improper management and to increase the amount of usable fertile land.
... During storage, Maize grains are susceptible to attack by different types of store pest particularly, Sitophilus zeamais (Rees, 2004), which harms the quantity and quality of grains (Kaminski & Christiaensen, 2014;Alavi, Htenas, Kopicki, Shepherd, & Clarete, 2012). Commonly, chemical insecticides such as chlorpyrifos, malathion and aluminium phosphide (Satya et al., 2016) are used for controlling pests, however, extensive applications of these chemicals may impact negatively on human health and environment (Nicolopoulou-Stamati, Maipas, Kotampasi, Stamatis, & Hens, 2016). ...
Microwave energy have been explored in the food industry for controlling pests in the stored commoditie. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of microwave (300 W) heating at different temperatures (50, 55 and 60 °C) on the germination rate, colour, composition and pasting properties of corn grains with different initial moisture content 10, 14 and 18%. Microwave heating caused a significant reduction in germination rate of corn, however, it has no significant effect on its colour, starch, crude protein, crude oil and free amino acid content. Only the fatty acids Oleic and Linoleic showed significant changes among the fatty acids after microwave heating. Oleic acid increased to 29.0 and 29.4% when corn with 14 and 18% IMCs treated at 60 °C. However, similar treatment reduced Linoleic acid to 55.1 and 54.8%, respectively. Moreover, microwave heating caused a reduction (14.0–39.5%) on the free fatty acid content of corn and enhanced some of its pasting properties. Accordingly, it could be concluded that microwave heating at temperature up to 60 °C maintains the quality characteristics of corn and can be applied as an effective method in the food industries.
... Most cereal and pulse loss estimates are much higher, but also highly variable and they acknowledge much uncertainty (Boxall, 2001;Kumar & Kalita, 2017;Sharon et al., 2014). Estimates include 20%-30% for maize in Africa (Tefera et al., 2011); 12% and 44% for maize in the West Cameroonian highlands during the first 6 months of storage (Tapondjou et al., 2002); 11%-17% for rice in India, without counting storage (Alavi et al., 2012); and 35% for rice in India (Scrimshaw, 1978). Some reports estimate very high levels, for example, 59% after 90 days in sub-Saharan Africa (Kumar & Kalita, 2017). ...
Previously I have suggested that the fate of the global food chain rests on a moral question. Customers will either come to believe that sustainable organic local and ethical (SOLE) food can feed the globe, or they will acquiesce to the narrative of the industrialised food system on the decisive grounds of moral necessity–that only pesticides, corporate concentration, and GMOs can forestall mass starvation. The defining assertion in this space is the claim of a potential global food production deficit: the supposed challenge of 'feeding the 10 billion'. The crisis narrative has been led by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) whose mathematical modelling of the food system has predicted a 70% increase (now 60%) in the annual amount of food needed by 2050. By carefully examining the assumptions underlying its modelling, however, I show here that FAO modellers have consistently underestimated global food supplies and consistently overestimated food demand. But, as shown by its ability to adjust to the biofuel boom, the food system contains massive amounts of under-utilised capacity which goes uncounted by current quantitative models.
... 76 This can be viewed as effective in reducing rural poverty, but can lead to inflation if prices continue to increase in the long-term. 77 This also has implications for international trade. For example, lowering trade barriers for agricultural products, albeit costly, can effectively improve food security. ...
This article examines the major food security policies and strategies pursued by the member countries of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) economic bloc against the backdrop of their food trade, with a specific focus on South Africa. The article builds on existing literature and draws from extensive document analysis covering food policy documents, food trade data, and a wide range of related development issues for the affected countries. The article concludes that BRICS food trade is being conducted in an environment that is characterised by significant policy differentials. It is revealed that South Africa exports more food than Russia, India and China despite severe constraints on the country's food sector that makes it the most food-insecure country within the bloc, despite having the lowest population. It is clear that South Africa's policies and strategies for addressing food insecurity are inadequate when compared to those of other BRICS member countries. On the other hand, other BRICS countries have implemented a range of successful policies such as crop diversification, contract farming, urban farming and agriculture mechanisation, the adoption of which would be highly beneficial to South Africa in its quest to improve its overall food security positioning within the BRICS family.
... These anxieties were manifested not just in the queues that formed outside supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City, but in the Vietnamese government's response to the crisis. In the face of rapidly rising rice prices, the government first moved to block rice exports; taking advantage of the structural legacies of the socialist era, in March 2008, the Prime Minister ordered the state-owned companies that dominate Vietnam's rice exports to cut outbound shipments and refrain from signing new contracts with foreign buyers (Alavi et al. 2012;Ngan 2010). Simultaneously, the government sought to crack down on the smaller private export sector by reducing quotas, raising minimum export prices above market levels, and implementing an export tax (Ngan 2010). ...
The global food crisis of 2007–2008 caused rice prices to skyrocket, raising fears among Vietnamese consumers and policymakers over long-term supplies of this key staple. In response, the Vietnamese government promulgated a new food security policy which promoted intensive rice agriculture and limited the cultivation of alternative crops. In this chapter, Gorman first explores how “food security” came to be defined by the Vietnamese state as the maximization of rice production, and then uses survey data to trace the impact of this output-oriented policy on rural communities. Drawing on critical theories of agrarian change, Gorman argues that this emphasis on rice monoculture has eroded the livelihoods of small farmers, driving many out of agriculture altogether and contributed to the concentration of land among large producers.
... These anxieties were manifested not just in the queues that formed outside supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City, but in the Vietnamese government's response to the crisis. In the face of rapidly rising rice prices, the government first moved to block rice exports; taking advantage of the structural legacies of the socialist era, in March 2008, the Prime Minister ordered the state-owned companies that dominate Vietnam's rice exports to cut outbound shipments and refrain from signing new contracts with foreign buyers (Alavi et al. 2012;Ngan 2010). Simultaneously, the government sought to crack down on the smaller private export sector by reducing quotas, raising minimum export prices above market levels, and implementing an export tax (Ngan 2010). ...
Peters demonstrates that during the French colonial period in Vietnam, language about food revealed people’s anxieties about the changing social hierarchy. Contemporary advertisements, travel narratives, administrative reports, ethnographies, folktales, missionary correspondence, and newspaper editorials help illustrate how new food practices disrupted rigid social hierarchies, whether those hierarchies pre-dated the French arrival in Southeast Asia or emerged during the colonial period. Peters argues from this textual evidence that French people bore the most anxiety in the colonial environment: the French developed a cultural norm against eating local dishes, while other groups such as Chinese immigrants or the Vietnamese urban middle class appreciated opportunities to try previously unfamiliar foods. Generally, Peters argues that those aspiring to rise in society expressed more openness toward trying new ingredients and new dishes than those fearful of losing their social position.
... These anxieties were manifested not just in the queues that formed outside supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City, but in the Vietnamese government's response to the crisis. In the face of rapidly rising rice prices, the government first moved to block rice exports; taking advantage of the structural legacies of the socialist era, in March 2008, the Prime Minister ordered the state-owned companies that dominate Vietnam's rice exports to cut outbound shipments and refrain from signing new contracts with foreign buyers (Alavi et al. 2012;Ngan 2010). Simultaneously, the government sought to crack down on the smaller private export sector by reducing quotas, raising minimum export prices above market levels, and implementing an export tax (Ngan 2010). ...
Kiêng kỵ, literally “forbidden [from the] heart”, is the term used in Vietnam when referring to taboos, yet the sense of complete prohibition associated with taboos in Western cultures is incompatible with Vietnamese food cosmology. Based on ethnographic research conducted in the central Vietnamese town of Hoi An since the late 1990s, this chapter follows the consumption of two kinds of meats that are publically condemned but may be consumed in specific contexts: he-goat meat (thịt dê) and “jungle” meat (thịt rừng). These meats are served in food venues that specialize in alcohol and are associated with excessive drinking, extreme masculinity, and illicit social relations. Michael Herzfeld’s notion of Cultural Intimacy is applied so as to explain the ambivalence and resulting anxieties, and their alleviation.
... In the post-harvest stage, like other agricultural products, maize grains attacked by numerous varieties of stored-product pests. These infestations negatively effect on the quantity as well as the quality of maize (Alavi, Htenas, Kopicki, Shepherd, & Clarete, 2012;Kaminski & Christiaensen, 2014). Chemical fumigants such as Chlorpyrifos, Malathion and Aluminum phosphide (Satya et al., 2016), are commonly used for controlling the store pests, however, extensive application of these pesticides negatively influences both environment and human health (Cherry, Abalo, & Hell, 2005;Nicolopoulou-Stamati, Maipas, Kotampasi, Stamatis, & Hens, 2016). ...
The study was aimed at investigating the effect of radio frequency (RF) heating at different temperatures on the protein profile and functional properties of maize grains. Maize grains with 14% moisture content exposed to the radio frequency energy at 300 W for different temperatures 50, 55 and 60 °C, respectively. The results indicated that radio frequency heating had no effect on the protein profile of maize. The molecular weight distribution of protein remained in the range of 20-25 kDa after RF heating. On the other hand, the functional properties in term of oil holding capacity and emulsifying properties of maize were improved after RF heating. According to these finding, it can be concluded that radio frequency heating improves the functional properties of maize flour. Thus, RF may provide a potential as an effective emerging technology for improving the quality characteristics of maize grains.
Post-harvest losses are fast becoming a major problem, causing huge losses for farmers and various countries at large. This challenge has resulted in various attempts to reduce the losses as much as possible. Crop production is essential to food security sustenance, hence post-harvest losses are undesirable as it results in a threat to life and a reduction in Farmers income. This study reviews post-harvest losses, with the focus on developing countries, as they are mostly affected. It is imperative to study post-harvest loss taking cognizance of its ability to pose threat on food security most especially in the developing countries where a high post-harvest loss occurs during storage. The post-harvest losses in vegetables, fruits, and cereals were studied. Measures and technologies that can be adopted to reduce post-harvest losses has been discussed. Many developing countries are still struggling to minimize post harvest losses because of lack of modern techniques, technologies and approaches, and this has continued to cause food insecurity across many developing nations. Smart farming techniques like the internet of time (iot), extension trainings and the use of various advance storage structures has been identified as measures for reducing post-harvest losses of crops. The application of these measures will drastically reduce post-harvest losses and this reduction will definitely result in a wider advantage.
Food grains such as cereals, legumes, and oilseeds are important food crops that contribute to most of the world’s staple food, especially in developing countries. However, up to ~ 70% of food grains produced can be lost during postharvest management activities such as storage, transport, milling, drying, threshing, etc. The current challenge is to develop sustainable ways to reduce postharvest losses of food grains while increasing production. Several technological advancements have been made in recent years. In this chapter, the current state of the art of various advanced technologies used to reduce food grain losses during drying, milling, sorting, packaging, and storage is discussed. A future outlook to further develop these advances to drastically reduce the postharvest losses of food grains is also elucidated. Future research should be directed towards intensifying the use of smart sensors, IoT resources, and digital twins to enhance postharvest management practices. This book chapter provides valuable insight into sustainable technologies to improve postharvest management practices and reduce postharvest losses of food grains.
Post-harvest losses relate to the degradation in the quantity and quality of the crop's products from harvesting to consumer usage. In many developing countries, like Pakistan, the post-harvest loss is a problem of food security and is of concern to everyone. Inappropriate handling of agricultural products after harvest may cause quality and quantity losses. It also accounts for the increasing prices of agricultural products in Pakistan. The total production of vegetables and fruits in Pakistan is nearly 13.764 million tons, and it is estimated that 35% to 40% of vegetables and fruits were wasted after harvesting. Severe losses and deterioration of vegetables and fruits occurred mainly during harvesting, along with distribution, transportation, and storage. The important reasons for post-harvest losses include mechanical damage, poor handling, microorganisms (bacteria, fungi), unawareness and lack of modern technologies, time management, insects, and mites. Reduction of post-harvest losses is the main goal of the agricultural sector. Training and educational initiatives could be one of the best strategies for minimizing post-harvest losses. The main objective of this review is, to explain the major production, quality deteriorations of vegetables and fruits, and the causes of post-harvest losses in Pakistan. It can be applied as a positive indication because all bodies involved will strive to implement efficient and effective approaches and policies to address the existing problems.
This policy brief looks at three trade scenarios for food and agriculture in Indonesia. First scenario is Business-As-Usual, second scenario is if other countries increase their protectionism, and third scenario is if Indonesia lowers its trade restrictions. The brief recommends several policies to ensure food supply during Covid-19 pandemic.
The global food security is a big challenge for the growers to fulfill the dietary needs of increasing world population. More than one-third of produced food is lost during postharvest operations (harvesting, threshing, drying, transportation, and storage). Overwhelming these issues, mainly in developing countries, can be a good solution to eliminate hunger, improve lifestyle of farmers, reduce pressure on natural resources, and most importantly increase the food availability. In most parts of the world, cereals are staple food in developing countries, which usually accounts for maximum postharvest losses among all the agricultural produce. Inadequate storage of cereal grains and pulses may lead to 50–60% losses due to insects, birds, rodents, and mold growth. These losses can be reduced as low as 1–2% if storage facilities are equipped with modern technologies. In this chapter, we summarize the conventional and modern postharvest technologies of different agronomic crops used in various countries, the causes and status of postharvest losses, and the technological intervention to mitigate these losses.
Poor storage and lack of technical efficiency can result into 50–60% losses in cereal grains. In the past 30 years, most of the research investment has been made to increase the production of food crops, while only 5% research was directed toward reducing postharvest losses. Increased production of agricultural crops is necessary to ensure food security, but this will also exhaust the natural resources and is facing severe challenges of climate change and scarcity of land and water resources. Another approach is reduction of postharvest losses of cereal grains and seeds, which are mainly due to poor storage conditions as global annual food losses are amounting to 1.3 billion metric tons or enough food to feed 2 billion people. Postharvest losses reduce the quantity of agronomic crops as well as quality of seeds, which ultimately affects the economical and market value. Seed composition, moisture content, storage temperature, and relative humidity are related to seed longevity reduction during storage. However, recent studies have suggested high seed moisture content as the most important factor involved in seed deterioration, hastening insect, and fungal infestation. New technologies whicch contribute in overcoming these losses can help in enhancing seed shelf life and its quality. This chapter will provide a thorough understanding of postharvest losses in agronomic crops of developing countries and their reasons and status of storage losses and also provide new inventions for proper handling and storage of economically important seeds. It also gives detailed information about improved technology and its efficiency and various other technical inventions of effective storage especially on agronomic crops.
Small Rice Mill (SRM) has a very important role in rice production of strong institutional relationships to farmers and rice markets. Nevertheless, the rice produced in low quality and changing consumer preferences cause SRM to have difficulty in maintaining the role. Development of a reprocessing business - called Rice to Rice Processing Plant (R2RP) - as a separate business unit will support their role and existence. This study aimed at analyzing the feasibility of R2RP business that integrates SRM and market as an independent business unit and determines mutual partnership pattern. The study was conducted with special reference to West Java Province. The qualitative method used for non-financial aspects analysis includes raw material, market, technical-technological, management and regulation and partnership pattern. The financial aspect used the quantitative method of Net Present Value (NPV), Net Benefit Cost Ratio (Net B/C), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Payback Period (PP) and Switching Value to check their sensitivity.The results showed R2R business is feasible for non-financially, technical-technological and financial aspects. Technology has evolved to produce various qualities (premium or medium) after the quality of raw materials (low quality or off-grade rice) using profit optimization. Value of the financial parameters was NPV of Rp 137 billion, Net B/C of 5.80, IRR of 84.27 percent and PP of 2.18 years at capacity of 19,800 tons/year with total investment of Rp 30 billion (Rp 13,500/USD). The switching value analysis showed that a decrease in product prices is sensitively influencing the financial feasibility. To strengthen cooperation that enhancing mutually beneficial relationship, R2R assists equipment investment in and buy raw material from SRM at a rational agreed price.
Global climate change, rising demand for food as a result of population growth, international food price volatility, poverty, and conflicts are some of major contributors to food insecurity. In recent years, there has been an increased recognition that barriers to trade (particularly with respect to agricultural and food products), a lack of investment in agriculture and related infrastructure, and insufficient regional cooperation and coordination are also factors.This paper addresses the potential role that services trade liberalization could play in promoting food security. Using the case study of regional cooperation pursued by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the authors argue that food security could serve as an important rationale for the Association to deepen its services sector reform process. This is particularly so given both the chronic food insecurity problem in many parts of Southeast Asia and the half-hearted willingness to deepen the process of services sector reform in the region.
This study investigates consumers’ attitudes towards, and familiarity with, food quality certification in selected urban areas in the South of Vietnam. Cross-sectional data were collected by means of a survey of n=500 consumers. Consumers’ awareness of food quality-related terms was relatively low. Less than half the participants claimed to understand the meaning of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), organic food and sustainability. Consumers’ familiarity with food quality certification (Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP), Global Good Agricultural Practices (GLOBALG.A.P.), organic, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)) was also low. Familiarity with food quality certification was positively associated with general attitude and food choice motives, namely food safety concern, perceived importance of healthy eating, and perceived importance of environmental consequences relating to food purchase. Food safety concern and perceived importance of environmental consequences were positively associated with consumers’ attitudes towards safe vegetables, as well as high quality rice. Perceived importance of healthy eating was positively related to attitude towards high quality rice. Findings suggest that food safety aspects of safe vegetables and high quality rice should be emphasized during policy and marketing activities for food quality certification. Additionally, an increase in the perceived importance of environmental consequences relating to quality food purchase should be encouraged to enhance positive consumer attitudes towards quality food. Efforts to improve public awareness and knowledge of food quality certification and sustainable agricultural practices in developing countries such as Vietnam are highly recommended.
Complete de-regulation of parastatals is often advocated as a desirable reform, although it is usually opposed by vested interests
and by those who perceive that the de-regulated market can be dominated by a small number of private firms. In practice, however,
reform and de-regulation of parastatals is typically partial in nature. We specify a model that allows us to consider the
effects of partial reform and partial de-regulation on various metrics of food security. We show that how these metrics change
depends on the market structure that defines the starting point as well as the market structure that emerges after de-regulation.
In this second-best world, partial de-regulation does not necessarily enhance food security and we identify the determinants
of that outcome. The assessment of the desirability of de-regulation is also contingent on the food security metric used.
The Philippine government intervenes in the domestic rice market through the imposition of import tariffs and the provision of producer and consumer subsidies. While policymakers are aware that these programmes come with allocative efficiency costs, they justify the programmes on the grounds that they insulate the domestic economy from unexpected price spikes in the international rice market. An interesting matter for policy evaluation is to quantify the insulation benefit that the programmes provide in circumstances of sudden severe import price spikes. To examine this question, we undertake a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) simulation in which the Philippines is subject to an external rice price shock. We find that the insulation benefit of the support programmes under a 2008-like event is worth approximately 0.10% of real consumption. However, the cost of insuring against these price spikes is significant. We estimate the annual cost of the rice market interventions at approximately 0.40% of real consumption.
Major changes have been occurring almost unnoticed in staple value chains in Asia. The Quiet Revolution in Staple Food Value Chains documents and explains the transformation of value chains moving rice and potatoes between the farm gate and the consumer in Bangladesh, the People's Republic of China, and India. The changes noted are the rapid rise of supermarkets, modern cold storage facilities, large rice mills, and commercialized small farmers using input-intensive, mechanized technologies. These changes affect food security in ways that are highly relevant for policymakers across Asia—the rise of supermarkets provides cheaper staples, more direct relations in the chains combined with branding have increased traceability, and the rise of cold storage has brought higher incomes for potato farmers and all-season access for potato consumers. The book also joins two debates that have long been separate and parallel—food industry and agribusiness development and market competitiveness—with the food security and poverty alleviation agenda. About the International Food Policy Research Institute The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) was established in 1975 to identify and analyze alternative national and international strategies and policies for meeting food needs of the developing world on a sustainable basis, with particular emphasis on low-income countries and on the poorer groups in those countries. IFPRI's research program reflects worldwide collaboration with governments and private and public institutions interested in increasing food production and improving the equity of its distribution. Research results are disseminated to policymakers, opinion formers, administrators, policy analysts, researchers, and others concerned with national and international food and agricultural policy. IFPRI is a member of the Consultative
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