Developing supply chain innovations - requirements for research and challenges for the food industry

The European food system serves 480 million people each day with food and drink (Raspor, McKenna & de Vries, 2007). It is of intense current research interest to understand how food purchase choice will impact on resource use, climate change and public health (Deloitte, 2007). It is clear that the current food needs of consumers in developed nations are becoming more complex with consideration of environmental impact, social responsibility, functional foods, nutraceuticals, obesity and food miles, amongst many issues, driving the emergence of new products (UK Cabinet Office Strategy Unit, 2008). The research reported here shows how aspects of food manufacture can enhance the quality control, decrease environmental impact and improve traceability of products in food supply chains. We specifically use examples of accounting for carbon dioxide emissions, water use and food production / transport approaches in supply chains to show how manufacturers can improve their operational awareness of such factors and stimulate innovative solutions. The research presented also considers the impact of developing comprehensive sensory and consumer research when new manufacturing practices are utilised

A compendium of Technologies, Practices, Services and Policies for Scaling Climate Smart Agriculture in Odisha (India)

Stakeholders engaged in agricultural research for development (AR4D) are increasingly tackling risks associated with climate change in smallholder systems. Accordingly, development and scaling of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) are one of the priorities for all the organizations, departments and ministries associated with the farm sector. Having a ‘one-stop-shop’ compiled in the format of a compendium for CSA technologies, practices and services would therefore serve a guide for all the stakeholders for scaling CSA in smallholder systems. Bringing out a Compendium on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for Odisha, India was therefore thought of during the workshop on ‘Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture in Odisha’ organized at Bhubaneswar on 18-19 July 2018 by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in collaboration with Department of Agriculture (DoA) & Farmers’ Empowerment, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Rice Research Institute (ICAR-NRRI), Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) & International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) under the aegis of CGIAR Research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The main objectives to bring forth this compendium are: to argue the case for agriculture policies and practices that are climate-smart; to raise awareness of what can be done to make agriculture policies and practices climatesmart; and to provide practical guidance and recommendations that are well referenced and, wherever possible, based on lessons learned from practical action. CSA programmes are unlikely to be effective unless their implementation is supported by sound policies and institutions. It is therefore important to enhance institutional capacities in order to implement and replicate CSA strategies. Institutions are vital to agricultural development as well as the realisation of resilient livelihoods.They are not only a tool for farmers and decision-makers, but are also the main conduit through which CSA practices can be scaled up and sustained. The focus in this compendium is on CSA and it’s relevant aspects, i.e., (i) technologies and practices, (ii) services, (iii) technology targeting, (iv) business models, (v) capacity building, and (vi) policies. The approaches and tools available in the compendium span from face-to-face technicianfarmer dialogues to more structured exchanges of online and offline e-learning. In every scenario it is clear that tailoring to local expectations and needs is key. In particular, the voice of farmers is essential to be captured as they are the key actors to promote sustainable agriculture, and their issues need to be prioritized. CSA practices are expected to sustainably increase productivity and resilience (adaptation), reduce Greenhouse Gases (mitigation), and enhance achievement of national food security along with sustainable development goals. CSA is widely expected to contribute towards achieving these objectives and enhance climate change adaptation. CSA practices have to be included in State’s Climate Policy as a priority intervention as the state steps up efforts to tackle climate change. Furthermore, emphasis shoud be laid on CSA training for a sustainable mode to enhance CSA adoption in the state hence the relevance of developing this document. The adaption of climate related knowledge, technologies and practices to local conditions, promoting joint learning by farmers, researchers, rural advisor and widely disseminating CSA practices, is critical. This compendium brings together a collection of experiences from different stakeholders with background of agricultural extension and rural advisory services in supporting CSA. The contributions are not intended to be state-of-the art academic articles but thought and discussion pieces of work in progress. The compendium itself is a ‘living‘ document which is intended to be revised periodically

Why exercise is important for someone with diabetes

Unlike medication, exercise is low cost and side-effect free. Those with diabetes who don’t exercise are three times more likely to have poor diabetes control and more likely to suffer related complications

Targeting Assistance to the Poor and Food Insecure: A Review of the Literature

Targeting involves the identification and selection of certain groups or households or even individuals, and the distribution of benefits (or costs) to them. Targeting is required because governments face resource constraints, and because households have different needs: some are poorer and more food insecure than others. In general, the managerial costs of targeting increase with its narrowness or intended accuracy, and these costs may exceed the savings achieved by targeting. The benefits of targeting arise precisely because it reduces the size of the target population, and the cost of narrower targeting includes the unintentional exclusion of some of the target population. The literature highlights several factors common to successful public works programs, such as the need for flexibility in design and the need to pay attention to the local cultural, geographic, and economic environment in which the projects are to be implemented.food security, food policy, Food Security and Poverty, Downloads June 2008-July 2009: 21, Q18,

Opportunities and limitations of crop phenotyping in southern european countries

ReviewThe Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot dry summers and frequent droughts. Mediterranean crops are frequently subjected to high evapotranspiration demands, soil water deficits, high temperatures, and photo-oxidative stress. These conditions will become more severe due to global warming which poses major challenges to the sustainability of the agricultural sector in Mediterranean countries. Selection of crop varieties adapted to future climatic conditions and more tolerant to extreme climatic events is urgently required. Plant phenotyping is a crucial approach to address these challenges. High-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP) helps to monitor the performance of improved genotypes and is one of the most effective strategies to improve the sustainability of agricultural production. In spite of the remarkable progress in basic knowledge and technology of plant phenotyping, there are still several practical, financial, and political constraints to implement HTPP approaches in field and controlled conditions across the Mediterranean. The European panorama of phenotyping is heterogeneous and integration of phenotyping data across different scales and translation of “phytotron research” to the field, and from model species to crops, remain major challenges. Moreover, solutions specifically tailored to Mediterranean agriculture (e.g., crops and environmental stresses) are in high demand, as the region is vulnerable to climate change and to desertification processes. The specific phenotyping requirements of Mediterranean crops have not yet been fully identified. The high cost of HTPP infrastructures is a major limiting factor, though the limited availability of skilled personnel may also impair its implementation in Mediterranean countries. We propose that the lack of suitable phenotyping infrastructures is hindering the development of new Mediterranean agricultural varieties and will negatively affect future competitiveness of the agricultural sector. We provide an overview of the heterogeneous panorama of phenotyping within Mediterranean countries, describing the state of the art of agricultural production, breeding initiatives, and phenotyping capabilities in five countries: Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. We characterize some of the main impediments for development of plant phenotyping in those countries and identify strategies to overcome barriers and maximize the benefits of phenotyping and modeling approaches to Mediterranean agriculture and related sustainabilityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nutrition Strategies for Triathlon

Contemporary sports nutrition guidelines recommend that each athlete develop a personalised, periodised and practical approach to eating that allows him or her to train hard, recover and adapt optimally, stay free of illness and injury and compete at their best at peak races. Competitive triathletes undertake a heavy training programme to prepare for three different sports while undertaking races varying in duration from 20 min to 10 h. The everyday diet should be adequate in energy availability, provide CHO in varying amounts and timing around workouts according to the benefits of training with low or high CHO availability and spread high-quality protein over the day to maximise the adaptive response to each session. Race nutrition requires a targeted and well-practised plan that maintains fuel and hydration goals over the duration of the specific event, according to the opportunities provided by the race and other challenges, such as a hot environment. Supplements and sports foods can make a small contribution to a sports nutrition plan, when medical supplements are used under supervision to prevent/treat nutrient deficiencies (e.g. iron or vitamin D) or when sports foods provide a convenient source of nutrients when it is impractical to eat whole foods. Finally, a few evidence-based performance supplements may contribute to optimal race performance when used according to best practice protocols to suit the triathlete’s goals and individual responsiveness

Delivering on net zero: Scottish Agriculture

The aim of this study was to identify whether, how and at what cost agricultural GHG emissions in Scotland could be reduced by 35% by 2045. In 2017, Scottish agricultural GHG emissions were estimated to be 7.6 Mt CO2e making the 35% target 2.7 Mt CO2e. Building on previous work by SRUC and others, 37 different measures to reduce GHG emissions were evaluated, focusing on improvements in nitrogen fertiliser use, organic manure/slurry storage and use, mechanisation, soil management, cropping systems and management, livestock nutrition, health and breeding, as well as improved farming systems integrating multiple measures, represented by conservation agriculture, organic farming, pasture-fed livestock production and agroforestry. Land use changes, such as from agriculture to peatland or forestry, as well as non-agricultural activities (including input manufacturing, food processing, retailing and consumption) were outside the scope of the study, although consideration was given to food losses on farms arising from decisions in other sectors. Embodied GHG emissions in inputs and impacts of output changes on other countries were also not assessed. In theory, if taken up 100% and accounting for no interactions, the measures could reduce Scottish agricultural emissions by almost 100%. In practice, there are many reasons why measures might not be implemented in combination, or adopted, by all farmers. We estimated that the most promising measures could potentially deliver 2.9 Mt CO2e annually, or 38% of 2017 GHG emissions, and concluded that the 35% target is achievable by 2045. 75% of Scottish agricultural GHG emissions are related to livestock production. This is not surprising given the importance of grassland and rough grazing in Scottish agriculture, which together account for almost 80% of agricultural land. Given this context, measures focused on tillage crops are relatively unimportant with respect to their potential for GHG reduction. The measures with most potential (all specified on annual basis) that we identified were: a) Reduction in nitrogen fertiliser use. Measures to use nitrogen more efficiently, including better use of organic manures, could potentially generate reductions of nearly 350 kt CO2e, or 13% of the target, within the next 10 years, if adopted on most farms. b) More radical reductions in nitrogen fertiliser use, by encouraging the use of legumes in grassland to eliminate or substantially reduce the need for N fertiliser, could reduce emissions by nearly 300 kt CO2e, or 11% of the target, within the next 15 years, if adopted on 40% of grassland. c) The use of legumes combined with rotational grazing techniques in diverse-species grassland, which help build soil organic matter and sequester carbon, could increase the total benefit to 540 kt or 20% of the target. This could potentially be linked with a pasture-fed livestock approach. d) Reducing methane emissions associated with ruminants by using feed additives including 3NOP, nitrates, probiotics, high dietary fat sources and seaweed derivatives could make a significant contribution. In the case of 3NOP, emissions could be reduced by 265 kt or 10% of the target within 10 years, if adopted on most dairy and some other cattle farms. This would require approval of 3NOP as a feed additive so that it can be marketed, and that at an affordable price. e) Improved animal health and breeding, with increased fertility, growth rates and yields, and reduced morbidity/mortality could reduce total livestock numbers needed to deliver the same output, and deliver 366 kt emission reductions (14% of the target) with 40-50% uptake. f) Organic farming, with 40% uptake, could potentially deliver 730 kt CO2e reductions or 27% of the target. This is a result of combining no synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use with an overall 10% reduction in livestock numbers and the conversion of 20% of tillage land to rotational grassland. The financial impacts of these changes are reduced due to the premium markets for organic food. g) Agroforestry also offers potential for substantial reductions: 570 kt (21% of the target) with 30% uptake. This is assuming 10% of farmland is used for trees, with consequent output reductions for crops and livestock, although with some scope to mitigate this. Despite their emission reduction potential, organic farming and agroforestry both have the disadvantages of higher initial investment costs, greater complexity acting as a disincentive to adoption and longer lead-in times, as well as output reductions that, if demand remains unchanged, could lead to an increased requirement for imports and increased emissions elsewhere. However, the widespread adoption of these approaches would need to be considered in the context of changing human and animal diets, and the potential for reducing food losses and waste also highlighted in the report. The financial assessment of these measures indicates that many are likely to be associated with increased costs and, in the absence of other financial benefits, reduced incomes, which would need to be addressed by policy support in some form. In several cases, reductions in nitrate leaching, ammonia emissions and other impacts leading to improvements in water and air quality could provide further justifications for support. In some cases, the improved productivity, for example associated with improved animal health and breeding, could create a win-win situation, with emissions reduction combined with financial benefits. As most of the measures are unlikely to be driven by market forces, policy interventions are likely to be needed, including: • Farming system payments for innovative approaches (whole or part farm) • Input reduction and improved soil management, including support for advice and investments • Regulatory and fiscal options including input taxes and quotas or tradeable carbon quotas linked to input use and sequestration opportunties • Carbon, nitrogen and sustainability auditing • Training, advice and skills • Improved greenhouse gas monitoring and statistics • Targeted research, and • Dietary change and food waste reduction In almost all cases, the practices and systems that could be adopted are well developed and understood, but actions are needed to ensure that financial and knowledge barriers are addressed in order to facilitate their adoption so that the desired GHG mitigation targets can be achieved