Value chain analysis as a tool for assessing food safety risks in the Nairobi pork food system

In Nairobi, with 3.1 million consumers and 30,000 pigs, the pork system may represents a major source of zoonotic pathogens. Yet, this system and its public health risks have not been described. The study used value chain analysis, a well-known method in economics, to investigate zoonosis and food safety risks practices in the Nairobi pork food system. A cross-sectional study of the Nairobi pork system collected data through 25 focus group discussions and 436 individual interviews with farmers, traders, abattoir owners, large companies’ managers, retailers, government officers and consumers. Data were analysed to identify, describe and quantify the main pork chain profiles, their associated zoonosis and food safety risks practices and their link to governance, the distribution of benefits and barriers to improving the system. Six pork chain profiles were identified with the ‘large integrated company’ profile accounting for 62% of pork marketed through abattoirs. Pigs in slums were channelled directly to consumers and butchers or through less integrated markets. Main zoonosis and food safety risk practices for city pig keepers were: handling and consumption of sick pigs; and swill and scavenging feeding. In less integrated abattoirs these risks were: lack of traceability, cold chain systems and adequate cleaning and sterilising practices and equipment. For the retailers, there was a lack of hygiene linked to poor infrastructure, scarcity of water and cleaning practices. Large companies govern the high end market for pork where barriers to improvements were less. In the lower end poor profit margins and unequal benefit distribution led to issues on around investments in infrastructure, cold chains and human capacity building plus difficulties with meeting feeding and animal health costs. Conclusions This study identified the main zoonoses and food safety risk practices and the people involved in risk taking activities to help future control programmes in the Nairobi pork system. The integration of value chain and analysis of risks practices proved useful and represent the way forward for epidemiologist working in developing countries

Desarrollo de la identidad y la salud mental durante la adultez emergente en población universitaria de España

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar la relación entre los procesos de desarrollo identitarios (PDI) y la incidencia de síntomas clínicos de ansiedad, depresión y estrés durante la adultez emergente, todo ello desde una perspectiva de género. Método: Un total de 1502 adultos y adultas emergentes estudiantes de Universidad (39.9% chicas y 60.1% chicos), de entre 18 y 29 años (M = 20.32; DT = 0.92), y de dos universidades españolas (Sevilla y País Vasco), participaron en el estudio cumplimentando un cuestionario en papel distribuido durante las clases presenciales. Resultados: Se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las puntuaciones de las cinco dimensiones del PDI (Proceso de Desarrollo Identitario) entre quienes no presentaban síntomas clínicos y quienes sí, siendo los primeros los que tienen una puntuación mayor en las subescalas de desarrollo de compromiso e identificación con el compromiso, y menor puntuación que los grupos clínicos en exploración en amplitud, exploración en profundidad y exploración rumiativa. Estas diferencias permanecieron invariantes para los síntomas de ansiedad, depresión y estrés. No se hallaron diferencias significativas por género. Discusión: Tener síntomas clínicos se asocia con una mayor tendencia a desarrollar conductas exploratorias (en amplitud y profundidad) y rumiativas, y esto se relaciona, a su vez, con un mayor desajuste en el PDI, o lo que es lo mismo, una menor adquisición e identificación de compromisos vitales en la adultez emergente. Estos resultados coinciden parcialmente con estudios previos sobre desarrollo de identidad. Aunque los estudios de PDI y salud mental en la adultez emergente son escasos, resultan muy necesarios para entender cómo desarrollan su identidad los y las jóvenes en un mundo donde la adquisición de roles plenamente adultos se ha retrasado más que nunca

Beef, sheep and goat food chains supplying Nairobi: Analysis of 'value chain profiles' to investigate food security and safety risks

Introduction: Beef, sheep and goat meat consumption provides essential nutrients in highly bioavailable form, and poses a zoonotic pathogen threat. In Nairobi, these luxury products are difficult to access by poor households, yet little is known on the city’s food system in terms of food safety and security risks. An understanding of the food systems is essential to assess and contextualize the chains supplying poor households and to determine population exposure to hazards. Mapping is therefore crucial to assess food security and food safety risks. The present study characterised the Nairobi beef, sheep and goat food systems using value chain analysis. Methods: Data collection targeted the different stakeholders involved in beef, sheep and goat meat food systems from: (1) urban and periurban farmers; (2) livestock and meat traders, abattoir/market owners and workers, and livestock and meat transporters in all Nairobi markets; (3) managers of the main beef, sheep and goat meat processing companies; (4) urban and periurban retailers; (5) 205 low income consumers and (6) government/regulatory officers. Data were collected through focus groups discussion and individual interviews, and complemented with secondary data. Qualitative data were obtained on people, animals, products and chains interactions to identify all the existing stakeholders and chains, and assess their organizational, spatial and temporal structure. Quantitative data were collected to assess flow of products in the different chains and their contribution to the supply of these commodities to Nairobi. Data were recorded and entered in thematic templates for analysis. Mapping analysis was done through the creation of 'Chain profiles', which groups patterns of operations/flows of commodities. Mapping of these profiles was done at 3 levels: (1) people chain profile (map interactions of actors); (2) Geographical chain profiling (map of routes of animals and products); and (3) Product profiling. Findings and interpretations: Eight chain profiles that make up the beef, sheep and goat meat food systems were identified. A critical profile was the ‘less integrated terminal markets’, composed of chains where no group or person own a large proportion of different activities. This profile represents three quarters of the city’s beef, sheep and goat meat supply and contains two significant markets (Figure 1). Large companies integrate market, product transport and distribution, and mainly export or supply to high class retailers and consumers. Six beef keeping activities were identified in the city, mainly as temporary settlements. Sheep and goat keeping was mainly small scale (1-5 animals) and their animals are mostly slaughtered in households for festive occasions. In low income households beef was obtained from butcheries (83%), while goats were obtained from butcheries (51%) and markets (40%). This study shows the importance of specific chains to the food security of a city, and describes the dimensions of urban human-livestock interactions. In combination with an understanding of chains governance and barriers, this study provides a powerful approach, missing to date, for the investigation of nutrition and food safety risks

The role of food systems in improving maternal and child nutrition in challenging African low-income settings

Purpose Overcrowded cities in developing countries present challenging environments for health, where zoonoses and food safety are difficult to control. Whilst animal source foods (ASF) have a well-recognized role in nutrition of vulnerable populations, their availability, safety and quality are often compromised, and nutrition outcomes are rarely considered in livestock studies. We developed and tested a framework to study the association between consumers’ access to and use of different ASF and livestock value chains, and poor nutritional status, to inform decisions on interventions and policies. Methods This multidisciplinary study combined quantitative and qualitative methodologies to address unexplored linkages between value chain and nutrition. 205 households and 222 retailers in two Nairobi slums were surveyed to 1) measure consumption and undernutrition; 2) examine ASF role in adequate diets using linear programming; and 3) investigate value chain links with nutrition. For each ASF, consumption patterns, acceptability factors of products and retailers, demand variation with price and availability (expansion potential of value chain) were combined to provide a holistic picture and identify target chains. Results and conclusions 74% of the children and 26% of the women were anaemic, and had low intakes of several micronutrients. Linear programing analysis indicated that food-based interventions could ensure women’s dietary adequacy for women, for all of these nutrients except iron, as long as intakes of milk and other ASF could be increased from median intakes. Milk was the most consumed ASF (98.5% of the households, 5.5 times/wk). Demand for beef was least sensitive to changes in its price and its supply chain had limited expansion potential. Demand for chicken was more responsive to price changes while its supply chains could be expanded quickly. Consumption was often based on ‘taste’ and ‘nutrition’, indicating a potential role for nutrition education. Relevance Nutrition sensitive agriculture being key to fight malnutrition, we will show the importance of the value chain approach to assess feasibility and upscaling of safe ASF food system-based interventions

Complementarity of value chain analysis, consumption patterns and nutrition in the design of sustainable, effective and efficient food-system-based interventions

Introduction: Adequate and balanced nutrition is key for poverty reduction, maternal and child health and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Malnutrition, particularly micronutrient deficiencies, can be alleviated with nutrient-dense animal-source foods (1). In Nairobi, Kenya, poor informal settlements represent a challenge to the food supply. The purpose of the reported study is to understand the dynamics of: 1) food systems supplying animal source foods using value chain analysis; and 2) consumption patterns of animal-source foods in deprived households. These two components were then linked to facilitate realistic and proportionate interventions and inform food policies. Methods: We conducted two parallel investigations in Nairobi: a cross-sectional nutrition survey in consumers of 205 randomly selected low-income households, in Korogocho and deprived areas of West Dagoretti; and a large-scale characterisation and analysis of the different animal-source food systems of the city. Retailers were the linkage node between consumers and food systems data. In the household survey, dietary (24-hour recall), anthropometric (weight, height and length), and biochemical (haemoglobin) data were collected from non-pregnant women of reproductive age and children (1-3 years). The questionnaire also included quantitative data on animal-source food consumption patterns and choice drivers, and purchase prices that were used to calculate demand elasticities. In the food systems study quantitative and qualitative data were collected using value chain analysis that included constraints, barriers and potential, and the assessment of the involved food safety and nutritional risks. This analysis included: key informant interviews (e.g. government officers), focus groups, interviews of all the stakeholder types along the chains (farmers, abattoir/market owners and workers, transporters, and retailers) and researchers’ observations. Linear programming (in Optifood) was used to formulate population-specific food-based recommendations, and model the effect of incorporating different animal-source foods in the diet. Findings and interpretations: Results in children showed 42% were stunted and 74% were anaemic; in women, 7.4% had a low and 29% a high- body-mass index and 26% were anaemic. The linear programming analysis identified specific food-based interventions that would ensure, for example, dietary adequacy for all nutrients except for iron in women, requiring among others increases of intake of milk and other animal sources. The consumption and food systems datasets on animal-source foods were combined to assess availability, affordability, accessibility, preference, and upscaling potential. For example, beef was consumed by most households (81%) at an average of 1.5 times per week. Its demand was principally based on ‘taste’ and ‘nutrition’ indicating that consumption would be responsive to nutrition education. The reasons why households did not consume beef were either “price” (71%) and/or ‘unknown’ (74%). Own-price elasticity of beef was relatively inelastic at -0.68. Food system analysis showed that most beef was destined for higher-income areas Slums were limited to stale, low quality carcases with infrastructure issues producing problems of poor hygiene, food safety and traceability. The combination of approaches and methods provides a holistic picture of the food systems and its limitations, which allows more informed decision on interventions for poor people

Understanding the food safety and zoonosis risk practices of the beef, sheep and goat Nairobi food systems using value chain analysis

Purpose Beef, sheep and goat food systems are thought to be important sources of pathogens in Nairobi. This study aimed to use value chain (VC) analysis to investigate food safety and zoonotic risk practices of these systems. Methods VC analysis is commonly used to assess market structures yet its potential to investigate food safety and zoonotic risks is unexplored. In a cross-sectional study of people in Nairobi’s beef, sheep and goat food systems (farmers to consumers), data were collected through 75 focus groups and 571 interviews. Data were obtained on movement of people, animals and products (chain mapping), power groups, rules, incentives and enforcement (governance), barriers, distribution of benefits and food safety and zoonoses risk practices. Data were analysed to produce chain profiles and quantify commodity flows and gross margins. Qualitative analysis identified food safety, zoonosis and VC themes. Results Eight chain profiles were identified, with the ‘less integrated terminal markets’ representing three quarters of the city’s ruminant meat supply. Main food safety and zoonotic risk practices related to: water and equipment contamination; poor cold chain; human contact contamination; animal movements; and lack of hygiene. Poor governance enhanced these risks such as: inadequate market business models; enforcement failures; control gaps; and power group pressures. Barriers identified to corrective actions were: lack of infrastructure; limited financial capacity; poor training and services. Furthermore, unequal distribution of benefits in low cost markets provided a negative incentive for the perpetuation of risks. Conclusions This study identified main food safety and zoonoses risk practices, people and VC factors involved in risk-taking activities to help future control programmes in the Nairobi beef, sheep and goat system. Relevance Food safety risks and diseases can be effectively controlled and understood when these are investigated using a food system approach which considers chain governance, barriers and inequalities. The methods used provide a clear guideline and way forward for epidemiologists to investigate these risks using a VC approach

Post-Franco Theatre

In the multiple realms and layers that comprise the contemporary Spanish theatrical landscape, “crisis” would seem to be the word that most often lingers in the air, as though it were a common mantra, ready to roll off the tongue of so many theatre professionals with such enormous ease, and even enthusiasm, that one is prompted to wonder whether it might indeed be a miracle that the contemporary technological revolution – coupled with perpetual quandaries concerning public and private funding for the arts – had not by now brought an end to the evolution of the oldest of live arts, or, at the very least, an end to drama as we know it

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Mainstreaming human nutrition in livestock interventions: lessons learnt from a capacity building workshop for the Sahel region

Location: Sahel What we know: Animal-source foods (ASFs) are a rich source of bioavailable nutrients. Even where livestock is central to livelihoods, livestock production is rarely considered as a key nutritional resource of poor populations. What this article adds: An FAO-led regional workshop was held in Senegal to capitalise on existing experiences and knowledge on linkages between livestock and human nutrition in the Sahel and strengthen the capacity of governments and humanitarian stakeholders for nutrition-sensitive programming in this sector. A total of 57 nutrition and/or livestock experts working in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal or at regional level participated. The workshop involved formal training, team work (to identify livestock impact pathways to malnutrition) and experience-sharing (detailed country case studies). Discussions found that, while high importance was awarded to integration, it was not a priority for either sector. Participants identified a number of ways to optimise the nutrition impact of interventions, including targeting, understanding the cultural specificities of ASF and their nutritional properties, and considering nutrition at the context-analyses and study-design stages. Risk factors for negative impact included food safety issues and high cost of interventions. Recommendations for follow-up included creation of a Community of Practice specific to livestock and nutrition