News That Matters: An Assessment of Chicago's Information Landscape

The Community News Matters project of The Chicago Community Trust conducted surveys and focus groups of the general public, local leaders and low-income residents to assess the level to which critical information needs of democracies are being well-met in the Chicago region and to identify critical information gaps and deficiencies in Chicago's information landscape that may need to be addressed

Impact of Public Market Information System (PMIS) on Farmers Food Marketing Decisions: Case of Benin

To sell their surpluses of maize, the main staple in Benin, farmers may choose among three modes of transaction: they may sell under a contract with itinerant traders, or they may sell without a contract at the farmgate or on distant markets. It has been postulated that farmers may choose a profitable mode of transaction if they have good access to information on the prevailing market conditions. Using detailed farm household survey data from Benin, this paper applies the Nested Logit model to test this hypothesis. The results show that farmers are likely to opt for selling at the farmgate without a contract if they have good access to information. However, such a decision may not be related to access to information through the government supported 'Public Market Information System' but rather it is likely to be induced by access to information through farmers' own social networks.Public Market Information System, farmers, modes of transaction, liberalization, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Accroissement des exportations agricoles et sécurité alimentaire au Viet-nam

peer reviewedLa rénovation des politiques et des méthodes d'action à l'égard de l'agriculture a permis au Viêt-nam de conforter sa position de troisième exportateur mondial de riz. Néanmoins la situation semble moins favorable qu'il n'y paraît. Le marché international du riz est caractérisé par des prix bas et par une forte concurrence entre pays exportateurs. En outre, le marché est réduit et instable. Il s'ensuit que le Viêt-nam, proche de l'autosuffisance, peut tantôt être importateur tantôt exportateur de riz selon les performances enregistrées par les riziculteurs. Cet article analyse les perspectives qui sont actuellement offertes au Viêt-nam en matière de sécurité alimentaire en relation avec l'adoption d'une politique agricole qui encourage l'accroissement des exportations de riz

Peri-urban Agriculture: The Case of Market Gardening in Niamey, Niger

A study was carried out in Niamey (capital city of Niger) to explore the market gardening periurban system. This activity is an option to minimize the risk of urban food insecurity in the Republic of Niger. In Niamey, you have two traditional areas to practise the market gardening production: Gamkalle and Yantala. The investigations study the area of Gamkalle. This study revealed more than 600 market gardening producers in Gamkalle. 50 producers of Gamkalle have been interviewed. These producers predominantly belong to the ethnic group “Zarma” and market gardening is their main economic activity. The principal period of production is during the dry season, the producers cultivate lettuce, cabbage, tomato, sweet pepper, beetroot, celery, carrot, parsley. Despite the higher costs notably in particular for input, the incomes generated by this activity are very high ($ 2805.23/year/acre). In conclusion, market gardening presents an opportunity for urban dwellers to increase and diversify their incomes and obtain food security. Nevertheless, there are many constraints to develop this production: land tenure security, pollution by industrial production and access to quality seeds, pesticides and fertilizers. Key words: Agriculture, Market gardening, food, lan

Characteristics of Urban Food insecurity: The Case of Kinshasa

Feeding Kinshasa? How to ensure food security for millions of inhabitants who have to survive on low wages well below the poverty line? This is the daily challenge for a multitude of poor people in Kinshasa! Some see this situation as an opportunity for strengthening local producers. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the constraints affecting the agricultural economy mean it cannot supply the city of Kinshasa on the basis of predominantly local production but through food imports. In a context of crisis as experienced in the DRC, food is of strategic importance and the focus is essentially on quantity: households turn to cheaper products and high calorie intake at the expense of high-protein foods, leading to unbalanced diets. This imbalance is exacerbated by an influx of imported products, often of poor nutritional quality but at very competitive prices and responding to new eating habits of urban consumers. To understand the issue of food security in DRC, a country with high agricultural potential but 70% of whose population is affected by food insecurity, various research devices have been established by an interdisciplinary research group to support policy, funded by the Belgian Development Cooperation Department (DGDC / CUD): the Research Group Supporting the Policy for Food and Agriculture in Africa (GRAP 3A). This paper presents one of the main focuses of the inter-university research program conducted jointly with researchers from the University of Kinshasa: an approach to food insecurity and strategies for a sustainable food policy based on the study of household food consumption in Kinshasa carried out by various surveys. Key Words: food consumption, food security, agricultural polic

Evolution de la consommation de viande bovine en Belgique

peer reviewe

Sesame in the Department of Aguié in Niger : analysis of a crop with many advantages in a high potential agricultural area

The Sahelian agro-ecological conditions and the socio-economic environment are the main factors that influence the dynamics of farming systems in the Aguié area in central Niger. In this region, increasing population pressure and competition for resources between crops and animals accentuate the pressure on land. Low surfaces per inhabitant generate a reorganization of agrarian systems. Farmers favor food crops than can be consumed and sold. Crop diversification is for them a strategy to minimize risk and secure the land. This article examines the interest of sesame cultivation in the Aguié region. It was carried out from a literature review, data of the technical services of the Aguié department, surveys and observations from producers and relevant organizations. It appears that the cultivation of sesame is an opportunity to secure food and financial needs of local households. Because of the proximity of the region with Nigeria, this crop is an economic asset for the households; as demonstrated by the analysis of its operating accounts.Les conditions agro-écologiques sahéliennes et le contexte socio-économique constituent les principaux facteurs qui influencent la dynamique des systèmes de production agricole de la zone d’Aguié au centre du Niger. Dans cette région, l’augmentation de la pression démographique et la compétition pour les ressources naturelles entre les cultures et les animaux accentuent la pression foncière. Les faibles superficies par habitant engendrent un remaniement des systèmes agraires. Les agriculteurs privilégient des cultures à la fois vivrières et de rente. Pour eux, la diversification des cultures est une des stratégies de minimisation des risques et de sécurisation du foncier. Cet article étudie l’intérêt de la culture du sésame dans la région d’Aguié. Il a été réalisé à partir d’une revue bibliographique, de données des services techniques du département d’Aguié et d’enquêtes et d’observations auprès de producteurs et des organisations concernées. Il en ressort que la culture du sésame constitue une opportunité pour sécuriser les besoins alimentaires et financiers des ménages locaux. De par la proximité de la région avec le Nigéria, cette culture est un atout économique pour les ménages; comme le prouve l’analyse de ses comptes d’exploitation.Peer reviewe

The coping strategies to fight against the food insecurity in the Republic of Niger

During the last decade, the Niger’s population has been affected by the food crisis (2001, 2004-2005, 2008, 2010-2011). Each year, she is subjected to many structural and temporary shocks. The structural shocks are caused by the chronicle difficulties (income) while the temporary shocks are tied at the "natural" disasters such as the hydrometeorological disasters, demographic crisis. The risk that the people fall in a state of food insecurity because of structural and temporary shocks is characterized by food vulnerability. The food vulnerability is defined as “the analysis of coping strategies and reactions faced with the structural or/and temporary shocks, if the coping strategies are not effectives, the people have in a temporary or structural food vulnerability” (Andres L. and Lebailly Ph., 2011). The target of this paper is to demonstrate the diversity of coping strategies in the different departments of Niger. The database is created as from an annual survey realized by the Early Alert System (EAS) and the Statistical National Institute of Niger (INS). This survey characterizes the state of food insecurity of households of Niger. The investigations of the household are based on stratified sampling. It exists two levels: region and enumeration areas. The investigations of the household are based from the database of the population census of 2001. This population census has determined the “enumeration areas”. These “enumeration areas” are defined as a “geographical area of 200 households on average” (INS, 2007). The sample of this investigation is established from a significant sample a point of view of the departments of Niger. The time period studied is spread the 2008 at 2011. The results have demonstrated that the departments of Tchintarabaden, Abalak, Tessaoua and Magaria have weakest number of collective meals, and the highest percentage of household practicing of selling the goods and land. Furthermore, the Niger’s population develops many strategies to struggle against the shocks.GRAP3

The relation between the coping strategies and the state of food insecurity in the Republic of Niger

The Niger’s rural population represents 80 percent of the total population. This very high percentage creates an important pressure over the environment because of the high density of population. Indeed, the agricultural favorable area is equivalent to a third of the total area of Niger. This area is located in the South of Niger over a strip 300 kilometers of broad. Furthermore, the rural population is subjected to the temporal and structural disruptions. The temporal shocks are defined by the “natural” disruptions such as the hydrometeorological disruption, etc. The structural disruptions are caused by the chronicle difficulties (low income, etc.). The capacity to struggle against the disruptions is defined by the resilience (Lhomme et al., 2010). The resilience is illustrated and assessed by the different coping strategies practiced by the Niger’s rural population. The target of the paper is to demonstrate the state of food insecurity and the coping strategies developed in the departments of Niger. The state of food insecurity and the coping strategy index are calculated as from the data of an annual survey realized by the Early Alert System (EAS) and the Statistical National Institute of Niger (INS). This survey investigates around 10.000 households in December 2009 and April 2010. The sample is extrapolated to estimate the number of people suffering from food insecurity per department. The paper illustrates the state of food insecurity of each department and coping strategy index of the departments. The results will demonstrate the differences between departments. The answers of the paper at the following question: Which are the most vulnerable departments and what is the situation of the coping strategies index in each department? This paper creates also a typology bringing together the same departments in comparison with the coping strategies and the state of food insecurity.GRAP3