Background:Evidence regarding the effectiveness of prenatal nutritional supplements has mainly considered anthropometric pregnancy outcomes.The effect on markers of health and disease,such as offspring telomere length...Background:Evidence regarding the effectiveness of prenatal nutritional supplements has mainly considered anthropometric pregnancy outcomes.The effect on markers of health and disease,such as offspring telomere length(TL)and mitochondrial DNA content(mtDNAc)is unknown.Objectives:We assessed the efficacy of maternal multiple micronutrient(MMN)-fortified balanced-energy protein(BEP)and iron-folic acid(IFA)supplementation on newborn TL as a secondary outcome and mtDNAc as a non-declared outcome.Design:We conducted a randomized controlled trial in rural Burkina Faso,among pregnant females(15-40 years old)enrolled at<21 weeks of gestation.Mothers received either MMN-fortified BEP and IFA(intervention)or IFA only(control)throughout pregnancy.Whole arterial blood samples were collected from the umbilical cord of 104 control and 90 intervention group infants,respectively.Average relative TL and mtDNAc were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Linear regression models were fitted to assess TL and mtDNAc differences across trial arms.Results:We found that a combined daily MMN-fortified BEP supplement and IFA tablet did not affect newborn TL[β=-0.010(95%CI:-0.057,0.036);P=0.662]or mtDNAc[β=0.065(95%CI:-0.203,0.073);P=0.354],as compared to an IFA tablet alone.These findings were confirmed(P>0.05)by adjusting the regression models for potential prognostic factors of study outcomes at enrollment.Exploratory analyses indicated higher,but non-significantly different mtDNAc among children born either small-for-gestational age,low birthweight,or preterm.Conclusion:Newborns from mothers who received daily nutritional supplements across gestation did not have different relative TL or mtDNAc.展开更多
作物时空分布变化是农业研究的重要内容。近30a来,东北地区水稻种植面积显著增加,为探讨东北地区水稻时空变化特征,进一步丰富和完善作物空间分布信息获取方法,研究作物空间分布对包括气候变化在内的多种影响因素的响应关系,该研究综合8...作物时空分布变化是农业研究的重要内容。近30a来,东北地区水稻种植面积显著增加,为探讨东北地区水稻时空变化特征,进一步丰富和完善作物空间分布信息获取方法,研究作物空间分布对包括气候变化在内的多种影响因素的响应关系,该研究综合80年代以来的作物面积与产量统计数据、耕地数据、农业灌溉数据以及作物生长适宜性分布等多源数据,利用基于交叉信息熵原理的作物空间分配模型(spatial production allocation model,SPAM)构建了针对中国作物分布特点的SPAM-China模型,模拟了中国东北地区1980-2008年像元尺度上水稻空间分布信息。结果表明,模拟结果能较好地反映出东北地区水稻主要种植区域,近30a东北地区水稻种植时空变化特征显著,水稻种植区域向北向东扩展,种植重心北移了约1.76个纬度,中北部地区水稻种植面积增加且趋势明显,南部地区变化趋势不显著。展开更多
This paper briefly reviews different debates about approaches for paths out of poverty,considering several views,from the analysis of specific policies to more general or systemic considerations.The contribution of th...This paper briefly reviews different debates about approaches for paths out of poverty,considering several views,from the analysis of specific policies to more general or systemic considerations.The contribution of this paper is to present a broad outline of those debates and to serve as an illustration of the complexity of analyzing paths out of poverty.It discusses in sequence,the more microeconomic approach of evaluation of individual policies for poverty alleviation;then it moves to broader issues of growth and development strategies,and macroeconomic policies,and their links to the persistence or reduction of poverty;and finally discusses the topic of institutions,related to how policy decisions are made and enforced in societies at the previous three levels.Finally,the concluding section argues that a successful program to eliminate poverty must integrate all levels of individual policies,macroeconomic programs,development strategies and good institutions.This paper hopes to contribute to that crucial work.展开更多
Propelled by urbanization,rising incomes,and changing diets,food markets have been expanding in Africa and South Asia,creating the vast potential for job and income opportunities along food supply chains and,hence,for...Propelled by urbanization,rising incomes,and changing diets,food markets have been expanding in Africa and South Asia,creating the vast potential for job and income opportunities along food supply chains and,hence,for poverty reduction.The novel coronavirus(COVID-19)that spread to a pandemic in early 2020 provokes enormous setbacks to this expansion.This,however,should provide lessons regarding the importance of resilient and inclusive food systems.Emergency responses to COVID-19 should consider interventions towards that end and leverage the opportunities provided by food markets growth as economies recover from the present economic recession.This paper assesses options of how this could be done by facilitating the better functioning and interconnectedness of the many small and medium-sized enterprises that are proliferating along the"hidden middle"of food value chains in storage,logistics,transportation,and wholesale and retail distribution.It also explores how policies can help smallholder farmers connect to this"hidden middle"in more gainful ways and help them climb out of poverty as well.展开更多
Recurrent selection is an important breeding method for population improvement and selecting elite inbreds or fixed lines from the improved germplasm.Recently,a computer simulation tool called QuMARS has been develope...Recurrent selection is an important breeding method for population improvement and selecting elite inbreds or fixed lines from the improved germplasm.Recently,a computer simulation tool called QuMARS has been developed,which allows the simulation and optimization of various recurrent selection strategies.Our major objective in this study was to use the QuMARS tool to compare phenotypic recurrent,marker-assisted recurrent,and genomic selections(abbreviated respectively as PS,MARS and GS)for both short-and long-termbreeding procedures.ForMARS,twomarker selection models were considered,i.e.,stepwise(Rstep)and forward regressions(Forward).For GS,three prediction models were considered,i.e.,genomic best linear unbiased predictors(GBLUP),ridge regression(Ridge),and regression by Moore-Penrose general inverse(InverseMP).To generate genotypes and phenotypes for a given individual during simulation,one additive and two epistasis genetic models were considered with three levels of heritability.Results demonstrated that selection responses from GBLUP-based GS and MARS(Forward)were consistently greater than those from PS under the additive model,particularly in early selection cycles.In contrast,selection response from PS was consistently superior over MARS and GS under epistatic models.For the two epistasis models,total genetic variance and the additive variance component were increased in some cases after selection.Through simulation,we concluded that GS and PS were effective recurrent selection methods for improved breeding of targeted traits controlled by additive and epistatic quantitative trait loci(QTL).QuMARS provides an opportunity for breeders to compare,optimize and integrate new technology into their conventional breeding programs.展开更多
This paper presents the feed marketing systems of Ethiopia in terms of feed demand and supply, feed quality issues, feed prices and price trends based on qualitative data generated through rapid market appraisal metho...This paper presents the feed marketing systems of Ethiopia in terms of feed demand and supply, feed quality issues, feed prices and price trends based on qualitative data generated through rapid market appraisal methodology. The results indicate that, the demand for roughages, agro-industrial by-products （AIBP） and compound feeds is showing increasing trend. The use of feed from commercial sources is, however, very limited due to shortage of feed supply and inefficient marketing system. The AIBP mainly from flour and grind mills, oil processing plants and breweries are in short supply and directly marketed to user or through traders. Consequently, most of the exiting feed mixers/processing enterprises are operating under capacity estimated at about 20%-30%. The main marketed roughages, which are mainly cereal straws and baled hay, are also in short supply. Feed prices are increasing from time to time and mainly exacerbated by the increasing trend in export market of AIBP and double taxation in mixed rations. There is no any feed quality control or assurance mechanism in Ethiopia. Precaution needs to be taken in the area of taxation in order to avoid double taxation. Implications to improve the feed marketing systems and opportunities for livestock development are drawn.展开更多
Food security has been long understudied in the context of Central Asia.We present an analysis examining household-level food demand for Tajikistan and assessing the magnitude of its food security changes during the C...Food security has been long understudied in the context of Central Asia.We present an analysis examining household-level food demand for Tajikistan and assessing the magnitude of its food security changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.Based on an extensive household survey data set from Tajikistan,we estimate the expenditure,income,and price elasticities for nine food categories using the QUAIDS model.Then,we develop a microsimulation model using the estimated elasticities to assess the dual impact of declining remittance income and rising food prices stemming from the pandemic shock.There are significant differences in demand elasticities across food groups,with high elasticities observed for nutritious foods,such as meat,fruit,eggs,and milk,in rural households.Moreover,our findings show that changes in remittance income and food prices significantly negatively affected food security for rural households during the COVID-19 pandemic.These findings have important implications for policymakers concerned about rural livelihoods and food security in remittance-receiving economies during the post-pandemic period.展开更多
This article analyzed determinants of gross margin income from fishing to the rural households around Lake Ziway and Langano in Ethiopia. Four districts adjacent to the two lakes were selected purposively from which 1...This article analyzed determinants of gross margin income from fishing to the rural households around Lake Ziway and Langano in Ethiopia. Four districts adjacent to the two lakes were selected purposively from which 179 respondents drawn randomly. Both primary and secondary information comprises of household structure and assets, climate factors and supportive services were organized. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis and the Ricardian method. Budgetary analysis showed positive fish gross margin income (GMI) of ETB 3,023.40 to average fisher. The Ricardian analysis made use of the climate only model (Model 1) and comprehensive model (Model 2). Using Model 1, water level raise due to inflow is vital to earn fair income in addition to the rainfall amount in Season 1, which is supported with positive impact of precipitation water level interaction on fish income. Impact of precipitation was positive in Season 3, due to meher rainfall and withdrawal of fishing labor to join agriculture that minimized over fishing. Using Model 2, precipitation water level interaction has positive impact in Season 2 due to better inflow and Meher rainfall. The interaction term was negative in Season 4 attributed to decreased water level, dry weather and less precipitation. The result also showed positive impact of household members participation, participation in the traditional financial arrangement and capacity to finance operating costs. The study highlights problems facing fishing business like: decreased lake size and water volume, lake turbidity and siltation, open access and weak institutional arrangement to guide fishing efforts, wetland farming and expansion of irrigation to the lake side, cost of fishing materials, minimum sales price as well as poor access to the fish market. Hence, strengthening fishery coperatives, awareness creation, off-farm opportunities, integrated conservation works, reduced wetland farming and acquaintance to social networks were suggested.展开更多
In answering the questions as whether China's rising labor price and ageing workforce have affected rural land leasing and whether these factors have any joint effect,we have employed RCRE data of the Ministry of ...In answering the questions as whether China's rising labor price and ageing workforce have affected rural land leasing and whether these factors have any joint effect,we have employed RCRE data of the Ministry of Agriculture to carry out an empirical analysis and the result indicates that labor price hike has significant positive effects on both the land lease-in and lease-out of rural households,i.e.labor price hike will help increase the land leasing of rural households.At the level of ageing workforce,our empirical results indicate that ageing workforce does not create any significant impact on rural land leasing market no matter for land lease-in or lease-out in overall samples,plain regions and mountainous regions.In our empirical analysis on whether ageing workforce will intensify or weaken the effects of labor price hike on rural land leasing market,the regression result also indicates that there is no significant effect from a statistical perspective.展开更多
Southeast China is one of the severe soil degradation areas in China. This paper theoretically examines the impact of some important institutional arrangements and policies, like land management pattern, the rural off...Southeast China is one of the severe soil degradation areas in China. This paper theoretically examines the impact of some important institutional arrangements and policies, like land management pattern, the rural off-farm employment, land property change and changes in prices of agricultural products, on soil degradation in this area. It further conducts some case studies to confirm the potential relationship between the institutions & policies and soil degradation, applying the surveyed and the second hand data. The paper at last makes some conclusions and proposes some suggestions on how to promote soil conservation by improving the ways of policy decision-making and the effects of policies on land use.展开更多
All countries face the challenge of regulating their food sys- tems and anticipating the next major food-borne disease. In China, the difficulty of this challenge is exacerbated by scale. With regulatory authorities s...All countries face the challenge of regulating their food sys- tems and anticipating the next major food-borne disease. In China, the difficulty of this challenge is exacerbated by scale. With regulatory authorities spread across various agencies and municipalities, Chinese regulators are hard-pressed to present a unified front in tackling food safety challenges. As a result of these difficulties, food safety incidents are often front page news, shocking the world with stories such as ＂cadmium laced rice＂, ＂melamine tainted milk＂, and ＂re- packaged gutter oil＂.展开更多
基金supported by the Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation(OPP1175213)supported by the Research Foundation Flanders(12X9620N and 12X9623N)the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(946192,HUMYCO)。
文摘Background:Evidence regarding the effectiveness of prenatal nutritional supplements has mainly considered anthropometric pregnancy outcomes.The effect on markers of health and disease,such as offspring telomere length(TL)and mitochondrial DNA content(mtDNAc)is unknown.Objectives:We assessed the efficacy of maternal multiple micronutrient(MMN)-fortified balanced-energy protein(BEP)and iron-folic acid(IFA)supplementation on newborn TL as a secondary outcome and mtDNAc as a non-declared outcome.Design:We conducted a randomized controlled trial in rural Burkina Faso,among pregnant females(15-40 years old)enrolled at<21 weeks of gestation.Mothers received either MMN-fortified BEP and IFA(intervention)or IFA only(control)throughout pregnancy.Whole arterial blood samples were collected from the umbilical cord of 104 control and 90 intervention group infants,respectively.Average relative TL and mtDNAc were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Linear regression models were fitted to assess TL and mtDNAc differences across trial arms.Results:We found that a combined daily MMN-fortified BEP supplement and IFA tablet did not affect newborn TL[β=-0.010(95%CI:-0.057,0.036);P=0.662]or mtDNAc[β=0.065(95%CI:-0.203,0.073);P=0.354],as compared to an IFA tablet alone.These findings were confirmed(P>0.05)by adjusting the regression models for potential prognostic factors of study outcomes at enrollment.Exploratory analyses indicated higher,but non-significantly different mtDNAc among children born either small-for-gestational age,low birthweight,or preterm.Conclusion:Newborns from mothers who received daily nutritional supplements across gestation did not have different relative TL or mtDNAc.
文摘作物时空分布变化是农业研究的重要内容。近30a来,东北地区水稻种植面积显著增加,为探讨东北地区水稻时空变化特征,进一步丰富和完善作物空间分布信息获取方法,研究作物空间分布对包括气候变化在内的多种影响因素的响应关系,该研究综合80年代以来的作物面积与产量统计数据、耕地数据、农业灌溉数据以及作物生长适宜性分布等多源数据,利用基于交叉信息熵原理的作物空间分配模型(spatial production allocation model,SPAM)构建了针对中国作物分布特点的SPAM-China模型,模拟了中国东北地区1980-2008年像元尺度上水稻空间分布信息。结果表明,模拟结果能较好地反映出东北地区水稻主要种植区域,近30a东北地区水稻种植时空变化特征显著,水稻种植区域向北向东扩展,种植重心北移了约1.76个纬度,中北部地区水稻种植面积增加且趋势明显,南部地区变化趋势不显著。
文摘This paper briefly reviews different debates about approaches for paths out of poverty,considering several views,from the analysis of specific policies to more general or systemic considerations.The contribution of this paper is to present a broad outline of those debates and to serve as an illustration of the complexity of analyzing paths out of poverty.It discusses in sequence,the more microeconomic approach of evaluation of individual policies for poverty alleviation;then it moves to broader issues of growth and development strategies,and macroeconomic policies,and their links to the persistence or reduction of poverty;and finally discusses the topic of institutions,related to how policy decisions are made and enforced in societies at the previous three levels.Finally,the concluding section argues that a successful program to eliminate poverty must integrate all levels of individual policies,macroeconomic programs,development strategies and good institutions.This paper hopes to contribute to that crucial work.
基金supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research(CGIAR)research program on Policies,Institutions and Markets(PIM)Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations。
文摘Propelled by urbanization,rising incomes,and changing diets,food markets have been expanding in Africa and South Asia,creating the vast potential for job and income opportunities along food supply chains and,hence,for poverty reduction.The novel coronavirus(COVID-19)that spread to a pandemic in early 2020 provokes enormous setbacks to this expansion.This,however,should provide lessons regarding the importance of resilient and inclusive food systems.Emergency responses to COVID-19 should consider interventions towards that end and leverage the opportunities provided by food markets growth as economies recover from the present economic recession.This paper assesses options of how this could be done by facilitating the better functioning and interconnectedness of the many small and medium-sized enterprises that are proliferating along the"hidden middle"of food value chains in storage,logistics,transportation,and wholesale and retail distribution.It also explores how policies can help smallholder farmers connect to this"hidden middle"in more gainful ways and help them climb out of poverty as well.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2015BAD02B01-2-2)the HarvestPlus Challenge Program(www.harvestplus.org).
文摘Recurrent selection is an important breeding method for population improvement and selecting elite inbreds or fixed lines from the improved germplasm.Recently,a computer simulation tool called QuMARS has been developed,which allows the simulation and optimization of various recurrent selection strategies.Our major objective in this study was to use the QuMARS tool to compare phenotypic recurrent,marker-assisted recurrent,and genomic selections(abbreviated respectively as PS,MARS and GS)for both short-and long-termbreeding procedures.ForMARS,twomarker selection models were considered,i.e.,stepwise(Rstep)and forward regressions(Forward).For GS,three prediction models were considered,i.e.,genomic best linear unbiased predictors(GBLUP),ridge regression(Ridge),and regression by Moore-Penrose general inverse(InverseMP).To generate genotypes and phenotypes for a given individual during simulation,one additive and two epistasis genetic models were considered with three levels of heritability.Results demonstrated that selection responses from GBLUP-based GS and MARS(Forward)were consistently greater than those from PS under the additive model,particularly in early selection cycles.In contrast,selection response from PS was consistently superior over MARS and GS under epistatic models.For the two epistasis models,total genetic variance and the additive variance component were increased in some cases after selection.Through simulation,we concluded that GS and PS were effective recurrent selection methods for improved breeding of targeted traits controlled by additive and epistatic quantitative trait loci(QTL).QuMARS provides an opportunity for breeders to compare,optimize and integrate new technology into their conventional breeding programs.
文摘This paper presents the feed marketing systems of Ethiopia in terms of feed demand and supply, feed quality issues, feed prices and price trends based on qualitative data generated through rapid market appraisal methodology. The results indicate that, the demand for roughages, agro-industrial by-products （AIBP） and compound feeds is showing increasing trend. The use of feed from commercial sources is, however, very limited due to shortage of feed supply and inefficient marketing system. The AIBP mainly from flour and grind mills, oil processing plants and breweries are in short supply and directly marketed to user or through traders. Consequently, most of the exiting feed mixers/processing enterprises are operating under capacity estimated at about 20%-30%. The main marketed roughages, which are mainly cereal straws and baled hay, are also in short supply. Feed prices are increasing from time to time and mainly exacerbated by the increasing trend in export market of AIBP and double taxation in mixed rations. There is no any feed quality control or assurance mechanism in Ethiopia. Precaution needs to be taken in the area of taxation in order to avoid double taxation. Implications to improve the feed marketing systems and opportunities for livestock development are drawn.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71961147001)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(10-IAED-04-2023)。
文摘Food security has been long understudied in the context of Central Asia.We present an analysis examining household-level food demand for Tajikistan and assessing the magnitude of its food security changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.Based on an extensive household survey data set from Tajikistan,we estimate the expenditure,income,and price elasticities for nine food categories using the QUAIDS model.Then,we develop a microsimulation model using the estimated elasticities to assess the dual impact of declining remittance income and rising food prices stemming from the pandemic shock.There are significant differences in demand elasticities across food groups,with high elasticities observed for nutritious foods,such as meat,fruit,eggs,and milk,in rural households.Moreover,our findings show that changes in remittance income and food prices significantly negatively affected food security for rural households during the COVID-19 pandemic.These findings have important implications for policymakers concerned about rural livelihoods and food security in remittance-receiving economies during the post-pandemic period.
文摘This article analyzed determinants of gross margin income from fishing to the rural households around Lake Ziway and Langano in Ethiopia. Four districts adjacent to the two lakes were selected purposively from which 179 respondents drawn randomly. Both primary and secondary information comprises of household structure and assets, climate factors and supportive services were organized. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis and the Ricardian method. Budgetary analysis showed positive fish gross margin income (GMI) of ETB 3,023.40 to average fisher. The Ricardian analysis made use of the climate only model (Model 1) and comprehensive model (Model 2). Using Model 1, water level raise due to inflow is vital to earn fair income in addition to the rainfall amount in Season 1, which is supported with positive impact of precipitation water level interaction on fish income. Impact of precipitation was positive in Season 3, due to meher rainfall and withdrawal of fishing labor to join agriculture that minimized over fishing. Using Model 2, precipitation water level interaction has positive impact in Season 2 due to better inflow and Meher rainfall. The interaction term was negative in Season 4 attributed to decreased water level, dry weather and less precipitation. The result also showed positive impact of household members participation, participation in the traditional financial arrangement and capacity to finance operating costs. The study highlights problems facing fishing business like: decreased lake size and water volume, lake turbidity and siltation, open access and weak institutional arrangement to guide fishing efforts, wetland farming and expansion of irrigation to the lake side, cost of fishing materials, minimum sales price as well as poor access to the fish market. Hence, strengthening fishery coperatives, awareness creation, off-farm opportunities, integrated conservation works, reduced wetland farming and acquaintance to social networks were suggested.
基金the Youth Program of National Social Sciences Foundation"Study on the Impact of Rising Cost of Labor on China's Grain Production"(Project Code:13CGL085)major international(regional)cooperation project of the National Natural Sciences Foundation"Agricultural Organizational System and the Development of Farmers'Cooperatives:Study on the Innovation and Optimization of Agricultural Organizational System"(Grant No.71333011)international(regional)cooperation and exchange project of the National Natural Sciences Foundation"Demographic Transition,Rural-Urban Population Flow and China's Agricultural and Rural Development"(Grant No.70673035)
文摘In answering the questions as whether China's rising labor price and ageing workforce have affected rural land leasing and whether these factors have any joint effect,we have employed RCRE data of the Ministry of Agriculture to carry out an empirical analysis and the result indicates that labor price hike has significant positive effects on both the land lease-in and lease-out of rural households,i.e.labor price hike will help increase the land leasing of rural households.At the level of ageing workforce,our empirical results indicate that ageing workforce does not create any significant impact on rural land leasing market no matter for land lease-in or lease-out in overall samples,plain regions and mountainous regions.In our empirical analysis on whether ageing workforce will intensify or weaken the effects of labor price hike on rural land leasing market,the regression result also indicates that there is no significant effect from a statistical perspective.
基金The research is within the framework of Dutch-Sino SERENA project and funded by the National Natural Science Foundation(No.40101007).
文摘Southeast China is one of the severe soil degradation areas in China. This paper theoretically examines the impact of some important institutional arrangements and policies, like land management pattern, the rural off-farm employment, land property change and changes in prices of agricultural products, on soil degradation in this area. It further conducts some case studies to confirm the potential relationship between the institutions & policies and soil degradation, applying the surveyed and the second hand data. The paper at last makes some conclusions and proposes some suggestions on how to promote soil conservation by improving the ways of policy decision-making and the effects of policies on land use.
文摘All countries face the challenge of regulating their food sys- tems and anticipating the next major food-borne disease. In China, the difficulty of this challenge is exacerbated by scale. With regulatory authorities spread across various agencies and municipalities, Chinese regulators are hard-pressed to present a unified front in tackling food safety challenges. As a result of these difficulties, food safety incidents are often front page news, shocking the world with stories such as ＂cadmium laced rice＂, ＂melamine tainted milk＂, and ＂re- packaged gutter oil＂.
基金亚洲发展银行项目"Strategic Research on Sustainable Food and Nutrition Securityin Asia"(项目编号:TA-7648-REG)国家自然科学基金农林经济管理学科群重点项目"农业产业组织体系与农民合作社发展:以农民合作组织发展为中心的农业产业组织体系创新与优化研究"(项目编号:71333011)的资助
