Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Julia Davies, Corrie Hannah, Zack Guido, Andrew Zimmer, Laura McCann, Jane Battersby, Tom Evans
Summary: Trends in urbanization and urban food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa have sparked debates on the potential benefits of urban agriculture to urban livelihoods. Research found that 33% of households engage in urban agriculture, but there is limited statistical significance in the relationship between urban agriculture and household food security. Urban planners and policymakers need to reconsider decisions about issues like housing development, land tenure, and transportation infrastructure to improve households' ability to produce, sell, and access food.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giacomo Falchetta, Francesco Semeria, Marta Tuninetti, Vittorio Giordano, Shonali Pachauri, Edward Byers
Summary: In sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture relies heavily on rainfed irrigation and inadequate rural electricity supply is a major barrier to adopting irrigation. Through the use of a spatially explicit integrated modeling framework, it has been shown that standalone solar photovoltaic irrigation systems can meet over one third of the crop water requirements in smallholder cropland of sub-Saharan Africa. This has the potential to increase incomes, achieve food security, and be paid back by farmers within 20 years.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Joshua D. Miller, Sera L. Young, Elizabeth Bryan, Claudia Ringler
Summary: There is a strong association between water insecurity and food insecurity. This study found that individuals living in water-insecure households are more likely to experience food insecurity and have lower dietary diversity. Adequate access and use of water resources are crucial for nutrition.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joshua Nsanyan Sandow, Eric Fosu Oteng-Abayie, Daniel Sakyi, Bright Obuobi
Summary: The study explores the interactive role of institutions in the relationship between natural resource rents and financial sector development, emphasizing the importance of improving legal and political institutions to drive financial sector development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Bruno Emmanuel Ongo Nkoa, Sosson Tadadjeu, Henri Njangang
Summary: This study aims to analyze the impact of natural resources on energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. The results indicate that resource-dependent countries and point resources (oil, gas, and mineral rents) exacerbate energy poverty, while diffuse resources (forest rents) do not have the same effect. However, democratic systems can mitigate the impact of natural resources on energy poverty.
Article
Development Studies
Julia Davies, Jordan Blekking, Corrie Hannah, Andrew Zimmer, Nupur Joshi, Patrese Anderson, Allan Chilenga, Tom Evans
Summary: Traditional markets play a critical role in the rural-urban food systems of sub-Saharan Africa. However, these markets face challenges such as infrastructure deficits, poor waste management, and internal conflict. Our study aims to explore the governance structures of traditional markets to identify effective institutional arrangements for market management.
HABITAT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Agronomy
Adenike A. Akinsemolu, Helen N. Onyeaka, Phemelo Tamasiga
Summary: Climate change poses a constant threat to food security in Africa, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where extreme weather events have led to severe food crises. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is seen as a potential comprehensive solution to mitigate climate change impacts, enhance food production, and improve food security resilience in the region. The adoption of CSA has shown success in increasing agricultural productivity and is crucial for building resilient food systems in the face of ongoing climate change challenges.
FOOD AND ENERGY SECURITY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Koffi D. Kpognon
Summary: This study investigates the impact of natural resources rents and ICT infrastructure on the size of the informal economy in Sub-Saharan African countries. The findings suggest that natural resources rents increase the size of the informal economy, whereas the effect of ICT infrastructure is mixed. Interestingly, the study also reveals that resources rents reduce the size of the informal economy in countries with higher accessibility to ICT. African states need to manage natural resources revenues transparently and utilize them for public spending to support growth and job creation in the formal sector. Additionally, investing in ICT infrastructure can help mobilize domestic resources.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Priyanka Jha, Stefan Schmidt
Summary: The extensive use of fossil fuels in sub-Saharan Africa has led to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, negatively impacting sustainable development goals. However, biofuels produced from energy crops can help reduce GHG emissions if the total emissions are lower than fossil fuels being displaced. It is crucial to carefully assess how biofuel feedstock cultivation impacts local socioeconomic conditions, food insecurity, and biodiversity in order to promote sustainable biofuel production and uplift livelihoods in the region.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Husam Rjoub, Chuka Uzoma Ifediora, Jamiu Adetola Odugbesan, Benneth Chiemelie Iloka, Joao Xavier Rita, Rui Miguel Dantas, Mario Nuno Mata, Jose Moleiro Martins
Summary: The study in Sub-Saharan African countries found that government effectiveness, availability of natural resources, and security threats have significant implications for economic development. Governance, natural resources, and security threats were found to have causal effects on economic development in both the long and short run. Additionally, the statistical significance of the ECT coefficients suggests a return to equilibrium after a shock, indicating stable long-run cointegration among the variables.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Areidy Beltran-Pena, Paolo D'Odorico
Summary: Africa faces challenges in food security, with irrigation expansion increasing agricultural productivity but not sufficient to meet future food demand. Under climate change, Africa's food production may not be enough to feed its growing population, leading to reliance on imports and uncertainty from global food price volatility.
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Theophile T. Azomahou, Raouf Boucekkine, Harounan Kazianga, Mark Korir, Njuguna Ndung'u
Summary: Sub-Saharan African countries face various market failures and constraints in food production, marketing, and consumption. Governments in this region have implemented numerous policies to address these challenges, particularly in relation to nutrition outcomes. Despite these efforts, malnutrition remains a persistent issue. In this essay, the importance of informed and evidence-based policy development and implementation is emphasized, and the links between agriculture, rural development, public health, and food security are highlighted. The introduction to the special issue of the Food Policy journal provides an overview of the papers that analyze policy domains, contribute to the understanding of policy impacts on nutrition outcomes and related indicators, and suggest policy directions.
Article
Economics
Koffi D. Kpognon
Summary: This study empirically finds a positive and significant relationship between natural resource abundance and the size of the informal economy in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this relationship becomes negative when good and strong institutions are in place.
STRUCTURAL CHANGE AND ECONOMIC DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Nyembezi N. Soko, Simeon Kaitibie, Nazmun N. Ratna
Summary: African and Asian countries have increased public spending on agriculture to improve agricultural production and food security. However, the effectiveness of these spending increases varies depending on the institutional quality. Improving the quality of public institutions is crucial for enhancing the impact of public agricultural investments on food security.
GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY-AGRICULTURE POLICY ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Development Studies
Sarah Dickerson, Mallory Cannon, Brian O'Neill
Summary: Climate change could threaten human development in sub-Saharan Africa, with potential impacts on food insecurity, water stress, and disease. Studies suggest varying outcomes, including a decrease or increase in hunger, an increase in diarrheal and malaria cases, and inconsistent findings on water stress. Standardizing projection methods and reporting could enhance comparability and understanding of the climate change implications for well-being.
CLIMATE AND DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
C. A. Kessler, N. van Duivenbooden, F. Nsabimana, C. L. van Beek
NUTRIENT CYCLING IN AGROECOSYSTEMS
(2016)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zenebe Adimassu, Aad Kessler
ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT
(2015)
Article
Agronomy
Berhane Grum, Rudi Hessel, Aad Kessler, Kifle Woldearegay, Eyasu Yazew, Coen Ritsema, Violette Geissen
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2016)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Berhane Grum, Dereje Assefa, Rudi Hessel, Kifle Woldearegay, Aad Kessler, Coen Ritsema, Violette Geissen
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2017)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zenebe Adimassu, Aad Kessler, Leo Stroosnijder
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND WORLD ECOLOGY
(2013)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zenebe Adimassu, Aad Kessler, Leo Stroosnijder
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND WORLD ECOLOGY
(2013)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Z. Adimassu, K. Mekonnen, C. Yirga, A. Kessler
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2014)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Meskerem Abi, Aad Kessler, Peter Oosterveer, Degefa Tolossa
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Samuel Assefa, Aad Kessler, Luuk Fleskens
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meskerem Abi, Aad Kessler, Peter Oosterveer, Degefa Tolossa
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aad Kessler, Laurie van Reemst, Micael Beun, Erik Slingerland, Laura Pol, Ruben De Winne
Summary: This article discusses how to stop land degradation in Burundi through the integrated farm planning approach, and presents significant changes at the household, farm, and village levels. By motivating households to invest in farm resilience and apply diverse conservation practices, as well as taking concrete collective actions at the village level, sustainable land management can be promoted.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Mark Caulfield, Judith Bouniol, Steven J. Fonte, Aad Kessler
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Berhane Grum, Kifle Woldearegay, Rudi Hessel, Jantiene E. M. Baartman, Mohammed Abdulkadir, Eyasu Yazew, Aad Kessler, Coen J. Ritsema, Violette Geissen
Article
Environmental Studies
Akalu Teshome, Jan de Graaff, Aad Kessler
Article
Environmental Studies
Annadoma Nyanga, Aad Kessler, Albino Tenge