Sub-Saharan Africa is changing. Population growth and climate changes have affected food and water available. This, and the expanding urbanisation have put further pressure on food and water security, in a region classified as one of the worlds poorest. Long draught and intense heavy rainfall destroys crops while urbanization leaves more people to be fed and less to produce. Much effort has been put in optimizing agricultural production; restore soil fecundity, and farming efficiency. However, increased agricultural production is not enough to improve and ensure proper food security in the developing countries. More than 50 % of the fruits and vegetables produced those regions are lost during transport. Postharvest handling is of central importance as urbanization and a globalization have changed the world market. Various techniques have been developed to minimize food losses during transportation. However, traditional methods have disadvantages and weaknesses and alternatives are much needed. This paper describes the potential of the ecological approaches. It describes the potential of one ecological and sustainable technique known as Biological control. The method is already widely used in farming practices around the world. The paper is especially focused on the importance of postharvest handling and it outlines the nature of problems associated with postharvest food losses, the causes of losses, and describes the most common methods used today to reduce postharvest loss, and the potential of biological control.

Non-PR | IFPRI5 | EPTD

IFPRI4 | Book chapter | EPTD | Non-PR

Natalie G. Schimpf, Philip G. D. Matthews, and Craig R. White

Juveniles (3.5 ± 0.3 g) of the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei were grown during 40 days with no water exchanges, no food addition and four initial densities (25, 50, 75 and 100 g m-3, corresponding to between 8 and 32 shrimp m-2), to determine growth rates, which could be achieved using the periphyton growing on artificial substrates as the only food source. The experimental culture units were 12 polyethylene 1 m³ cylindrical tanks with 4.8 m² of total submerged surface (bottom and walls), provided with 7.2 m² of artificial substrate (Aquamats&#8482;). There were no significant differences in the ammonia and nitrite concentrations determined in the four treatments (0.17-0.19 and 0.10-0.11 mg L-1, respectively), which remained below the respective levels of concern for shrimp cultures. Mean survival was similar, and ranged from close to 91 to 97%, whereas there were significant differences in mean individual weight, which ranged from 11.9-10.6 g shrimp-1 for the two low initial densities (25 y 50 g m-3), to 8.3-7.7 g shrimp-1 for the other treatments. However, because of the high survival and of the higher initial density, the best biomass yield was with 100 g m-3. The final nitrogen contents of sediment and water were lower than the initial values, and between 36 and 60% of the difference was converted into shrimp biomass.<br>Durante 40 días se cultivaron juveniles de camarón blanco Litopenaeus vannamei con un peso individual de 3,5 ± 0,3 g y biomasas iniciales de 25, 50, 75 y 100 g m-3 (equivalente a 8-32 ind m-2), sin cambios de agua y adición de alimento, para determinar la tasa de crecimiento usando como única fuente de alimentación el perifiton desarrollado en sustratos artificiales. Se utilizaron estanques cilíndricos de polietileno de 1 m³ con tres réplicas por tratamiento, con una superficie de 4,8 m² (paredes y fondo) y 7,1 m² de sustrato artificial (Aquamats&#8482;). No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre las concentraciones de amonio (0,17-0,19 mg L-1) y nitrito (0,10-0,11 mg L-1) determinadas en los cuatro tratamientos. La supervivencia fue similar, variando entre 91 y 97%. La ganancia en peso individual fue significativamente mayor en los tratamientos con menor biomasa inicial (25 y 50 g m-3), aunque por la mayor densidad inicial, el mejor rendimiento en biomasa se observó en los cultivos sembrados con 100 g m-3. Los contenidos de nitrógeno determinados al final del experimento, en el agua y sedimento, fueron inferiores a los valores iniciales, y entre el 36 y 60% de sus diferencias se recuperaron en biomasa de camarón.

"Durante 40 días se cultivaron juveniles de camarón blanco Litopenaeus vannamei con un peso individual de 3,5 ± 0,3 g y biomasas iniciales de 25, 50, 75 y 100 g m-3 (equivalente a 8-32 ind m-2), sin cambios de agua y adición de alimento, para determinar la tasa de crecimiento usando como única fuente de alimentación el perifiton desarrollado en sustratos artificiales. Se utilizaron estanques cilíndricos de polietileno de 1 m3 con tres réplicas por tratamiento, con una superficie de 4,8 m2 (paredes y fondo) y 7,1 m2 de sustrato artificial (Aquamats™). No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre las concentraciones de amonio (0,17-0,19 mg L-1) y nitrito (0,10-0,11 mg L-1) determinadas en los cuatro tratamientos. La supervivencia fue similar, variando entre 91 y 97%. La ganancia en peso individual fue significativamente mayor en los tratamientos con menor biomasa inicial (25 y 50 g m-3), aunque por la mayor densidad inicial, el mejor rendimiento en biomasa se observó en los cultivos sembrados con 100 g m-3. Los contenidos de nitrógeno determinados al final del experimento, en el agua y sedimento, fueron inferiores a los valores iniciales, y entre el 36 y 60% de sus diferencias se recuperaron en biomasa de camarón." | "Juveniles (3.5 ± 0.3 g) of the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei were grown during 40 days with no water exchanges, no food addition and four initial densities (25, 50, 75 and 100 g m-3, corresponding to between 8 and 32 shrimp m-2), to determine growth rates, which could be achieved using the periphyton growing on artificial substrates as the only food source. The experimental culture units were 12 polyethylene 1 m3 cylindrical tanks with 4.8 m2 of total submerged surface (bottom and walls), provided with 7.2 m2 of artificial substrate (Aquamats™). There were no significant differences in the ammonia and nitrite concentrations determined in the four treatments (0.17-0.19 and 0.10-0.11 mg L-1, respectively), which remained below the respective levels of concern for shrimp cultures. Mean survival was similar, and ranged from close to 91 to 97%, whereas there were significant differences in mean individual weight, which ranged from 11.9-10.6 g shrimp-1 for the two low initial densities (25 y 50 g m-3), to 8.3-7.7 g shrimp-1 for the other treatments. However, because of the high survival and of the higher initial density, the best biomass yield was with 100 g m-3. The final nitrogen contents of sediment and water were lower than the initial values, and between 36 and 60% of the difference was converted into shrimp biomass."

This study attempts to quantify climate-induced increases in morbidity rates associated with food- and water-borne illnesses in the context of an urban coastal city, taking Beirut-Lebanon as a study area. A Poisson generalized linear model was developed to assess the impacts of temperature on the morbidity rate. The model was used with four climatic scenarios to simulate a broad spectrum of driving forces and potential social, economic and technologic evolutions. The correlation established in this study exhibits a decrease in the number of illnesses with increasing temperature until reaching a threshold of 19.2°C, beyond which the number of morbidity cases increases with temperature. By 2050, the results show a substantial increase in food- and water-borne related morbidity of 16 to 28% that can reach up to 42% by the end of the century under A1FI (fossil fuel intensive development) or can be reversed to ~0% under B1 (lowest emissions trajectory), highlighting the need for early mitigation and adaptation measures.

The 3rd International Forum on Water and Food (IFWF3), held in South Africa, demonstrated the robustness of the CPWF research approach. There were frequent debates about what exactly research-for-development means, where the boundary between research and development lies, the vital interface with policy and the role that communications play. IFWF3 asked how we can become even more effective in taking action, while we focus on developing and implementing innovations and solutions. This report synthesizes the main outcomes and issues generated at the IFWF3 and serves as a benchmark for where CPWF is midway through its 2nd phase.

ABSTRACT Urbanization and agriculture are highly coupled. However, the impacts of urbanization(e.g. transformation in urban and rural population and change in diet) on water and nitrogen (N) use remain poorly understood. The objectives of this study are to quantify water flows in the food chain of China, to analyze the complex relationship between urbanization and water and N use efficiency, and to project water and N demand in China via various scenarios, using a combination of water footprint approach and the food chain model NUFER. In 2006, China consumed in total about 857 km3 of water and 49 Tg of N, in which 132 km3 of water (15%) and 15 Tg of N (31%) were imported (as feed and food) , and 21 km3 of water (2.4%) and 5 Tg of N (10%) were exported (as feed and food). Besides that, if Chinese diet increases, especially with animal protein intake, to current European (EU-27) level, water and N use will have to increase to approximately 1600 km3 and 70 Tg, respectively. We concluded that urbanization plan in China must consider its impacts on water and N uses in the food chain, as ignoring these effects will lead to biased interpretations and unsustainable development.