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The role of underutilized indigenous and traditional food crops in enhancing rural livelihoods and food security in South Africa
Qwabe, Qinisani Nhlakanipho; Munialo, Sussy; Swanepoel, Frans (Frontiers Media, 2025-07-09)
South Africa’s agricultural sector faces a deep economic divide, with small-scale and subsistence black-owned farms struggling while white-owned commercial farms are well-resourced. Despite this polarization, rural farming communities have shown remarkable resilience, which can be leveraged to address socioeconomic disparities. However, in this context, there is limited information on the role of indigenous and traditional foods, particularly underutilized indigenous and traditional food crops (UITFCs). Despite their full significance to rural livelihoods, the agricultural policy has yet to incorporate UITFCs. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing themes related to UITFCs, gender, the environment, and rural livelihoods using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews. The findings confirm that UITFCs play a vital role in rural farming communities, offering readily available and accessible food sources that align with the FAO’s food policy on food security. The cultivation and use of UITFCs are crucial in addressing food security at the household level while preserving dignity. UITFCs are a critical livelihood strategy for many rural people, helping them improve their socioeconomic status. Therefore, there is a need for these crops to be overtly integrated into South Africa’s national agricultural policy.
The missing puzzle of indigenous crops in Tanzania’s agricultural trade
John, Innocentia; Gandidzanwa, Colleta (Frontiers Media, 2025-07-08)
Existing trade policies in Tanzania can potentially boost or undermine Indigenous crop representation in both domestic and international trade. The trade potential is heavily reliant on the effectiveness of existing trade policies. This paper examines the existing trade policies related to indigenous crops in Tanzania, the challenges faced, and potential strategies to enhance their market integration and trade potential. It uses a mixed methods approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative trend analysis. A policy review process is used to assess the existing policies and their effectiveness in enhancing the trade potential of indigenous crops. The results suggest that existing policies do not sufficiently encompass indigenous crops and that the trade potential of indigenous crops still needs to be realized, with only three crops out of 28 (cassava, sorghum, cowpea) crops available in Tanzania having trade recognition in the international markets. Most indigenous crops remain in domestic markets, with very few reaching urban markets, while most remain in rural markets. Moreover, most of the policies and regulations available in Tanzania have yet to recognize these crops within the policies. This paper contributes to the development of policies that support the inclusion of indigenous crops in trade. It emphasizes the need for a comprehensive review of existing government policies to unlock the trade potential of indigenous crops, recognizing their critical role in Tanzania’s agricultural heritage and food security. Highlights
The Johannesburg fresh produce market : an analysis of its operations and contribution to the food system
Malungane, Makhanana; Wegerif, Marc C.A. (Frontiers Media, 2025-08-13)
The Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market (JFPM) is the largest fresh produce market in Africa, in terms of volume and turnover. It plays a central role in making fresh produce accessible across Gauteng Province and surrounding areas. This article describes and analyses the operations of the JFPM giving attention to the social and economic forces that shape it and looking at its contribution within the food system. The research for this article was conducted from between 2019 and 2023, including extensive interviews with 127 research participants and observations conducted during over 60 visits to the Market. It is found that the JFPM involves a complex interaction between economic and social forces still influenced by apartheid era arrangements. This influence is evident in the long-term social relationships among actors of the same ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The findings also highlight the importance of the JFPM as a source of fresh produce, especially for low-income neighbourhoods through the multitudes of informal traders that source produce there. By making fresh produce more accessible and enabling the agency of diverse actors in the food system, the JFPM makes a key contribution to food security. The Market is also essential for farmers, large and smaller scale, who sell there. The positive role of the JFPM is under threat from a range of challenges ranging from internal issue such as decaying infrastructure to external factors, such as the increasing use of direct buying focused supply chains by supermarket groups. Given the important contributions of the JFPM it needs to be invested in and maintained. The lessons from this market have relevance to food markets in other contexts.
Management of dental disease in eared seals (family Otariidae) : a Delphi approach
Simeone , Claire A.; Schwitzer, Nora; Johnson, Shawn P.; Ruiz, José C. Almansa; Debosschere, Yves; Force, Judy; Forsayeth, Aaron; Gawor, Jerzy P.; Gracis , Margherita; Holmstrom, Steven; Legendre, Loïc; Mestrinho, Lisa A.; Sogorb, Arlete R.; Steenkamp, Gerhardus; Tucker , Rebecca; Tutt, Cedric; Urgel, Ignacio Velázquez; Woody, Allison (Frontiers Media, 2025-08-26)
OBJECTIVE : Published literature is sparse on topics associated with eared seal (otariid) dentistry. The objective of this study was to establish consensus on effective management of dental disease in otariids, using a Delphi approach. METHODS : A total of 25 veterinarians with experience managing dental disease in seven species of otariids participated in the Delphi process. RESULTS : Oral lesions and their contributing risk factors were ranked according to perceived frequency. Consensus statements for best practices were agreed upon for a variety of topics within the categories of planning and preparation, procedural details, intervention strategies, and postoperative care. Panelist comments were collated into a Supplementary File to assist clinicians in forming their own conclusions on topics for which no consensus yet exists. CONCLUSION : Opportunities for future research include factors associated with oral lesions, ideal anesthetic management, identification of ideal candidates for endodontic therapies, ideal local and regional anesthesia, ideal suture and closure techniques, particularly with the goal of reducing dehiscence as a postoperative complication, and ideal postoperative care options.
Assessing farm-level sustainability : a comparative analysis of horticultural production systems in Eritrea
Haile, Bereket Tsehaye; Dougill, Andrew J.; Ramoelo, Abel; Kidane, Tesfai T. (Frontiers Media, 2025-07-02)
INTRODUCTION : Measuring the sustainability of agricultural practices at the farm level is a prerequisite for devising effective policies and strategies. This study offers an in-depth farm-level sustainability assessment of Eritrea’s horticultural sector. It aims to assess the sustainability of horticultural crop production using 12 customized indicators co-developed with local stakeholders, identify the principal factors influencing sustainability performance, and compare the sustainability performances across two regions of Eritrea with different agroecological and socioeconomic settings. METHODS : Primary data from 170 horticultural farmers were collected using a field survey focusing on activities conducted from 2020 to 2022. The assessment uses a traffic light approach to classify farms into three categories: unsustainable (red), acceptable (yellow), and sustainable (green). Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) is applied to explain the main factors contributing to the sustainability score of farms across the studied regions. RESULTS : The study shows disparities in sustainability performance between the two study regions as measured by the indicators. The MLR model shows that farming experience, extension services, and cooperative membership significantly influence most sustainability outcomes (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION : This study highlights the necessity for a context-specific approach to assess farm-level sustainability. By mapping the sustainability landscape of the horticultural sector and identifying key levers for improvement, the study paves the way for informed, impactful strategies to advance agricultural sustainability at the farm level.