Critical Examination of Food Systems Issues – Food Systems Sustainability
Annotated Bibliography
1-Reference
Nguyen, H. (2018). Sustainable food systems: Concept and framework. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Rome, Italy.
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Research Question
What is the impact of food systems sustainability on human health and the surrounding?
Measurement Tools
Comprehensive analysis of the available literature.
Citation
An in-depth exploration of the available literature on sustainable food systems provides valuable insights on the rationale for the increasing trends in the recognition of its inference for human health and the surrounding. In addition to optimizing profitability, social and environmental stability, sustainable food systems are reputed ending hunger, and promoting food security and nutrition.
Editorial Comments
The findings presented by the article are relevant and applicable, as they have been devised from a critical analysis of the present literature on the differential impacts of sustainable food systems on people’s health and social, environmental and economic benefits. The results shows the desirability of sustainable food systems in the present-day context and the subsequent recognition of its inference in promoting human health and economic sustainability. The implications of these findings is increasing trends in the development and adoption of sustainable food systems best practices. The presented arguments are sound, as they align with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which underscore the importance of transforming agriculture and the food systems to achieve food security and optimal nutrition. Besides, there have been rapid developments characterizing changing food systems over the past three decades especially in developing countries, resulting in increasing and significant challenges particularly affecting food security and nutrition, and identified limitations of current approaches, all which underscore the essence of the review.
2- Reference
Hofman-Bergholm, M. (2022). A transition towards a food and agricultural system that includes both food security and planetary health. Foods, 12(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010012
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Research Question
The author proposes the need for devising an interdisciplinary approach, collaboration and knowledge exchange to bridge the gaps perpetuating the insufficiencies of the current global food systems.
Measurement Tools
The author leverages a multidisciplinary approach to understand the impact of agricultural practices on on food and health issues.
Citation
The method is anchored on a non-structured qualitative analysis that is conducted exclusively through conventional literature review. Results from the analysis shows the presence of a multifaceted and intricate relationship between the challenges impacting the present-day society food systems and people’s culture especially in regard to food practices. The food and agricultural systems in place directly impacts food security and planetary health.
Editorial Comments
The author employs a multidisciplinary framework that is specifically structured by combining distinct research disciplines to enhance the understanding of the prevalent challenges of the present-day highly unsustainable food system. The rationale is to leverage the garnered evidence to inform the development of appropriate interventions. Based on the results garnered, the current food production methods largely employed have deleterious implications to the surrounding, as can be evidenced by significant greenhouse gas emissions, which negatively affect biodiversity and climate change. The results will serve as a call for action among stakeholders as they underscore the unsustainability, and the negative effects of the present-day food systems. This will serve as a best practice to reducing the negative impacts of climate change, such as global warming while encouraging the standardization of more environmentally-friendly techniques. The presented argument is sound as it seeks to foster food security and planetary health, in line with the SDGs and the 2030 sustainability agenda.
3- Reference
Fanzo, J., Bellows, A. L., Spiker, M. L., Thorne-Lyman, A. L., & Bloem, M. W. (2021). The importance of food systems and the environment for nutrition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 113(1), 7-16. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa313
Sample Size
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Duration of Study
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Research Question
The article seeks to evaluate how food systems affect diet, human health and the environment.
Measurement Tools
The authors conducted a comprehensive evaluation of related literature.
Citation
As noted, the authors employed a comprehensive exploratory analysis of the available literature on the impact of food systems on population diet, nutrition and health outcomes. The results depicted food systems as complex and multifaceted entities that directly affects population health, food sustainability, and environmental, social and economic dimensions. As such, food systems contributes to and are subject to climate and environmental changes.
Editorial Comments
The available literature postulated climate and environmental change as key determinants of the suitability of food systems and as elements that will continue to affect human health n a large scale. The interconnectedness of climate and environmental changes exacerbates the situation by threatening the extinction (inadequacy) of key elements of human health such as clean water and air and people’s ability for optimal production. In-depth analysis of the literature shows a close correlation between the posited environmental change and the continued redundancy of the standard food systems. The immediate and long-term implications of this being decreased food security and poor nutrition. Therefore, the research results should serve as a metric that underscores the importance of optimizing the food systems, according to the prevailing trends as a best practice for improving regional, and overall global food security. The arguments presented by the authors are sound, appropriate and effective for application across the present-day global spectrum.
4- Reference
Medina Hidalgo, D., Nunn, P. D., & Beazley, H. (2021). Challenges and opportunities for food systems in a changing climate: A systematic review of climate policy integration. Environmental Science & Policy, 124, 485-495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.07.017
Sample Size
After reviewing 209 climate change integration articles, a sample size of 39 that focused on food systems was identified for analysis.
Duration of Study
The articles had been published between 2010 and 2020.
Research Question
The authors explored the enablers and barriers of climate policy integration, with emphasis being placed on challenges and opportunities specific to food systems.
Measurement Tools
The study leveraged the PRISMA statement and the four-phase diagram in reporting the systematic review results.
Citation
The process entailed a detailed exploration of the 209 selected articles, which resulted in the identification of the 39 that focused on food systems. The identified relevant articles were then summarized using the PRISMA four-phase diagram. The results showed the existence of institutional and governance structures that pose barriers to the incorporation of appropriate climate goals, and notable challenges and opportunities impacting food systems and food security.
Editorial Comments
The authors used an effective method in identifying the appropriate articles for inclusion in the research. The selection was guided by afore-outlined selection criteria, with specific components including selecting only those published in peer-reviewed journals and whose publication date was between 2010 and 2020. Besides, the criteria necessitated the articles to make an explicit mention of aspects related to policy integration and address climate change adaptation. The results underscore the essence of climate change interventions, such as policy resolutions dealing with potential synergies and trade-offs that could stem from strategy implementation. This followed the realization that climate change is a cross-cutting issue that cannot be managed in silo but must instead be considered in terms of how it affect other policy outcomes. The authors also identified opportunities for climate policy integration, including ensuring compatibility between climate adaptation and mitigation objectives, and challenges, such as lack of well-devised and tested tools for facilitating policy development process. The presented arguments are sound, and can seamlessly be incorporated in practice.
5- Reference
Kanianska, R. (2016). Agriculture and its impact on land‐use, environment, and ecosystem services. Landscape Ecology – The Influences of Land Use and Anthropogenic Impacts of Landscape Creation. https://doi.org/10.5772/63719
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Research Question
The author sought to explore the 21st century agricultural practices and their impact on the surroundings and health.
Measurement Tools
The author employed the DPSIR model given its potential to capture the cause-effect relationship between agriculture and the economic, social, economic and human factors.
Citation
The selected model has been extensively applied in analyzing the interacting processes encompassing human and environmental systems. It was specifically employed in this case to aid in the identification of the core indicators and the interactions between the distinct driving forces. The results posited a growing population trend characterized by increased land use patterns as the key drivers of the present-day unsustainable food systems.
Editorial Comments
The DPSIR method employed by the author has over time, proven reliable in extracting causal-effect relationships between distinct variables. The results pointed towards a rapidly increasing population growth rate globally, an attribute that has been associated with having direct implications on land cover and land-use patterns. Human population growth contributes to competitive land use as a result of increasing food requirements. Thus, the analysis method employed was effective in depicting the causal-effect relationship between the distinct variables. The land-use change has been cited as a key component of the evidenced global environmental change as it directly impacts climate and biodiversity. Besides, the increasing demand for food, coupled with the prevalent shortages, negatively impacts global population’s food security, nutrition and wellness. The implications of this research findings is an increasing predisposition of policymakers and other pertinent stakeholders to continually devise strategies, policies and programs that promote food system sustainability in the immediate and long-term. The presented arguments are in line with the present-day trends evidencing increasing global food shortages and the need for timely corrective action.
6- Reference
Wijerathna-Yapa, A., & Pathirana, R. (2022). Sustainable agro-food systems for addressing climate change and food security. Agriculture, 12(10), 1554. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101554
Sample Size
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Duration of Study
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Research Question
The researchers sought to investigate the major elements that promote sustainable agro-food systems towards improving food security.
Measurement Tools
Comprehensive analysis of the available literature.
Citation
The researchers conducted a detailed analysis of the present-day trends in agriculture, which has emerged as a notable part of human civilization today. The key focus is on evaluating the agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from plant and animal-based undertakings. Results from the analysis showed plant-based foods as having a relatively safer environmental impact compared to animal-based foods and practices, including animal husbandry.
Editorial Comments
Evaluation of the prevailing literature on the impact of agricultural practices on the environment and the impact of the ongoing trends evidencing climate change provided a robust basis for this research analysis. Based on the results, a relatively large number of people are currently affected by hunger, with more being prospected to encountering the same in the future. The trend has been informed by the continued climate change and the application of inappropriate mitigation and agricultural practices. Most present-day agricultural practices are ineffective and present deleterious implications to the environment, thereby exacerbating the food crisis situation. The authors acknowledged the importance of employing environmentally-friendly interventions such as agro-foods systems, which unlike most animal-based interventions promotes environmental health, which in the long term, would positively impact population health while optimizing food security. The research is highly relevant especially given the prevailing circumstances at the global level that characterizes burgeoning population pressure and a continued reduction in forest and other vegetation cover for human settlement and agriculture. The cited research work is also relevant and applicable to the scenario.
7- Reference
Çakmakçı, R., Salık, M. A., & Çakmakçı, S. (2023). Assessment and principles of environmentally sustainable food and agriculture systems. Agriculture, 13(5), 1073. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13051073
Sample Size
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Duration of Study
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Research Question
The review explored the principles of environmentally sustainable food and agriculture systems.
Measurement Tools
Systematic literature review.
Citation
The authors extensively explored the principles of sustainable food and agricultural systems in the wake of notable trends characterized by decreasing food security and sustainability at the global scale. The authors cited the increasing public awareness on the demerits of the present-day industrialized food system especially on food security, safety and sustainability as the basis for exploring the principles of environmentally sustainable food and agricultural systems. The results underscored the importance of supporting economically and ecologically sustainable food systems and alignment of agricultural policies and regulations with the global trends.
Editorial Comments
The authors leveraged an elaborate analytical process that commenced with underscoring the positive benefits of sustainable food systems in improving production processes, meeting population needs and optimizing their health and wellness. Given the prevailing global changes on population awareness regarding the dangers of unsustainable food practices, there have been constant efforts by a myriad of parties to optimize food systems sustainability, which in turn, positively impacts population health and wellness, and the overall food security. The results depicted the need for consolidated efforts in restoring and protecting ecosystems, which could be achieved by employing a rational management strategy at the national and international levels, and redesigning food systems to ensure they have a neutral, or positive impact on the environment. According to the authors, this would provide a good basis for ensuring health nutrition and food security. The validity of the author’s arguments can be evidenced by the prevailing trends in advocacy towards the reorganization of most global and regional food systems given their identified deleterious implications on the environment, population health and food security.
8- Reference
Yan, Z., Xiong, C., Liu, H., & Singh, B. K. (2022). Sustainable agricultural practices contribute significantly to one health. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, 1(3), 165-176. https://doi.org/10.1002/sae2.12019
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Research Question
The researchers sought to evaluate the impact of agricultural practices on sustainable environment and human outcomes by analyzing the one health concept.
Measurement Tools
Comprehensive research analysis.
Citation
The authors specifically employed a nexus of human, soil and plant microbiomes to provide a detailed exploration into the concept of sustainable agricultural production from the one health perspective. According to the authors, improving agricultural practices should be correlated with efforts to protect environmental health. The results showed a close correlation between the two elements, especially with respect to food security and improving human health and underscored the importance of utilizing microbiomes as an enabling best practice.
Editorial Comments
The authors leverage a multifaceted approach to depict the impact of agricultural practices on environmental sustainability and human health. They employ the one health concept, which as outlined, emphasizes about the existence of connections between human beings, animals and the environment, which necessitate a transdisciplinary approach in mitigating the prevailing issues. Besides, the analysis points towards food as the link between the three identified components, which collectively makes an ecosystem. Importantly, the research analysis enabled the authors to identify the microbial loop between the different grounds and the factors that facilitate the transmission of microbes and pathogens in an ecosystem. Besides, the aspects of resistance and the effects of chemical pesticides were also comprehensively explored. The results analysis showed the important role sound and appropriate agricultural practices play in fostering a sustainable environment and overall, promoting outcomes on human health. Such could be achieved through harnessing plant and soil microbiomes as this could subsequently minimize chemical effects on human health. The arguments provided are sound and evidences the impact agricultural practices have on sustainable environment and population health.
9- Reference
Muhie, S. H. (2022). Novel approaches and practices to sustainable agriculture. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 10, 100446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100446
Sample Size
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Duration of Study
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Research Question
What are the novel approaches that can be leveraged to facilitate food system sustainability?
Measurement Tools
Exploration study.
Citation
The authors explores literature depicting the current trends in population increase, the role of agriculture in ensuring food security and sustainability and approaches that could be leveraged to promote food system sustainability. The results posit the need for a diversified approach that focuses on the use of novel agricultural practices such as organic farming and regenerative approaches to mitigate the resultant challenges.
Editorial Comments
The selected method was effective in depicting the prevailing trends in inconsistencies between an increasing global population and a subsequent increase in food demand, which the existing systems cannot effectively handle. This causes of this inability are multifaceted, as they embed the deleterious impacts of climate change that result from the continued clearing of forest and vegetation covers for agricultural practices, which has been found to significantly endanger future generations. The results posited a notable trend characterized by lack of, or poor implementation of the recommended novel approaches to sustainable agricultural practices, which if well standardized, have been proven to positively impact sustainability, food security and population health. The arguments presented by the author are sound, since adopting effective and sustainable agricultural practices would align with the projected increases in food demand, attributed to the increasing population pressure. Recent estimates according to the United Nations (UN) reports projected that the global population is likely to increase to over 9.7 billion by 2050 and to over 10.5 billion by 2080. This underscores the importance of annual food resources balancing the demand of the cumulative population.
10- Reference
Bajželj, B., Quested, T. E., Röös, E., & Swannell, R. P. (2020). The role of reducing food waste for resilient food systems. Ecosystem Services, 45, 101140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101140
Sample Size
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Duration of Study
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Research Question
What is the role and significance of embracing innovative ways in facilitating the resilience of food systems?
Measurement Tools
Comprehensive literature analysis.
Citation
The authors investigate the potential impact novel approaches such as reducing food wastage on food systems resilience. Garnered literature shows that food waste significantly aggravates damage to the ecosystem, hence the need for consolidated efforts aimed at addressing this pertinent challenge. The research resulted in the identification of interventions that supported short-term and long-term resilience towards improved sustainability.
Editorial Comments
A careful, and comprehensive analysis of the garnered literature on the principles, policies and strategies for achieving food waste reduction and increased resilience, and research studies evaluating the negative impacts of continuous population increase, and contemporary agricultural practices on global food sustainability forms the basis for this research. The results indicated the importance of implementing and ensuring resilience interventions, for instance, by embracing diversity of crops, livestock and production systems, adaptability and flexibility. The proposed short-term interventions focused largely on primary production to distribution and packaging. Long-term interventions should mainly focused on behavioral and technical interventions to food wastages. The authors also propose a myriad of policy interventions, as in other research studies. However, the underlying concept should ensure the alignment of systemic food policies at the national and international levels as it serves as a best practice for reducing and discouraging over-production while presenting notable opportunities to farmers and producers. The appropriateness of the presented arguments in optimizing food security and sustainability can be evidenced by existing research on the suitable interventions for increasing food systems resilience.
References
Bajželj, B., Quested, T. E., Röös, E., & Swannell, R. P. (2020). The role of reducing food waste for resilient food systems. Ecosystem Services, 45, 101140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101140
Çakmakçı, R., Salık, M. A., & Çakmakçı, S. (2023). Assessment and principles of environmentally sustainable food and agriculture systems. Agriculture, 13(5), 1073. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13051073
Fanzo, J., Bellows, A. L., Spiker, M. L., Thorne-Lyman, A. L., & Bloem, M. W. (2021). The importance of food systems and the environment for nutrition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 113(1), 7-16. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa313
Hofman-Bergholm, M. (2022). A transition towards a food and agricultural system that includes both food security and planetary health. Foods, 12(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010012
Kanianska, R. (2016). Agriculture and its impact on land‐use, environment, and ecosystem services. Landscape Ecology – The Influences of Land Use and Anthropogenic Impacts of Landscape Creation. https://doi.org/10.5772/63719
Medina Hidalgo, D., Nunn, P. D., & Beazley, H. (2021). Challenges and opportunities for food systems in a changing climate: A systematic review of climate policy integration. Environmental Science & Policy, 124, 485-495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.07.017
Muhie, S. H. (2022). Novel approaches and practices to sustainable agriculture. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 10, 100446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100446
Nguyen, H. (2018). Sustainable food systems: Concept and framework. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Rome, Italy.
Wijerathna-Yapa, A., & Pathirana, R. (2022). Sustainable agro-food systems for addressing climate change and food security. Agriculture, 12(10), 1554. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101554
Yan, Z., Xiong, C., Liu, H., & Singh, B. K. (2022). Sustainable agricultural practices contribute significantly to one health. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, 1(3), 165-176. https://doi.org/10.1002/sae2.12019
