Health and nutrition
“Health and nutrition” deals with all aspects related to nutrition security and human health, biomass use for food and feed, and animal health.
Nutrition security is an important aspect of food security because a disproportionate focus on calories may cloud the fact that many people in Africa, especially children and lactating mothers, suffer from an inadequate supply of vitamins and micronutrients. Inadequate nutrition can lead to stunting or obesity, along with many other severe health problems. Hence, further research and outreach is required to ensure access to balanced diets for both rural and urban population in Africa. This needs to take into account the particular dietary requirements and preferences of different consumer groups. Innovative uses and preparation of African crops can contribute to nutrition security.
This thematic area features contributions related to the:
- Aspects of food safety and food quality, including food storage and preparation, food losses and nutritional aspects of food
- Food diversity, including the diversity of diets and food production systems, access to quality food
- Cultural issues related to food consumption, including adequacy, knowledge, preference and gender aspects
- Relations between health and nutrition
Theme coordinator: Josphert Kimatu
Christine Fürst, Susanne Frank, Katrin Pietzsch, Frank Pietzsch GISCAME 2.0 – Manual v2.4 PiSolution GmbH
The software GISCAME (formerly „Pimp Your Landscape“) supports the simulation, visualisation, and evaluation of land use changes. Due to its modular structure, problems can be elaborated individually from different perspectives.
GISCAME pursues the aim to evaluate land use based on available regional knowledge (empirical data, model results/reports, and expert knowledge) in order to provide a tool to weigh action alternatives for the planner. GISCAME considers the landscape as an integrative layer for interactions between different land use types, land users, and ecosystem processes, which contribute to the provision of ecosystem services. The integrated evaluation and regulation system allows the formulation of parameters as well as the setting of conversion rules.
GISCAME is one of three components of the GISCAME Suite. For bundling data and for selecting a model region from an interactive map, the software OSM4GISCAME is used. Data which contain gaps or which have too low thematic resolution, can be completed or specified with the help of the structure generator SG4GISCAME.
Food Monitor Food Monitor 2017 Center for Development Research
Food Monitor is an early warning system that tracks global food price and supply risks which could potentially lead to food insecurity.
The causes of food insecurity are complex and multi-dimensional. After decades of low agricultural commodity prices, the 2007/08 food price crisis witnessed extreme price spikes on global markets, which had devastating consequences for developing countries. Food Monitor was established to warn about global food price and supply risks at the early stages of development. We monitor key staple commodities and their extreme price movements on global food markets, fulfilling a crucial gap that is missing in other early warning systems.
We use a simple traffic light system for each of our four indicators to warn about the current levels of risk associated with global food prices and supply.