Karim Maredia

Home gardens: a promising approach to enhance household food security and wellbeing

With the global population expected to reach over 9 billion by 2050, there is a continuous need to increase food production and buffer stocks. In this scenario, countries around the world, especially developing countries where the pervasiveness of hunger and food scarcity is more acute, are resorting to various counter strategies to meet the growing demand and to avert food insecurity and famine. Over the recent years there has been growing interest to strengthen and intensify local food production in order to mitigate the adverse effect of global food shocks and food price volatilities. Consequently, there is much attention towards home gardens as a strategy to enhance household food security and nutrition. Home gardens are an integral part of local food systems and the agricultural landscape of developing countries all over the world and have endured the test of time.Through a rigorous literature review, this paper first examines definitions and characteristics of home gardens and then provides a global review of their social, economic, and environmental contributions to communities in various socio-economic contexts. Many of the compositions on home gardens share research and experiences of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. These studies recognize positive impacts of home gardens towards addressing food insecurity and malnutrition as well as providing additional benefits such as income and livelihood opportunities for resource-poor families and delivering a number of ecosystem services. However, only a handful of case studies were found on post-crisis settings. While providing a general overview of some of these studies, this review investigates the home garden experiences of post-conflict Sri Lanka, where home gardening has been practiced for centuries. While emphasizing multiple benefits, we also highlight constraints to home garden food production. In conclusion, we emphasize the need for more research and empirical data to appraise the role of home gardens in crisis and post-crisis situations, as well as assessing their economic value and their impacts on food security, nutrition, economic growth, and gender issues.

Habitat use patterns by the seven-spotted lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in a diverse agricultural landscape

Abstract Studies were conducted during 1989 and 1990 to describe the habitat use patterns of the seven-spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus. The study site consisted of seven treatments arranged in forty-two 0.91-ha plots. Maize, soybean, wheat, alfalfa, Populus, and successional habitats were represented. Habitats were sampled weekly (from late May to the end of August) using yellow sticky traps, sweep net samples, and visual observations. C. septempunctata was detected in all habitats during both years. Habitat preference, however, depended upon availability of prey and habitat disturbance. In 1989, wheat supported C. septempunctata populations early and mid-season, while Populus supported more C. septempunctata later in the season. In 1990, alfalfa was dominant early in the season, soybean in the mid-season, and successional and alfalfa late in the season. The results indicate that both cultivated and uncultivated habitats play an important role in supporting populations of C. septempunctata.

Effects of neem, Azadirachta indica on six species of maize insect pests

Abstract Laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of neem, Azadirachta indica against corn earworm (CEW), Heliocoverpa zea fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda sugarcane borer (SCB), Diatraea saccharalis southwestern corn borer (SWCB), Diatraea grandiosella maize weevil (MW), Sitophilus zeamais and larger grain borer (LGB), Prostephanus truncatus. Neem seed powder at the rate of 5 g and 10 g, and neem seed oil at the rate of 1 ml per kg of meridic diets, were incorporated into the diet of CEW, FAW, SCB and SWCB. Maize grain was treated with 5 and 10 ml neem seed oil per kg of grain and infested with adult MW and LGB. The presence of neem seed powder and neem seed oil in the diets significantly reduced the survival and growth of CEW, FAW, SCB and SWCB. Neem oil also had significant effects on the survival of MW. In the case of LGB the effects of neem oil, however, were not profound. Results indicate that neem has good potential to be used as a control agent for the CEW, FAW, SCB, SW...

Visual response of Coccinella septempunctata (L.), Hippodamia parenthesis (Say), (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens), (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) to colors

Abstract The response of the seven-spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), the parenthesis lady beetle, Hippodamia parenthesis (Say), (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and the green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens), (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) to seven colors was evaluated in the field using sticky panels. C. septempunctata exhibited a strong positive response to yellow. C. carnea showed a preference for yellow, green, and red. H. parenthesis did not exhibit strong visual orientation to any color. Programs aimed at monitoring these predators should consider their visual responses to colors in designing monitoring systems.

Demonstration of an Integrated Pest Management Program for Wheat in Tajikistan

Wheat is an important food security crop in central Asia but frequently suffers severe damage and yield losses from insect pests, pathogens, and weeds. With funding from the United States Agency for International Development, a team of scientists from three U.S. land-grant universities in collaboration with the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas and local institutions implemented an integrated pest management (IPM) demonstration program in three regions of Tajikistan from 2011 to 2014. An IPM package was developed and demonstrated in farmer fields using a combination of crop and pest management techniques including cultural practices, host plant resistance, biological control, and chemical approaches. The results from four years of demonstration/research indicated that the IPM package plots almost universally had lower pest abundance and damage and higher yields and were more profitable than the farmer practice plots. Wheat stripe rust infestation ranged from 30% to over 80% in farmer practice plots, while generally remaining below 10% in the IPM package plots. Overall yield varied among sites and years but was always at least 30% to as much as 69% greater in IPM package plots. More than 1,500 local farmers—40% women—were trained through farmer field schools and field days held at the IPM demonstration sites. In addition, students from local agricultural universities participated in on-site data collection. The IPM information generated by the project was widely disseminated to stakeholders through peer-reviewed scientific publications, bulletins and pamphlets in local languages, and via Tajik national television.

Innovative farmers and regulatory gatekeepers: Genetically modified crops regulation and adoption in developing countries.

The regulation of genetically modified (GM) crops is a topical issue in agriculture and environment over the past 2 decades. The objective of this paper is to recount regulatory and adoption practices in some developing countries that have successfully adopted GM crops so that aspiring countries may draw useful lessons and best practices for their biosafatey regulatory regimes. The first 11 mega-GM crops growing countries each with an area of more than one million hectares in 2014 were examined. Only five out of the 11 countries had smooth and orderly adoption of these crops as per the regulatory requirement of each country. In the remaining 6 countries (all developing countries), GM crops were either introduced across borders without official authorization, released prior to regulatory approval or unapproved seeds were sold along with the approved ones in violation to the existing regulations. Rapid expansion of transgenic crops over the past 2 decades in the developing world was a result of an intense desire by farmers to adopt these crops irrespective of regulatory roadblocks. Lack of workable biosafety regulatory system and political will to support GM crops encouraged unauthorized access to GM crop varieties. In certain cases, unregulated access in turn appeared to result in the adoption of substandard or spurious technology which undermined performance and productivity. An optimal interaction among the national agricultural innovation systems, biosafety regulatory bodies, biotech companies and high level policy makers is vital in making a workable regulated progress in the adoption of GM crops. Factoring forgone opportunities to farmers to benefit from GM crops arising from overregulation into biosafety risk analysis and decision making is suggested. Building functional biosafety regulatory systems that balances the needs of farmers to access and utilize the GM technology with the regulatory imperatives to ensure adequate safety to the environment and human health is recommended.

Damage by southwestern corn borer (Diatraea grandiosella Dyar) on resistant and susceptible maize at three plant growth stages in Mexico

Abstract Two resistant varieties, MBRV‐SWCB and P47R, and one susceptible variety, P47S, were infested with southwestern corn borer (SWCB), Diatraea grandiosella Dyar, larvae at the 4–5, 6–8 and 9–11 fully extended leaf stages. Leaf damage ratings were highest in all varieties when plants were infested at the 4–5 leaf stage and declined with the age of plants at infestation, the decline being less between the 4–5 and 6–8 leaf stages than between the 6–8 and 9–11 leaf stages. There was greater variation in leaf damage when infested at the 4–5 leaf stage than at the 6–8 leaf stage. Variation was lowest at the 9–11 leaf stage, but the ratings did not indicate any real differences between varieties. The MBRV‐SWCB and P47R had significantly less leaf feeding damage than P47S across infestation stages. Yield, compared to that of an uninfested check, was reduced at all infestation stages in all cultivars; the greatest reduction occurred when plants were infested at the 4–5 leaf stage. The MBRV‐SWCB and P47R show...

Managing Agricultural Research for Prosperity and Food Security in 2050: Comparison of Performance, Innovation Models and Prospects

REVIEW ARTICLE Managing Agricultural Research for Prosperity and Food Security in 2050: Comparison of Performance, Innovation Models and Prospects Jane G. Payumo, Shireen Assem, Neeru Bhooshan, Hashini Galhena, Ruth Mbabazi and Karim Maredia Center for Global Connections, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA 48824 Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Giza, Egypt 12619 Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India 110012 World Technology Access Program, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University, Michigan, MI, USA 48824

Forces influencing developing country views of agricultural biotechnology: an analysis of training programme participants’ perceptions

Agricultural biotechnology is expanding around the world, but societal acceptance remains an important issue. Michigan State University (MSU) has developed and implemented an agricultural biotechnology short course for developing countries. Four courses were taught to regional groups in 2002–2003 and eight more were taught to geographically diverse groups in 2004–2008. One half day of each course was devoted to issues related to biotechnology acceptance. The participants discussed the pro-GM and anti-GM forces in their countries. Scientists were the top ranked pro-GM force and information was the top anti-GM force. Regional differences were found between forces such as food security and economics. Possible temporal differences included a rising influence of farmers on the pro-GM side and a falling influence of environmental NGOs on the anti-GM side.

Strengthening the Technology Transfer Framework in Developing Countries. A Michigan State University Internship Programme.

An internship programme on intellectual property and the management thereof was designed and conducted at Michigan State University for representatives from developing countries. Eleven participants from eight developing countries attended the two-week programme. In addition to classroom work, the interns visited several university technology transfer offices and attended the annual meeting of the Association of University Technology Managers. As a result of the programme, interns are having a positive impact on individuals, institutions, and governments by developing educational programmes and by providing advice in the development of new intellectual property protection policies and laws. Due to its success, planning is underway to conduct the internship programme again during 1997.