The role of land as the central piece to sustainable food systems:Lessons learned from Portugal national food-related policies

This paper discusses to what extent land is considered in food-related policies from a systemic perspective.Based on existing literature and international agendas priorities,we argue that access to and preservation of land for food along the food chain play a major role in sustainable food systems.To further explore this argument,we address the following question:Where does land stand in sectorial and national food-related policies?The mul-tiple dimensions and implications of food systems and the international agenda’s priorities namely the“Right to adequate Food”,“Food Sovereignty”and the“Right to Land”,were used as our conceptual framework.To work out how land is being considered in food sectorial policies,both quantitative and qualitative methods were applied to examine ten Portuguese national food-related policies.Results are showing a lack of consideration for land access and land preservation,needed all along the food chain to build a national sustainable food system.On the other hand,there is a gap between current grassroots priorities international agendas and food-related national policies.Such a situation strongly suggests that building a sustainable food system needs a clear food territorial perspective,still neglected,and shifting from sectorial policies towards a more integrated food system approach,that will include land as a central piece.

Adaptive Optimal Discrete-Time Output-Feedback Using an Internal Model Principle and Adaptive Dynamic Programming

In order to address the output feedback issue for linear discrete-time systems, this work suggests a brand-new adaptive dynamic programming(ADP) technique based on the internal model principle(IMP). The proposed method, termed as IMP-ADP, does not require complete state feedback-merely the measurement of input and output data. More specifically, based on the IMP, the output control problem can first be converted into a stabilization problem. We then design an observer to reproduce the full state of the system by measuring the inputs and outputs. Moreover, this technique includes both a policy iteration algorithm and a value iteration algorithm to determine the optimal feedback gain without using a dynamic system model. It is important that with this concept one does not need to solve the regulator equation. Finally, this control method was tested on an inverter system of grid-connected LCLs to demonstrate that the proposed method provides the desired performance in terms of both tracking and disturbance rejection.

Impacts of forest plantation programs on sectoral CO_(2) emissions regionally in New Zealand

Investing in projects that support environmental benefits,such as tree harvesting,has the potential to reduce air pollution levels in the atmosphere in the future.However,this kind of investment may increase the current level of emissions.Therefore,it is necessary to estimate how much the policy affects the current level of CO_(2) emissions.This makes sure the policy doesn’t increase the level of CO_(2) emis-sions.This study aims to analyze the effect of the One Bil-lion Trees program on CO_(2) emissions in New Zealand by employing the 2020 input–output table analysis.This inves-tigation examines the direct and indirect effects of policy on both the demand and supply sides across six regions of New Zealand.The results of this study for the first year of plantation suggest that the policy increases the level of CO_(2) emissions in all regions,especially in the Waikato region.The direct and indirect impact of the policy leads to 64 kt of CO_(2) emissions on the demand side and 270 kt of CO_(2) emis-sions on the supply side.These lead to 0.19 and 0.74%of total CO_(2) emissions being attributed to investment shocks.Continuing the policy is recommended,as it has a low effect on CO_(2) emissions.However,it is crucial to prioritize the use of low-carbon machinery that uses fossil fuels during the plantation process.

Women Awareness on the Importance of Agriculture Technologies Using ICT-Based Training Programs

Awareness policy intended to contribute to changing rural women realities to urgent needs of information and gain knowledge was to be demonstrated through in-depth information and communication technology-based(ICTs-based)training program that focused on the importance of advanced agricultural technologies in the production chain in developing countries like Egypt through access and use of the ICTs.Women are becoming well trained on the detailed steps of improved technologies applied in supply chain.Their increased awareness of the necessity of quality management to be followed during their work in the postharvest handling system helped them to produce high-quality products to meet the export requirements of foreign markets and add value to the export quality.Women have been able to reduce the extremely high losses that occurred due to improper handling in particular.The outcomes of proper and healthy procedures,precautions and personal protection were gained by rural women and technicians working in the supply chain.Moreover,women themselves became more confident in their know-how and more comfortable in transgressing cultural norms that inhibited their progress.

Comparison of the Evolution of Genetically Modified Food Safety Policies between the United States and the European Union

With the research on and development of Genetically Modified Food （GMF）, people＇s attitude toward GMF may fall into two divergent categories, typical- ly represented by the United States（US） and the European Union（EU）, respectively. The former follows a ＂sound science principle＂ and firmly objects to the precautionary principle, namely a permissive policy of positive support of and voluntary labelling on GMF; while the latter adopts a cautiously precautionary principle, requiring mandatory labelling and traceability. From the standpoint of regulatory principles, together with corresponding supervisory measures and relevant provisions, this paper compared the execution of directives and provisions on GMF from the initial policies enacted by the US and EU to current situation combined with the track and analysis of latest polic ies issued.

No country is an island in regulating food safety:How the WTO monitors Chinese food safety laws through the Trade Policy Review Mechanism(TPRM)

Established within the framework of the World Trade Organization （WTO）, the Trade Policy Review Mechanism （TPRM） reviews periodically the trade policies of all WTO Members. The review includes many aspects of food safety regulation. China＇s trade policy is reviewed every two years. This paper analyses in detail the reviews of China＇s trade policy in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. It focuses in particular on food safety laws and types of standards, alignment of domestic standards with international standards, the role of different domestic institutions, transparency and notification of food safety measures under the WTO agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures （SPS） and on Technical Barriers to Trade （TBTAgreement）, import and export, and geographical indications （GIs）. It concludes that the WTO TPRM can contribute, within its mandate, to reform of Chinese food safety laws and improvement of food safety in China. it notes that China has already undertaken substantial reforms of its system for regulating food safety. It recommends that China should continue to participate actively in the TPRM, follow its own path with regard to alignment and learn selectively from other WTO Members.

A dynamic food-chain model and program for predicting the consequences of nuclear accident

A dynamic food chain model and program, DYFOM 95, for predicting the radiological consequences of nuclear accident has been developed, which is not only suitable to the West food chain but also to Chinese food chain. The following processes, caused by accident release which will make an impact on radionuclide concentration in the edible parts of vegetable were considered: dry and wet deposition interception and initial retention, translocation, percolation, root uptake and tillage. Activity intake rate of animals, effects of processing and activity intake of human through ingestion pathway ware also considered in calculations. The effects of leaf area index LAI of vegetable were considered in dry deposition model. A method for calculating the contribution of rain with different period and different intensity to total wet deposition was established. The program contains 1 main code and 5 sub codes to calculate dry and wet deposition on surface of vegetable and soil, translocation of nuclides in vegetable, nuclide concentration in the edible parts of vegetable and in animal products and activity intake of human and so on.

Planning and Implementing Food Fortification Programs to Combat Micronutrient Malnutrition: Iron

Iron deficiency anemia is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the world and food fortification is a cost-effective approach to combat it. This paper reviews the food fortification process with micronutrients, with special emphasis on iron and the most critical steps and common difficulties found when implementing a program. The first step is to measure the magnitude of the problem and the groups affected by iron deficiency and anemia, to determine if there is a need for fortification. Then the adequate iron compound and vehicle should be selected, to obtain a bioavailable form of iron in a frequently consumed food item without changing the taste, appearance or cooking characteristics of the final food item or complete meals containing it, to assure the acceptance by consumers. Before implementation, bioavailability studies are in order for the fortified food item and for complete meals especially typical or traditional meals, followed by field studies and pilot tests. Once implemented, the program should be monitored and evaluated continuously, and the impact on health assessed periodically to give the program the flexibility for continuation made changes or finalization when necessary. Other key elements for successful implementation of food fortification programs include the presence of a viable food industry;available channels for food marketing and distribution;a health care system to identify and monitor micronutrient malnutrition in the population;institutions for education, treatment and evaluation of the impact of the program;and continuous and effective input into the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the intervention to ensure sustainability of the intervention.

Monitoring of Organochlorine Pesticide Residues──The GEMS/Food Program in China

This paper covers the monitoring activities of organochlorine (OCS) pesticide residues in the GEMS/Food program, which China took part in for the first time in 1992. The levels of HCH and DDT were determined in 355 samples of eight main varieties of food , taken from five provinces and cities. The results show that the positive rate of HCH is 69%, of which 99. 44 % is in accord with the National Standards of Food Hygiene of China. As to DDT, the two rates are 42 % and 100 % respectively. The daily intakes of HCH and DDT are 0. 22 mg/ kg.bw and 0. 54 mg/kg. bw respectively, which are far below their corresponding ADIs.Compared with those in 1970s, the OCS residues have decreased significantly. Therefore the monitored varieties of food are safe to people's health

Editorial: Food Legume Diversity and Legume Research Policies

This special issue is focused on grain legumes,which belong to the Fabaceae family.Legumes are the second largest family of plants in the world after the grasses and are key components of manmade and natural ecosystems[1–3].They provide the environmental service of nitrogen fixation,so essential to soil construction and fertility maintenance,and are thus essential to agricultural systems[4,5].Different species of legumes range from huge trees to shrubs

International Conference on Sustainable Rice Production - Policy, Technology and Extension Celebration Activity for International Year of Rice and World Food Day 2004

Rice is the staple food of more than half of the world’s Population.The production,processing and management of paddy rice have provided the basic conditions for the living of mankind.The production of rice has not only created

Impact of Africa Regional Food Security Program on Nigerian Farmers： The Case of National Special Program for Food Security

This paper examined the impact of National Special Program for Food Security （NSPFS） on the beneficiaries through a qualitative measurement of the food security status of the beneficiaries. A food insecurity index was estimated to measure the well-being of the beneficiaries as affected by the impact of the program. Beneficiaries were classified into four categories： food secure （41%）, food insecure without hunger （46%）, food insecure with moderate hunger （11%）, and food insecure with severe hunger （2%）. Perceptions of beneficiaries were measured. In conclusion, the program has had a positive impact and enhanced food security among the Nigerian beneficiaries. It is not without its short comings which include delayed and untimely disbursement of funds and lack of output markets, irrigation facilities, production inputs and adequate training on technology know-how. The default rate and number of debtors remain high among beneficiaries. Efforts should be made to correct the short comings to improve the effectiveness of the program and justify the huge financial resources that have been committed.

Empirical Analysis of China's Direct Food Subsidy Policy Based on DEA Model: A Case Study of Direct Food Subsidy Policy in Shandong Province

The direct food subsidy is an important agricultural subsidy policy under current conditions,more efficient than grain price protection policy and other policies,and it is of great importance to the agricultural development,but this policy will not meet the interests of society in the long run. In this paper,we make an empirical study with the direct food subsidy policy in Shandong Province as an example,focusing on the analysis of the efficiency of policy implementation in different regions. Study suggests that direct food subsidy has made some achievements,but there are some problems in practice,such as low standard for direct food subsidy policy,less subsidy varieties,generally low efficiency of direct food subsidy policy,lack of unified policy implementation,serious waste of money and inefficient supervision during the subsidy policy implementation process. In order to improve the efficiency of direct food subsidy,it is necessary to raise standard for subsidy,and expand the scope of subsidy varieties; unify the policy,and make the policy suit local circumstances; improve the subsidy mechanism,regulate government behavior,and strengthen supervision.

Design and impact estimation of a reform program of China's tax and fee policies for low-grade oil and gas resources

With China＇s rapid economic development,it is important to formulate reasonable and feasible tax and fee policies to promote the development and utilization of low-grade oil and gas resources to guarantee China＇s energy supply security.In this paper,by analyzing major problems of China＇s current tax and fee policies for oil and gas resources,a reform program for low-grade oil and gas resources is designed from the aspects of tax/fee items and tax/fee rates.The impacts of this reform program on China and China＇s oil companies during the ＂Twelfth Five-Year Plan＂ are investigated according to the related data in 2008.The results show that the proposed tax and fee reform program will lower the tax burden of oil companies,promote the development of low-grade oil and gas resources,and increase China＇s GDP and national fiscal revenue.Besides that,it will bring positive social effects by increasing employment opportunities.

Policy Iteration for Optimal Control of Discrete-Time Time-Varying Nonlinear Systems

Aimed at infinite horizon optimal control problems of discrete time-varying nonlinear systems,in this paper,a new iterative adaptive dynamic programming algorithm,which is the discrete-time time-varying policy iteration(DTTV)algorithm,is developed.The iterative control law is designed to update the iterative value function which approximates the index function of optimal performance.The admissibility of the iterative control law is analyzed.The results show that the iterative value function is non-increasingly convergent to the Bellman-equation optimal solution.To implement the algorithm,neural networks are employed and a new implementation structure is established,which avoids solving the generalized Bellman equation in each iteration.Finally,the optimal control laws for torsional pendulum and inverted pendulum systems are obtained by using the DTTV policy iteration algorithm,where the mass and pendulum bar length are permitted to be time-varying parameters.The effectiveness of the developed method is illustrated by numerical results and comparisons.

A knowledge-to-action approach to food fortification: Guiding principles for the design of fortification programs as a means of effectively addressing micronutrient malnutrition

The gap that exists between research and the dissemination and implementation of research findings has been well established. Food fortification, one of the most cost-effective means of addressing micronutrient malnutrition, is no exception. With decades of implementation experience, there is need to strengthen mechanisms that effectively broadcast proven strategies to promote the successful implementation of fortification programs in changing, challenging, and dynamic environments. This requires clear channels of communication, well-defined in-country leadership, and a streamlined and focused approach that can be adapted to country-specific contexts. Based on experience designing and implementing fortification programs throughout Africa and a broad understanding of past successes and failures, a model is proposed that articulates often over-looked program elements critical to design and implementation.

Empirical Analysis of China's Food Policy Impact on Grain Production

As to China with the characteristic of huge population and limited arable land,grain production has always been the most fundamental issue to national interests and people's livelihood,so China's government constantly enact food policy to promote and secure grain production. Based on the viewpoint of macro perspective,the paper firstly summarized the historical changes of food policy in China,secondly elaborated the status quo of the food policy,and thirdly made Granger Causality Test for food policy impact on grain production. Granger Causality Test result shows that fiscal expenditure for agriculture is granger cause for growth of grain production,so that it proves the positive role of the food policy on grain production. At last,the paper put forward suggestions for improving food policy in the future.

A Pilot School Meal Program Using Local Foods with Soybean in Rural Bangladesh: Effects on the Nutritional Status of Children

Background: Growth retardation is a challenge in Bangladesh. School feeding programs with fortified biscuits have been evaluated in Bangladesh. However, the impacts of a school meal program using local foods on the growth and nutritional status of children have not been investigated. Objective: To determine whether a school meal program (SMP) using local foods with soybean could improve children’s growth and micronutrient status in rural Bangladesh. Methods: Two primary schools were randomly assigned as intervention (SMP;n = 200) and control (non-SMP;n = 200) schools. Children in the intervention school were supplied a school meal with local foods including soybean, containing more than one-third of the recommended daily allowance of energy and nutrients, 5 days/week for 8 months. The attendance rate and school lunch consumption of the children were monitored. Baseline and final anthropometry, hemoglobin and micronutrient status were assessed. Results: There were no significant differences in anthropometric measurements at baseline between the intervention and control groups, but there were differences in the prevalence of anemia, vitamin A deficiency and zinc deficiency. After the intervention, children in the SMP school showed a larger degree of improvement in the height-for-age Z-score (P Conclusion: A school meal program using local foods with soybean improved the height velocity and hemoglobin concentration of children in rural Bangladesh.

Comparative Analysis of Food Price Policies in the Developed Countries

As the basis for maintenance of national security and global strategic material,food has always captured the attention of governments in the world.After reaching a certain stage of industrialization,most countries will take the food support and protection measures,and the policy objectives and policy tools have evolved into a set of policy systems through continuous adjustment,but the intervention in food price has always been present.The food price intervention only plays a role in regulating food market supply and demand and guaranteeing minimum income for grain producers,and it can not reflect the cost of food production and continuously improve grain producers' income,but because of its simple operation,low cost and immediate effect,it is suitable for the countries with a large number of grain producers but small operation scale in the short term.

An Evaluation Synthesis of US AIDS Drug Assistance Program Policy

US Congress passed the CARE Act in 1990 in response to a dramatically growing need for resources to combat the AIDS epidemic. One of the programs contained in the Act was the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), a federally-funded but state-maintained and managed program primarily concerned with providing medication for low-income HIV/AIDS patients. While ADAP programs across the country reached one-third of all patients in 2007, these programs are now in budgetary danger due to the economic recession, state budgetary constraints, the rising cost of healthcare generally, and longer life expectancies associated with current highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This paper first evaluates the current state of ADAP, its strengths and weaknesses, and examines its sustainability in the short term if short-term measures are taken. Concluding that such measures would not lead to long-term sustainability, this paper then argues for a long-term solution to ADAP’s current problems, namely a national, centralized ADAP standard for budgetary and administrative matters. Such a program would increase the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of current ADAP programs by employing more efficient, standard policies and allowing larger, wholesale purchases of costly HAART medications. Moreover, a national policy would address the disparity that currently exists in ADAP programs today with regard to both minorities and those on the waiting lists for treatment. The institution of a national ADAP program would certainly face many political hurdles. Consequently, this paper also looks to a recent political dispute, the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), for guidance. Using the passage of the ACA as an example could light the path for passage of a national ADAP standard. Ultimately, this would lead to a more effective and sustainable program for HIV/AIDS patients in the United States.