Nutrition, Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change in Africa : Issues and Innovative Strategies

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the rapidly evolving COVID-19, increasing population growth, and exponential expansion in demand for agricultural commodities are putting pressure on available resources, thereby posing immense challenges to the region's capacity to achieve nutritional security related to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although Sub-Saharan Africa boasts vast, fertile and uncultivated arable lands, its capacity to contribute to feeding its current and future population is being seriously undermined by factors such as poor adoption and utilization of innovations and digital tools, climate change impact, environmental degradation, weak political will, limited interest in farming, lack of government support, and more. In spite of these constraints, sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa can be achieved by adopting a multi-pronged approach, which includes improved agricultural mechanization, adoption of high yielding crop varieties, use of information technology, public investments in improved technologies, and rural infrastructure funding. This edited volume provides innovative policy tools for enhancing Sub-Saharan Africa's capacity to achieve sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition security in the digital age and in the face of climate variability. Furthermore, this book presents smart strategies for increased agricultural production, reduced food waste, and enhanced nutritional outcomes by harnessing the latest discoveries in agricultural research, education and advisory services. Gbadebo Odularu teaches Economics at Bay Atlantic University, Washington DC. He is the Trade and Digitization Research and Practice Leader at Socio-Economic Research Applications & Projects (SERAP LLC), Washington, DC. In addition to being a Non-Resident Fellow (NRF) at the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), Nigeria, Gbadebo Odularu is affiliated with the Center for Research on Political Economy (CREPOL), Senegal, Old Dominion University, Virginia, as well as the American Heritage University of Southern California (AHUSC). He works closely with national, continental and international partners to provide evidence-based policy tools for fostering sustainable agriculture and digital economy towards realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) 2030. One of his most recent books is Strategic Policy Options for Bracing Nigeria for the Future of Trade (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020).-- Provided by publisher In Sub-Saharan Africa, the rapidly evolving COVID-19, increasing population growth, and exponential expansion in demand for agricultural commodities are putting pressure on available resources, thereby posing immense challenges to the regions capacity to achieve nutritional security related to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although Sub-Saharan Africa boasts vast, fertile and uncultivated arable lands, its capacity to contribute to feeding its current and future population is being seriously undermined by factors such as poor adoption and utilization of innovations and digital tools, climate change impact, environmental degradation, weak political will, limited interest in farming, lack of government support, and more. In spite of these constraints, sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa can be achieved by adopting a multi-pronged approach, which includes improved agricultural mechanization, adoption of high yielding crop varieties, use of information technology, public investments in improved technologies, and rural infrastructure funding. This edited volume provides innovative policy tools for enhancing Sub-Saharan Africa's capacity to achieve sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition security in the digital age and in the face of climate variability. Furthermore, this book presents smart strategies for increased agricultural production, reduced food waste, and enhanced nutritional outcomes by harnessing the latest discoveries in agricultural research, education and advisory services. Gbadebo Odularu teaches Economics at Bay Atlantic University, Washington DC. He is the Trade and Digitization Research and Practice Leader at Socio-Economic Research Applications & Projects (SERAP LLC), Washington, DC. In addition to being a Non-Resident Fellow (NRF) at the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), Nigeria, Gbadebo Odularu is affiliated with the Center for Research on Polit ical Economy (CREPOL), Senegal, Old Dominion University, Virginia, as well as the American Heritage University of Southern California (AHUSC). He works closely with national, continental and international partners to provide evidence-based policy tools for fostering sustainable agriculture and digital economy towards realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) 2030. One of his most recent books is Strategic Policy Options for Bracing Nigeria for the Future of Trade (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020) Front Matter ....Pages i-xxviii Introduction: Nutrition, Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Issues in Africa (Mariama Deen-Swarray, Gbadebo Odularu, Bamidele Adekunle)....Pages 1-11 Crop and Livestock Production Responses to Rainfall and Temperature Variation in West Africa (Ukpe Udeme Henrietta, Djomo Choumbou Raoul Fani, Ngo Valery Ngo, Oben Njock Emmanuel, Gbadebo Odularu)....Pages 13-28 Agricultural Value Added, Food and Nutrition Security in West Africa: Realizing the SDG 2 (Romanus Osabohien, Oluwatoyin Matthew, Folasade Adegboye, Gbadebo Odularu)....Pages 29-47 Effect of Infrastructural Growth on Agricultural Research and Development in Nigeria (Samuel Sesan Abolarin, Joseph Chinedu Umeh, Celina Biam)....Pages 49-64 Sustainable Seeds Supply, Public Infrastructure, Research and Development (R&D) Expenditures in Nigeria (Donald Denen Dzever, Ugochukwu Christopher Nnama, Ayuba Ali)....Pages 65-77 Understanding the Nutrition, Health, Climate Change, Deforestation, and Land Access Nexus (Gbadebo Odularu, Mariama Deen-Swarray, Bamidele Adekunle)....Pages 79-92 Gender, Rural Communities and Sustainable Development in South Africa (Olufunmilayo Odularu, Priscilla Monyai)....Pages 93-101 Agricultural Production, Farm Management, and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions: Lessons and Policy Directions for Cameroon (Ukpe Udeme Henrietta, Djomo Choumbou Raoul Fani, Ogebe Frank, Gbadebo Odularu, Oben Njock Emmanuel)....Pages 103-116 Productivity Analysis Among Smallholder Rice Farmers: Policy Implications for Nutrition Security in the West Region of Cameroon (Djomo Choumbou Raoul Fani, Ukpe Udeme Henrietta, Oben Njock Emmanuel, Gbadebo Odularu)....Pages 117-132 Maximizing Agricultural Growth Policy Space Through Public Expenditures and Foreign Direct Investment in Cameroon (1985–2016) (Djomo Choumbou Raoul Fani, Aye Goodness Chioma, Ukpe Udeme Henrietta, Ngo Valery Ngo, Gbadebo Odularu, Oben Njock Emmanuel)....Pages 133-155 Impact of Knowledge Management and Digital Libraries on Climate Change in West and Central Africa (Oluwayemi IbukunOluwa Olatoye, Ndakasharwa Muchaonyerwa, Tolulope Ayodeji Olatoye)....Pages 157-173 Conclusion: Fostering Nutrition Security, Climate Adaptation and Sustainable Agriculture Strategies Amid COVID-19 Pandemic (Gbadebo Odularu, Olatokunbo Akinseye Aluko, Adenike Odularu, Monica Akokuwebe, Adebola Adedugbe)....Pages 175-182 Back Matter ....Pages 183-185