Research Outputs
Permanent URI for this community
Browse
Browsing Research Outputs by Publisher "African Scholarly Science Communications Trust (ASSCAT)"
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Child nutrition is essential to any country's food and nutrition security status. It goes beyond food security to encompass all the components of child well-being and cognitive development. It includes infant and young child feeding practices, care practices, and hygiene. Africa accounts for the highest prevalence of child malnutrition and mortality worldwide. The complexity and interconnectedness of the components of child nutrition in developing countries are yet to be well conceptualized. Due to a high poverty rate, economic shock, and conflicts in many sub-Sahara countries like Nigeria. Nigeria, the most populated country in this region, records a high prevalence of child malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality. High poverty, poor policies, poor dietary intake, and care practices among households have become a significant concern and a public health issue, especially as the country navigates toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and the Africa agenda 2063. This review brings home the contributions of the multidimensional drivers of child nutrition to Nigerian children's overall health outcomes and food security status. In addition, it proffers possible solutions to these challenges to ensure the attainment of both the SDGs and Africa agenda indicators that address hunger, poverty, and the overall well-being of children. The study also emphasizes the importance of optimal nutrition to ensure that children reach their full potential, reduce the risk of childhood illness and chronic diseases in adulthood, and ultimately contribute significantly to the nation's labour force, productivity, and gross domestic product (GDP). Therefore, the study explores available online resources, peer-reviewed articles, books, and relevant reports from official websites that identify the drivers of children’s food and nutrition security status from Nigeria's perspective. Overall, in Nigeria, most preschool children do not consume sufficiently safe and nutritious diets for optimal growth and development; hence, they are just surviving but not thriving.
- 1
- 1
- 0
- Malnutrition remains a main problem in sub-Saharan Africa regardless of the applied interventions to combat food and nutrition insecurity. Biofortication of staple crops has been regarded as the latest intervention strategy to combat micronutrient diseases such as vitamin A deficiency in developing countries in southern Africa. The aim of the study was to determine the response of provitamin A biofortified maize cultivars under different environmental conditions. A randomized complete block design with five cultivars, two provitamin A varieties and three common maize varieties were planted in two on farm trails located under different agro-ecological zones (Bulwer and KwaDlangezwa) of KwaZulu-Natal in a two-season period (2015/16 and 2016/17). The five cultivars namely Border king (BK), provitamin A biofortified maize (PVABM), local landrace (LL), SC 506 and SC510 recorded a highly significant (P<0.001) plant growth (height and leaf number) in both experimental sites across two seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17). Chlorophyll content showed no significant differences for both trial sites in both 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. For the first season, no significant differences (P< 0.05) were observed for biomass among the maize varieties in both trial sites. However, it was observed that SC510 had higher biomass (2.33 t/ha), while BK recorded lowest biomass (0.66 t/ha) in Bulwer. In KwaDlangezwa, the biomass ranged from 0.713 t/ha (PVA) to 1.66 t/ha (SC510). For the second season (2016/17), Biomass in Bulwer ranged from 0.86 t/ha (LL) to 1.52 t/ha (SC510) and 0.94 t/ha (BK) to 1.44 (SC510) in KwaDlangezwa. The performance of the provitamin A biofortified varieties (SC510 and PVABM) showed that they can adapt and produce similarly to common varieties. It is noted that there is potential for these varieties to adapt under different environmental conditions of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The provitamin A biofortified varieties can be produced for human consumption at common smallholder farming systems
- 1
- 0
- 0
- Strychnos madagascariensis also known as black monkey orange is found in tropical and subtropical Africa including South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland. The fruit is consumed traditionally as food in the northern coastal region of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa and the Southern part of Zimbabwe. This study investigated the nutritional, anti-nutritional composition, and cytotoxicity of S. madagascariensis ripe fruit. Fruits were randomly selected, and the parameters of each experiment were measured in triplicates. The seed coat and fruit pulp were analysed for proximate, mineral and anti-nutrients (phytic and oxalic acid) composition using standard protocols. The cytotoxic effect of methanolic extracts from the fruit parts of S. madagascariensis was tested on human embryonic kidney (HEK293) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines using the MTT [3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide] cell proliferation assay. The fruit pulp’s moisture (6%), ash (11%), protein (5%), fat (1%), fibre (12%), and carbohydrate (12%) contents were significantly different (P<0.05) from the compositions of the fruit pulp (5% moisture, 5% ash, 4% protein, 33% fat, 8% fibre and 11% carbohydrate). The minerals analysed were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the fruit pulp compared to the seed coat (testa). The fruit's seed coat and fruit pulp's methanolic extracts did not show any significant toxicity in the HEK293 cell line. The seed coat's methanolic extract exhibited moderate toxicity in the HeLa cell line. The methanolic extracts from both fruit parts showed a dose-dependent effect in HEK293 and HeLa cell lines. The results of the cytotoxicity analysis revealed the safe nature of the fruit pulp while caution needs to be taken when consuming the seed coat. The seed coat contained 1.39±0.01% phytic acid, but oxalic acid and phytic acid were not detected in the fruit pulp. This study suggests that the fruit parts could serve as a source of potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen, but poor sources of protein, carbohydrates, and fat (pulp).
- 1
- 31
- 0
- Maize is among the top three grain crops in the world. In Africa, especially Southern Africa, maize is the basic ingredient in fermented soft porridge known as Mahewu. Mahewu is a refreshing drink, produced at the household level using various practices and ingredients as a fermentation enhancer. The underprivileged consume Mahewu as the main meal of the day, and hence, Mahewu is a source of dietary nutrients for many populations in Africa and South Africa. The ingredients and practices of making Mahewu differ from one ethnic group to another. However, some of the indigenous practices are not well reported. These practices are fading away; hence, there is limited information on some indigenous practices. This paper reports some traditional practices of making Mahewu in Zulu-based households in Ntambanana, a rural municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. An ethnographic research approach was adopted for the study to gain insight into the traditional practices of making Mahewu. Probing of key informants, interviews, and observations were complemented by four focus group discussions, within the range of 10-12 regular consumers of Mahewu. Four focus group discussions were conducted in Buchanana and Luwamba in Ntambanana; findings consistently reveal that Mahewu is popularly known as “umdokwe” and is consumed by all age groups beginning from four months to the aged. Irish potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), imbiliso, and inserting a saucer or a spoon deep down into the Mahewu container were mentioned and identified as fermentation enhancers, which are lacking in other studies. Therefore, indigenous practices are diminishing, while some practices are being lost between generations. Inadequate transfer of these practices might make the drink soon to be accessible only commercially. To prevent this dilemma, the retention of traditional techniques of making Mahewu with sweet potatoes could promote food and nutrition security while retaining the indigenous practices. This study reports the preparation, storage, and utilization of Mahewu, a non-alcoholic maize meal beverage in Ntambanana, South Africa. It is recommended that campaigns promoting indigenous food consumption should form part of health and social development as well as welfare; hence, food and nutrition interventions should be implemented in rural communities.
- 1
- 0
- 0
- 2023| African Scholarly Sc...Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the major staple crops and cash crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Its reputation continues to rise due to the increase in human population and the demand for potatoes is predictable. Potato-produce has a good market reputation and is the major source of household income in developing countries, especially South Africa. However, the increase in potato enterprise comes with its share of challenges that need to be addressed. Smallholder farmers in South Africa are still facing challenges in accessing and participating in lucrative and agro-food value chains, hence their farm returns are very low. There are very few research studies that have assessed the profitability and market performance of potato enterprises. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the profitability of smallholder potato enterprises in the Eastern Cape Province. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to select 160 potato farmers. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis, benefit-cost ratio and marketing margin analysis were used to analyze the data. The study results reveal that the potato enterprise is profitable and contributes to farmers' well-being. Farmers and sellers determined the price of potatoes. The reason for this market conduct is due to the weak characterization of smallholder farming. Performance analysis established that the total gross marketing and profit margins were highest when farmers sold potatoes to consumers and the lowest when farmers sold to middlemen and retailers. The study recommends that policymakers and government invest in improving infrastructure and educational training of farmers in terms of marketing and taking farming as agribusiness. The study further recommends that policymakers and farm organizations must strengthen institutions that take reliable and timely market information; established potato markets close to the farmers, especially those residing in rural areas. There must be a partnership established between research institutes and universities so that they constantly contribute by releasing high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties to advance the production and productivity of the vegetable sector. The study suggests that there is a need for government involvement to create strong market relations between farmers and consumers and to give suitable training to agricultural extension agents.
- 1
- 0
- 0