AJAD Volume 21 Issue No. 2 December 2024

Global concern over food prices and security has intensified due to armed conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine war, the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change. Traditional analysis of global food prices and their associations with socioeconomic factors has relied on static linear regression models. However, the complexity of socioeconomic factors and their implications extend beyond simple linear relationships. To address this gap, this study aimed to identify critical socioeconomic characteristics and multidimensional relationships influencing food prices and security by incorporating determinants, critical characteristic identification, and comparative model analysis. Machine learning tools were used to uncover the socioeconomic factors influencing global food prices from 2000 to 2022. Four key dimensions of food price security were identified: economic and population metrics, military spending, health spending, and environmental factors. Given the complexity of these dimensions, the support vector regression model’s efficiency rendered it most suitable for precise analyses among the models assessed. The findings revealed shifts in the food price index, particularly in relation to military expenditure, healthcare expenditure, and economic contributions. Based on these findings, the research proposes a framework centered around six thematic areas related to (1) governance; (2) health and environment; (3) environment, climate, and military spending; (4) comprehensive analytical tools; (5) collaborative efforts; and (6) resilience and sustainability. This framework enables policymakers to further expand on actionable recommendations.  
 

The rich cultural heritage and plant food diversity of the Mekong region face formidable challenges brought about by the negative effects of modernization and by environmental shifts. Among these plant foods, edible flowers are well rooted in rituals and traditions of the region’s local communities. Unfortunately, industrial-scale food cultivation practices pose threats to the edible flowers and the traditions in which these are entwined, such as the local culinary, slow food, and cultural practices. Researchers from Thailand, China, Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Vietnam collaborated to explore ways in which they could gather information on and craft conservation strategies for edible flowers. The team was able to identify the importance of edible flowers and proposed multifaceted strategies and actions to protect edible flowers. Fostering research collaboration, the framework developed could generate vital insights into long-term industrial development, such as value-adding applications. Global partnerships and effective policy dissemination were also found to be essential to protect edible flower diversity. The framework’s comprehensive approach, centered on community engagement, aims to balance cultural heritage preservation with environmental sustainability, ultimately safeguarding Mekong’s unique botanical and cultural identity. 
 

Pigmented rice varieties are considered rich sources of antioxidant dietary fiber (ADF); consuming them may have health benefits. In this study, bran samples of five Philippine pigmented rice varieties namely, Red-64, Black Rice, Calatrava, Arabon, and Dinorado were analyzed for their ADF contents. The bulk of dietary fiber in the bran of the five varieties is insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), while a very minimal amount is soluble dietary fiber. Calatrava (CL) exhibited the highest total dietary fiber (52.5%), consisting primarily of 50 percent IDF. The CL IDF exhibited the highest total phenolic content (1.8 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE]/gram dry weight [DW]) and total anthocyanin content (0.524 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside /100 g DW). The CL IDF also displayed the highest antioxidant activity in terms of ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power (17.72 μmol trolox equivalents/gram DW), ABTS*+ radical scavenging activity (33%), and DPPH radical quenching activity (76.7%, 3.9 mg ascorbic acid per gram DW). The majority of the phenolics associated with CL IDF is in the bound form amounting to 6.9 mg GAE/g DW. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed the presence of gallic acid, resorcinol, vanillin, ferulic acid, salicylic acid, and quercetin in the bound phenolic extract. As this study has established that the CL IDF is an ADF believed to possess many health-promoting properties, it can be valorized for potential applications in nutraceuticals and functional foods. 
 

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. cv. Queen) is a vital economic driver in Camarines Norte, Philippines, but losses in the value chain pose a significant challenge. This study employed a systems approach to investigate losses and management practices along the Queen pineapple value chain. Through surveys primarily involving 211 farmers and key informant interviews with other stakeholders, the study identified key players, their functions, and loss factors. The value chain comprises several systems, including activity and actor networks, with farmers and traders playing key roles. Preharvest losses are high at 14.9 percent, emphasizing the need for mitigation measures during production. Postharvest losses account for 47.8 percent, comprising 12.7 percent of nonmarketable and 35.1 percent of marketable rejects in the form of immaturity, mechanical damage, insect infestation, and decay due to poor harvesting practices, rough handling, and varied grading classification. In assessing loss factors, smallholder farms with less than one hectare significantly experience higher losses. Farm topography, distance from farm to collection centers, and harvesting practices also impact farm losses. To address these problems, improvements in production management practices and postharvest handling emphasizing the importance of collaboration among value chain participants and adherence to established grade standards and classification are recommended. The study likewise highlights the urgency of addressing postharvest losses in the Queen pineapple value chain with the government playing a pivotal role in providing an enabling environment such as infrastructure and logistics support, extension delivery, and market access. Policymakers, agricultural institutions, and industry stakeholders should prioritize handling and distribution improvements, sustainable practices, and technology adoption.

This study analyzed the impact of income diversification on agricultural output in Indonesia. We specifically focused on the effects of the cultivation of multiple crops, household heads’ employment in non-agricultural sectors, and regional differences in paddy rice productivity per area. We assessed cross-sectional data from the 2013 Census of Agriculture in Indonesia. Indonesian farmers actively channeled wage income into spending on agricultural inputs to improve yields. However, agricultural production continued to depend on human labor, and labor force loss due to wage labor employment was observed. In terms of magnitude, the effect of productivity gains due to labor force loss was larger and was not compensated for by the impact of wage income. Also, while the Indonesian government has been focusing on policies for subsidizing fertilizer use, the data show that less than 30 percent of households receive government subsidies for seeds, fertilizers, and machinery. These utilization rates should be improved.  

Eliminating hunger and poverty is central to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the Philippines addresses this through both national policy and empirical monitoring. This paper presents key insights from the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey series, which have tracked self-reported poverty and hunger in Filipino households since 1985. Using quarterly face-to-face interviews since 1992 (and since 1998 for hunger), the SWS provides a uniquely consistent and extensive dataset. The paper focuses on recent trends showing a disturbing rise in hunger, with the September 2024 survey reporting 22.9 percent of households experiencing involuntary hunger—the highest since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hunger is most prevalent in Mindanao and among self-identified poor and food-poor households. While hunger dropped after 2020, it resurged sharply beginning in late 2023. The study highlights how hunger fluctuates by region, socioeconomic class, and food quality assessments, and explores the link between hunger and self-rated poverty. These findings demonstrate the SWS surveys’ enduring value in monitoring well-being, informing public discourse, and guiding targeted policy responses.

Rarely can we find economics books that are not mathematical yet rich in important economic concepts. This book is for those “allergic” to numbers but crave to fully understand economic concepts related to everyday choices. The book is devoid of mind-boggling mathematical notations and symbols; thus, a welcome respite and an easy-on-the-eyes-and-mind alternative even for newbies who are trying to understand complex economic theories.