CGIAR Initiative on Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/117891

Part of the CGIAR Action Area on Systems Transformation

Primary CGIAR impact area: Nutrition, health and food security

https://www.cgiar.org/initiative/fruit-and-vegetables-for-sustainable-healthy-diets-fresh/

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 162

The dynamic nature of community gardens through history: A literature review
(Working Paper, 2024-03) Salters, Miranda; Gonsalves, Julian; Monville-Oro, Emilita; Santos-Anunciado, Ma. Shiela; Hunter, Danny
Around the globe, rapid urbanization has created challenges in ensuring access to nutritious and affordable food, as well as protecting green spaces (Guitart et al., 2012). Community gardens have emerged as dynamic spaces that address these issues while offering promising outlooks for the future of food security and sustainable urban development (Burt et al., 2020; Guitart et al., 2012). Since their inception, community gardens have undergone significant evolution. Today, they are regarded as epicenters for building community capacity, inspiring sustainable food systems, and facilitating social empowerment. However, community and allotment gardens originated as mitigation strategies during times of crisis, rather than as innovative, sustainable solutions for enhancing urban and peri-urban landscapes (Birky, 2009). This literature review aims to highlight the importance of community gardens in urban and peri-urban spaces by examining their roles in food sovereignty, community empowerment, social protection mechanisms, and humanitarian work. It does so by analyzing the literature on the origins, development, and current status of community gardens worldwide.
Piloting reusable plastic crates in the tomato value chain in Benin
(Working Paper, 2025-01) Egah, Janvier; Hotegni, Nicodeme Fassinou; Kok, Melanie; Dijkxhoorn, Youri
Do reusable plastic crates perform better compared to traditional baskets? The study highlights the challenges of introducing reusable plastic crates as an alternative packaging solution in South Benin’s tomato value chain. The study produced mixed outcomes, making it difficult to state that reusable plastic crates perform better compared to traditional baskets. Reusable plastic crates show potential for reducing post-harvest losses and increasing value in the tomato value chain, but their adoption faces challenges in cost and logistics, necessitating innovative business models for scalability. The results showed variability in post-harvest losses across packaging methods. While reusable plastic crates demonstrated slightly lower post-harvest losses compared to traditional baskets, the differences were not substantial. Loss percentages from farm to the retail level were inconsistent, with in some cases no clear trend favoring crates over traditional methods. Our study indicates a small opportunity to increase value across all stakeholders in the value chain by adopting improved packaging solutions. In the first round of assessments, four value chains demonstrated significantly higher monetary losses when using traditional baskets compared to reusable plastic crates. While crates preserved quality slightly better, the marginal improvement in prices did not offset the additional costs associated with the investment. Participants noted that the initial investment in crates posed a significant barrier, especially given the limited observed advantages during the pilot. Feedback highlighted logistical challenges with crate availability and the need for better integration into existing workflows. Some participants had concerns about limited tomato availability during the study period and this further complicated the data collection, particularly during the second round of data collection. Developing a sustainable business model for the returnable plastic crate intervention poses challenges. Implementing requires substantial investments, which are beyond the financial capacity of the participants. As a result, exploring alternative funding mechanisms or business models is essential to ensure the project's feasibility and long-term success.
The effect of the FRESH end-to-end approach in Tanzania on agricultural production and diet intake: Statistical analysis plan
(Data Paper, 2024-09-12) Bliznashka, Lilia; Azupogo, Fusta; Arnold, Charles D.; Olney, Deanna K.; Kumar, Neha; Kinabo, Joyce; Hess, Sonja
In Tanzania, undernutrition and overnutrition are pressing public health issues. The latest Demographic and Health Survey shows that 36% of women of reproductive age are overweight or obese and 42% are anaemic. Poor diets, including low fruit and vegetables (F&V) intake, are a major contributor to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and associated morbidity and mortality globally. In 2012, a national survey found that 95% of Tanzanians consumed insufficient F&V.
Food systems transformation through school meals: 8 things
(Presentation, 2024-11-18) Hunter, Danny
Presented at the Southeast Asia School Meals Summit: Accelerating Collaboration and Commitments in Southeast Asian Countries to Advance Human Capital Development and Food Systems Transformation in Siem Reap, Cambodia, between 18-20 November 2024. This presentation explored the concept of food systems transformation through "planet-friendly school meals," emphasizing its potential to drive sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural development.
The climate change, biodiversity and nutrition nexus
(Presentation, 2024-10-30) Hunter, Danny
Presented at the Anticipatory Climate Change Adaptation: ClimBer Learning Exchange Conference in Manila, Philippines, between 28-29 October 2024. This presentation explores the role of school meals in driving transformation within food systems, highlighting the importance of planet-friendly school meals.
Workshop | Co-designing interventions to increase demand for fruit & vegetables in Tanzania
(Video, 2024-12-20) International Food Policy Research Institute
How can we make fruit and vegetables more desirable to communities in Tanzania? In August 2024, the CGIAR Research Initiative on Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) teamed up with IFPRI and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) to facilitate a stakeholder workshop focused on co-designing demand-side interventions. Using GAIN’s Human-Centered Design (HCD) Toolkit, the workshop engaged participants in the process of creating relevant, culturally-sensitive solutions to increase demand for fruit and vegetables in their communities. This video provides a behind-the-scenes look at the workshop, featuring insights from facilitators and participants. Learn more about FRESH: https://www.cgiar.org/initiative/frui... GAIN HCD Toolkit: https://www.gainhealth.org/human-cent... We would like to thank all funders who support this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund: www.cgiar.org/funders/
Planet-friendly school meals: bridging agrobiodiversity, nutrition & climate change
(Presentation, 2024-11-23) Hunter, Danny
Presented at the CE-SAIN SEARCA Joint International Conference 2024: The Fourth International Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (SAIN4) and the Third School-plus-Home Gardens and Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE3) Conference in Siem Reap, Cambodia, between 19-22 November. This presentation focuses on how school meals can promote both nutritional benefits and environmental sustainability. It highlights the importance of incorporating agrobiodiversity into school meal programs to support climate resilience, improve student nutrition and health and enhance rural livelihoods.
Capacity sharing on the sustainability of vegetable farms in Benin
(Report, 2024-09) Fassinou Hotegni, V. Nicodeme
A workshop was held on 12 and 13 September to share the findings of the study “Assessing sustainability in smallholder vegetable farms in Benin Republic: A matrix approach” with extension agents and provide them with better information and skills on approaches to measuring farm sustainability. The workshop, which was attended by 16 agents from Development Poles 1 and 7 (major vegetable production regions in the country), was held on the GBioS premises at the University of Abomey-Calavi. After exploring the theoretical aspects of the IDEA (Indicateurs de Durabilité des Exploitations Agricoles) approach, and the results of its application to vegetable production systems in Benin, participants were given the opportunity to apply the IDEA approach to a real life-setting (GBioS demonstration site). This was an opportunity for the participants to gain a practical understanding of how to collect, analyze and interpret data in order to better support farmers in improving their farming practice. A guided tour of the various technical platforms of GBioS and the World Vegetable Center research station, led by Dr Mathieu Ayenan, gave participants a close-up view of research on vegetable variety development and good agronomic practices. The workshop covered various aspects of the sustainability of production systems, including ecological sustainability, social sustainability and economic sustainability. The participants confirmed that the results of the study reflected the reality on the ground and understood that sustainability takes into account three dimensions: environmental, social and economic. For the participants, this workshop provides the tools to understand and apply the various practices in the field so as to better support producers in the transition to more environmentally-friendly practices while guaranteeing their economic and social viability. The current document stands for the technical report of this capacity-sharing workshop.
Nourishing futures: The Philippines promote native foods in school meals
(Opinion Piece, 2024-10-12) Mendonce, Sharon; Borelli, Teresa; Honeycutt, Sydney; Anunciado, Ma. Shiela; Umali, Diana Jean
Imagine a bustling schoolyard in the Philippines, where children eagerly tend to their vibrant classroom garden. As part of a school gardening programme, the students are excited to harvest the fruits and vegetables they have carefully cultivated. In just a few hours, these nutritious foods will be served on their lunch plates. This heartwarming scene reflects broader efforts across the Philippines to integrate traditional and indigenous fruit and vegetables into school meals and promote healthy eating habits. Driven by a commitment to improve the quality of school meals, the Philippines, as a School Meals Coalition member, has introduced various initiatives aimed at supporting the health and well-being of students. Beyond combatting hunger, these efforts are designed to enhance learning outcomes and foster a brighter, healthier future for the nation. Aligned with these goals, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, also a partner of the Coalition, is promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in the Philippines through a CGIAR Research Initiative on Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH). In collaboration with the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) and other local partners, FRESH contributed to a desk review of the country’s school food environment literature, policies, and guidelines.
D4N2024 Resources – Learning Lab 3a: FRESH Perspectives: A practical session on integrating lived experiences into Food Environments research
(Presentation, 2024-12-05) Institute of Development Studies; Colombo Urban Lab
Sustainability assessment of vegetable farms in Northern Tanzania: Multi-stakeholder workshop report
(Report, 2024) Wilson, Wilson Charles; Mercy Mwambi; Wiston Mwombeki; Ernest, Zablon; Jacob, Theresia; Mvungi, Henry; Solomon, Lisa; Dickson Mushi; Odjo, Sylvanus
After conducting fieldwork to assess the sustainability of vegetable agri-food systems in Northern Tanzania between October 2023 and September 2024, we realized the importance of providing feedback on survey results to the stakeholders in the study area and enhancing their awareness and engagement in the FRESH initiative. Therefore, a multi-stakeholder workshop was convened at the New Safari Hotel in Arusha city from 24th to 25th October 2024, followed by a field visit. The participatory workshop was organized to enhance feedback and document the perspective of the farmers and key actors (central and local government actors, private sectors, technicians, and non-governmental organizations) on the sustainability of vegetable production in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions in Northern Tanzania and propose strategies that could help in improving it. The workshop contributes to the CGIAR’s Strategic Framework, which seeks to support the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 on zero hunger and SDG 13 climate action, through a transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems through stakeholder engagement in enhancing national climate actions in fruits and vegetable farming systems in Tanzania for better production and nutrition, a better environment, and decent life, leaving no one behind. The workshop was attended by various partners in the agriculture sector across the Northern highland regions, i.e., smallholder vegetable farmers, vegetable traders, ward extension officers, district and regional agricultural officers, regional trade officers, development partners and research institutes, and the FRESH project team from the CIMMYT and the World Vegetable Centre. Following the introduction and the background of the project and feedback on the accomplished surveys in the study area, the stakeholder was involved in the qualitative assessment of the sustainability of farms, i.e., definition, dimensions, characteristics and challenges, and known strategies for a sustainable farming system (ecological, economic, and social sustainability) during the breakout session facilitated by the FRESH team representatives. In the afternoon session, the project team working on package four (post-harvest …) provided feedback and progress of the project activities i.e. previous pilots on low-cost cooling and the use of packaging solutions. The team introduced the pilot experiment for plastic crate packaging technology in the next session, followed by a breakout group session for further discussion. During the second day, the workshop participants were asked to provide the key takeaways from day one, followed by an overview of the second-day sessions. During the first breakout session, the facilitators led the stakeholders in providing a list of earlier trainings received on sustainable vegetable farming systems in the regions. In the next step, the facilitators led the workshop participants in listing important stakeholders for out scaling the plastic crate packaging technologies and identified the opportunities and constraints for scaling the technology. During the afternoon, the workshop concluded with a field visit to vegetable production demonstration plots in the Meru district.
Farmers brace for a new round of trade wars
(Report, 2025-01-16) Glauber, Joseph W.
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take up residence at the White House for the second time, US farmers nervously await what is in store for the agricultural sector, particularly in trade. In 2018 and 2019, US agriculture suffered from collateral damage during the previous Trump administration as the president’s unilateral actions on trade against foreign suppliers of US imports had serious repercussions for US agricultural exports.
Collection, conservation and evaluation of priority indigenous vegetables in Sri Lanka
(Working Paper, 2024-12-15) Jeewani, D.G.C.; Balasooriya, B.G.R.C.; Kondasinghe, K.M.C.L.; Danwatta, A.S.J.; Hunter, Danny; Borelli, Teresa
A diverse range of underutilized vegetables and leafy greens in Sri Lanka were identified for collection, conservation, and genetic improvement. Within the framework of the CGIAR Initiative on Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) in Sri Lanka, in 2023 the Plant Genetic Resources Centre, Sri Lanka (PGRC) prioritized ten crops for exploration, characterization and ex situ conservation. The list included vegetables such as sword bean, sponge gourd, snake gourd, winged bean and moringa, as well as leafy greens such as Amaranthus spp., fame flower, balloon plant, sickle pod and vegetable hummingbird. The first phase of activities detailed in this report, and which ran from January to March 2024, resulted in the collection of 502 germplasm samples gathered via exploration missions across Sri Lanka. During the second phase, lasting from April to December 2024, 414 germplasm samples were multiplied while the detailed characterization of 240 samples was undertaken. One hundred and forty-three (143) seed samples were conserved in the genebank while 271 are still being processed prior to seed bank conservation. Germplasm characterization will continue in 2025. In addition, vegetatively propagated germplasm samples were conserved in the PGRC field genebank which was upgraded by establishing a rain fed irrigation system using project funds. Overall, efforts under FRESH contribute to the conservation and utilization of Sri Lanka's indigenous vegetable diversity, facilitating future agricultural research and development initiatives, vegetable availability and the country's food security.
Consumption patterns of neglected and underutilized species by households and associated factors in Atacora, Northern Benin
(Presentation, 2023-09-29) Bankole, Bissola
Presented at the Doctoriales of University of Abomey-Calavi, September 2023, Abomey-Calavi, Benin. This presentation highlights the results of an evaluation on the consumption level of Adansonia digitata, Ocimum gratissimum, Vigna radiata, and Moringa oleifera as well as the factors associated to their consumption by households, especially women of childbearing age and children aged 6-23 months in Northern Benin.
Environnement alimentaire autour du collège de Boukombé et perception des élèves sur cet environnement
(Presentation, 2023-02) Houndolo, Melina Maureen
Presented at the International Scientific Days of Nutrition in Niger, February 2023. The food environment is recognized as having a strong influence on the eating habits of individuals. This presentation highlights key findings from a study that analyzed the food environment of Boukoumbé's main college and the college students' perceptions of it. Boukoumbé is a highly food insecure commune in Northern Benin.
Sociocultural factors influencing the production and consumption of fruits and vegetables in Boukoumbé in Northern Benin.
(Poster, 2023-09-23) Bankole, Malikath; Bodjrenou, Sam; Houndolo, Melina; Termote, Celine; Chadare, Flora; Amoussa Hounkpatin, Waliou
Presented at the 5th International Congress Hidden Hunger, 4–6 September 2023, Hohenheim, Germany. Fruits and vegetables (F&V) are vital for healthy diets, with a broad consensus that a diversified diet containing a range of plant foods is needed for health and well-being. Although the African continent is considered to have a huge diversity of F&V, we are witnessing a decrease in the production and use of some of them. This study investigated the reasons behind the low production and use of some F&V species in the commune of Boukombé in the Atacora department, this commune is one of the most food insecure in Benin. Qualitative approach especially the snowball method has proceeded to select the key informants constituted of market gardeners and institutions involved in agriculture in Boukombé. The 4-cells method was used to collect information about production and consumption and then semi-structured interviews as well as focus group discussions were used to better understand the perceptions of the market gardeners. Fruits and vegetables were the most represented species with respectively 34.6 % and 27 % of species available. About 60 % of F&V species identified were perennial while 40 % were annual and most of them were cultivated by the population. Only 28 % were grown wildly in nature and few were semi-cultivated. Among the species cultivated, many were identified as being grown in a small area by a few people and as being consumed by a small number of people occasionally. The main reasons that explain this low production were essentially the inaccessibility of roads from villages to markets, the perishability of F&V, the soil poverty, the lack of water sources because those villages are located on the mountains, and the high seed prices of some F&V such as carrots, cabbage, and lettuce. This induced a low consumption of these species which were lowly available in the environment. In addition, there were the deforestation practices and then, the lack of knowledge about the conservation of F&V species, as well as their market value which made populations prioritise their sale over their consumption. Meanwhile, several strategies were proposed including the establishment of community seed banks to improve the production and consumption of F&V species in their community.
Solar drying technology for post-harvest loss management of horticulture products: Findings from baseline survey in Nigeria
(Report, 2024-12-31) Balana, Bedru; Popoola, Olufemi; Yamauchi, Futoshi; Olanipekun, Caleb; Totin, Edmond; Salaudeen, Kamaldeen Oladimeji; Muhammad, Aminu; Shi, Weilun; Liu, Yanyan
Creating a sustainable food system requires addressing the critical challenges of food waste and loss. This is particularly crucial for small-scale farmers who supply local markets but lack access to modern preservation technologies, leading to significant product losses between harvesting and selling. Research indicates that in low-and middle-income countries, approximately 38 percent of harvested perishable agricultural goods are lost before consumption. Globally, about 22 percent of fruits and vegetables are lost in the supply chain before reaching retailers (FAO, 2019). These postharvest losses have significant impacts to low economic return and household food and nutrition security. Post-harvest losses also contribute significantly to environmental concerns, accounting for roughly 8 percent of yearly global greenhouse gas emissions. Among all food categories, fruits and vegetables experience the highest losses by weight.
Conservation of indigenous vegetables in the Philippines: A scoping study
(Working Paper, 2023-07-31) Oraye, Claudette D.; de Chavez, Hidelisa D.; Aguilar, Catherine Hazel M.; Makiling, Florisa C.; Ladia, Villamor A. Jr.; Enicola, Elmer E.; Maghirang, Rodel G.; Anunciado, Ma. Shiela; Monville-Oro, Emilita; Gonsalves, Julian; Hunter, Danny; Borelli, Teresa; Mendonce, Sharon
Seasonality and inconsistent vegetable supplies due to the impacts of climate change (i.e., varying rainfall patterns and drought), are major factors contributing to the availability and affordability of vegetables. There is a need to increase access to a diverse range of high-quality, resilient, and nutritious species and cultivars that are aligned to consumer and farmers’ preferences. In addition, crop diversification can address the challenges brought on by seasonality, improve dietary diversity for better nutrition, and strengthen environmental resilience. There is growing interest in the Philippines on the promotion of indigenous vegetables (IVs) for food security and nutrition. IVs play a crucial role in food security, income generation, and food culture. Their adaptability, plasticity, and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses provide farmers with the needed coping strategies to confront climate change. This study examines past and ongoing research and development initiatives, including agencies involved in research on IVs in the Philippines. Based on their assessed availability in national collections, their nutritional quality, cultural importance, adaptability and vulnerability, this review recommends focusing further efforts on nine priority IV species for collection and characterization, regeneration, evaluation, seed distribution and exchange. These species are: moringa (Moringa oleifera), birch flower (Broussonetia luzonica), gnetum (Gnetum gnemon), slender carpetweed (Glinus oppositifolius), bagbagkong (Telosma procumbens), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata), rice bean (Vigna umbellata), jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) and amaranths (Amaranthus spp.).
FRESH: Beyond the food plate
(Presentation, 2024-08) Nisbett, Nicholas; Salm, Leah; Meeker, Jessica; Gordon, Jessica; Perera, Iromi; Gooneratne, Anisha; Perera, Meghal; Dahanayake, Nimaya; Jayasinghe, Channaka; Perera, Nadya; Dombagodage, Dilini; Wathugedara, Kushani
Does labelling differentiate products and create price premiums? The case of tomatoes from northeast Nigeria
(Report, 2024-12-31) Yamauchi, Futoshi; Dauda, Bawa; Balana, Bedru; Edeh, Hyacinth; Shi, Weilun
This note describes a labelling experiment introduced to crates of tomatoes cool transported from the northeast region of Nigeria to Lagos or Port Harcourt. A label was attached to a random sample of crates to ensure that the quality of tomatoes is orthogonal to the labels and the destination market was not informed of the experiment. The label contained the information on (a) the project (IFPRI), (b) the transportation method (cool transportation), and (c) the origin of tomatoes (Jos or Gombe), as shown below. The experiment was conducted in the first rounds from Jos and Gombe (Lagos), and the fifth round from Jos (Port Harcourt). As expected, the labeled crates were priced higher than the unlabeled crates. About 9 to 33% of the sale price is attributed to improved information on the quality of tomatoes via the labels.

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