This review examined the current state and future potential of animal by-product (ABP) utilization in Kazakhstan, a country with a significant but insufficiently developed meat-processing sector. Despite growing meat production, only a small portion of ABPs, such as blood, bones, skins, and offal, are processed into value-added products, with the remainder discarded or underutilized. This underutilization represents both an environmental challenge and a missed economic opportunity. Through international comparisons, the review highlighted how countries like the EU, USA, and Japan have successfully implemented advanced technologies and regulatory frameworks to convert ABPs into biofuels, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, and functional food ingredients. In contrast, Kazakhstan faces barriers including outdated infrastructure, limited market development, insufficient regulatory enforcement, and traditional perceptions of ABPs as waste. Nonetheless, recent Kazakh research has shown promising results in transforming ABPs into protein hydrolysates, nutritional supplements, feed additives, and functional meat products. The review concludes that with strategic investments in technology, policy reform, and public awareness, Kazakhstan can enhance the sustainability and profitability of its livestock sector through improved ABP valorization.
Food security remains a major global challenge, particularly in Southeast Asia, where climate change, population growth, and economic volatility threaten food system stability. This study aims to develop and validate a Comprehensive Food Availability Vulnerability Index (FAVI) as a practical tool to assess and compare regional vulnerabilities in food availability across ASEAN countries. FAVI is constructed using four key dimensions: production adequacy, food reserves, import dependency, and distribution efficiency. Each dimension is quantified, normalized, and weighted to generate a composite score that reflects the resilience and exposure of national food systems to supply disruptions. The index is applied to five ASEAN countries, i.e., Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore revealing differentiated vulnerability patterns. Singapore records the highest vulnerability score (0.71), largely due to its structural dependence on food imports and limited natural resource endowment. The Philippines shows moderate vulnerability (0.43), associated with distribution inefficiencies and production instability. Indonesia ranks at a mid-level (0.29), with logistical constraints related to its archipelagic geography influencing performance. In contrast, Vietnam (0.17) and Thailand (0.13) demonstrate lower vulnerability, supported by strong domestic production capacity and substantial reserves. FAVI results align closely with the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), reinforcing the index’s validity. The study demonstrates that FAVI provides a robust, data-driven framework for identifying country-specific risks and guiding strategic policy interventions to strengthen food availability resilience in ASEAN and comparable regions.
Abstract Background In many developing countries, smallholders play a central role in the agricultural sector, and holding significant potential for agricultural growth and rural development. In Ethiopia, agriculture contributes about 37.57% to Et GDP and supports the livelihoods of most of the population. However, recent agricultural growth has not efficiently addressed persistent challenges of food insecurity, malnutrition, and rural poverty among smallholder farmers. To improve productivity and promote commercialization, the Agricultural Transformation Agency introduced cluster-based farming approach aimed at transforming subsistence farming into market-oriented production system. Despite its potential benefits, the adoption and expansion of cluster farming remain limited due to several constraints. Therefore, this study reviews the opportunities and constraints of cluster-based farming in Ethiopia from social, economic, ecological/environmental, institutional, and political perspectives. Methods This study employed a systematic literature review methodology. Relevant studies were identified through digital libraries, web sources, Ethiopian public university repositories, ATA government website and other academic databases. A keyword-based search strategy was used to identify relevant publications mainly covering the period from 2015 to 2026. Based on relevance to study objective, a total of 23 empirical studies were selected and analyzed. Results The findings indicate that cluster-based farming in Ethiopia provides several opportunities across multiple dimensions. Social opportunities include enhanced farmer-to-farmer interaction, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. Economic opportunities involve improved productivity, economies of scale, better market access, and increased bargaining power. Ecological opportunities include improved natural resource management and the potential adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. Institutional opportunities arise from stronger partnerships and coordination among farmers, government agencies, and development organizations, while political support through national agricultural development strategies further promotes cluster initiatives. However, several constraints also affect the implementation of cluster-based farming. These include farmers’ resistance to collective approaches, limited economies of scale among smallholders, unfavorable agro-ecological conditions, weak institutional coordination, and political instability. Conclusions Cluster-based farming has the potential to transform smallholder agriculture in Ethiopia by improving productivity, commercialization, and rural livelihoods. However, its success depends on addressing key social, economic, ecological, institutional, and political constraints. Recommendation Prioritize should be given to improving rural infrastructure to better connect cluster farms with markets. Expand agricultural research, strengthening farmer training, and securing financial support for cooperatives are also essential. In addition, promoting pro-poor agricultural strategies, extending extension services and ensuring continuous government monitoring and evaluation are necessary to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of cluster- based farming in Ethiopia.
In high-income countries, food insecurity (FI) increasingly reflects economic pressures rather than food availability. Rising housing and food costs have intensified household budget constraints across Europe, especially among low-income families. Portugal is a notable example, having faced sharp post-pandemic food inflation and currently experiencing a severe housing affordability crisis. Using nationally representative EU‑SILC microdata, this study examines FI trends in Portugal (2019–2023) and assesses their relationship with socio-demographic factors, financial strain, and housing conditions, including housing tenure, a rarely analysed factor in high-income countries. FI increased from 13.8
In recent decades, the increased frequency of extreme rainfall events has significantly affected agri-food systems, accounting for 19
