Information to Contributors

Scope of the Journal

AUTHORSHIP

Where there are several authors for a manuscript, the leading author, to whom all correspondence will be sent, should be clearly identified.

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION

The Journal accepts two copies of the manuscript, together with a diskette clearly marked in pencil the title of the contribution, the author(s) and stating the word processor programme and system used.

Illustrations should be black-and-white. If colour is necessary, the cost of colour separation and production shall be charged Journal's standards. to the author. Figures, which must be cited in the text, must be numbered on the reverse in pencil with the author's name, a shortened title, and the top indicated. Lettering on the figures must be sharp and dark enough to withstand reduction. Legends to figures should be typed on a separate page. The Editor reserves the right to redraw figures if the quality is not up to the

Tables should be labelled at the top with a number and title. Units of measurement should be metric. Tables must be cited in the text, and present material which is not included in the text.

Only standard abbreviations should be used. Unusual ones should be spelled out initially in full, with the abbreviation in parenthesis.

References to articles or books that have been published, or that are in 'in press', may be included in the List of References. Papers presented at conferences, symposia, or workshops may not be listed. References may be cited in the text by author and date, or may be referenced by a superscript number referring to the List of References.

The Journal is intended to have the following sections in each annual volume:

• Editorial, or Guest Editorial
• Research Articles, which should preferably be from 3,000 to 4,500 words, should have an abstract of not more than 150 words, and should have not more than 10 keywords
• Review Articles, which should preferably be from 3,000 to 6,000 words, should have an abstract and key words as for the Research Articles
• Letters and viewpoints, on food and nutritional matters of great concern to the community, the nation, or to the continent of Africa
• Technological Innovativations and Products, developed in or relevant to Africa
• Market Updates on food commodities, future markets, and foreign trade in food and food supplements
• Book Reviews
• Calendar of Events.

ORDER FOR REPRINTS

COORDINATES FOR COMMUNICATION

Orders for reprints of identified or whole issues of the Journal should be addressed to:

A CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

1. The four or so decades since the political emancipation of Africa has witnessed the majority of the rural and urban populations being unable to feed themselves to an acceptable nutritional degree. The reason for this is that they do not possess the financial power nor a sustainable market infrastructure to avail them the food. The problem is compounded by rapid population growth and the diminishing land available for farming households. Droughts, periodic crop failures, policies that promote importation of food, and the escalating debt burden continue to stagnate the development of food agriculture.

2. Without a doubt whatsoever, basic food and nutritional security has become the top priority in Africa. It is not only a question of Africa's self-worth and political prudence, it is now also a question of Africa's very survival. Food and nutritional security is a major roadblock that has to be completely cleared in order to give way to other pressing priorities essential for African and Third World Countries' economic growth and social development. The African Journal of Food and Nutritional Security is a deliberate effort to create an informed forum for discussion and exchange of ideas on how to concretely deal with this endemic problem in a decisive manner. The Journal has been launched after an in-depth analysis of the food security conundrum and realization of the following six basic truths:
   • Forty years ago, and prior to that era, Africa was self-sufficient and a net exporter of food. Africa has since then lost that capacity to feed itself, and more of Africa's citizens go hungry every day. High rates of population growth and ineffective application of improved production technology linked to inappropriate pricing and marketing, has resulted in declining per capita food production, escalating food deficits, and deteriorating nutritional levels. Since these trends of production decline have not been drastically altered, Africa is producing much less than three-quarters of its food requirements at the beginning of the new millennium.
   • High rates of child and maternal malnutrition have worsened the quantitative food deficit situation in Africa and have contributed significantly to diminishing the African human capital base. The result is increased mortality among African children under 5 years of age; many others suffer physical impairement and reduced intellectual development.
   • Food security is not just a production and supply issue. It relates to farm and non-farm income, as well as to food purchasing power. The African hungry have common characteristics of poverty. The poor cannot produce enough food for household consumption neither do they have access to marketed food. The basic food and nutritional security crisis in Africa cannot be addressed in isolation from the poverty problem.
   • The reliance on traditional food staples, such as millet, sorghum, peas, roots, and tubers has been steadily eroded over the duration of the twentieth century yet, these crops are more suitable for Africa's rainfed agriculture. They are drought resistant, and easily stored and transported. Mass-starvation in Africa will be averted when Africa begins, once again, to give due emphasis to these traditional staples, by enhanced technologies for production, processing, longer shelf-life, distribution, and the deliberate design of a range of diversified food products. These food products will satisfy both the rural and urban populations, the fast-food society, and the long-distance travelling public.
   • A number of policies by national, regional and Africa-wide multilateral institutions as well as the institutions within the United Nations family, have attempted to tackle this crisis. Most of these strategies have failed or are failing, due to the less than adequate implementation of key aspects. Lack of geopolitical commitment and of financial resources have contributed enormously to this stagnation.
   • A common pattern in the African food and nutritional crisis is lack of commitment to implement realistic visions and strategic policies to guide the agricultural and food sectors. Most of the prescriptions needed to move Africa from its chronic food crisis to accelerated food production, processing, and diversification, are entombed in the various resolutions passed in many international conferences and fora. African and Third World Governments need to pay attention to and begin acting on the advice of their own private sectors, research and development (R&D) experts, policy analysts, technology practitioners, the entrepreneurial and industry community, as well as the traditional community leaders who know a great deal more about strategies for community-based food and nutritional security and whose technologies now need to be revisited. These should be tackled as a first line of security against cyclical food scarcity and malnutrition.

The Agenda for the Journal

1. In defining basic food and nutritional security as the access by all people at all times to an adequate quantity and quality of nutritious food for an active and healthy life, The African Journal of Food and Nutritional Security proposes that for the continent to adequately deal with food and nutritional insecurity attention must be focused on:
   1. Ensuring the production of adequate and nutritious food staples, their processing, and durability on the shelf
   2. Optimizing the flow of food into the market
   3. Securing access to available food supplies by those who need them
   4. Developing human, institutional, and infrastructural capacity to sustain the security of basic and nutritious food
   5. Ensuring an effective policy framework, geopolitical support and commitment to actively deal with the current insecurity on a continuing basis, including its monitoring and surveillance
   6. Stimulating creative solutions to these challenges through R&D, policy analysis research, marketing entrepreneurship, and innovative management all the way from the household to the national and regional levels.
2. Contributors to the Journal may submit manuscripts in any of the six fields highlighted. The manuscripts should be factually well founded, succinct, innovative and solution-oriented.