World Food Policy Volume 2, Number 1, Spring 2015 | Page 89

World Food Policy of farmers, notably women (FAO 2012), but also sometimes a deepening of gender inequalities within the household. On some cotton farms in Mali, without any strong land tenure constraints, motorization led to an increase in the area farmed, and consequently to the amount of labor needed for sowing, weeding, crop thinning, and harvesting, largely provided by women (Girard and Dugué 2009). However, very obviously female labor also has some positive effects in terms of autonomy (Ukwuani and Suchindran 2003; Arimond et al. 2011; Leroy and Frongillo 2007). What matters is that, a balance is found so that women’s involvement in ADIs does not result in a workload that is harmful to their health and to that of their children. A balance must also be found between agricultural, other productive, and care activities. When women have little control over the income of a farm, care has to be taken to guarantee they have enough time for their productive activities ensuring them an income or their own crops. income from the sale of animal products or animal rental, manure and draught power, savings, social status afforded by the ownership of animals, etc.), it may also generate risks for nutrition (Randolph et al. 2007). Diarrheal diseases, which are closely associated with malnutrition, are linked in half the cases to animal pathogens or foodstuffs of animal origin in poor countries (Grace 2011). In addition, given population growth and increased demand from the urban population, there is a tendency for the number of livestock animals to increase, especially monogastric animals which are more at risk of transmitting pathogens in countries without operational veterinary services. The gradual intensification of animal production is also accompanied by a longer and more complex food chain, and an increased risk of gastro-intestinal zoonosis responsible for diarrhea (ILRI 2012). • Risks linked to aflatoxin in maize– groundnut systems I VI - Health risks and environmental degradation n tropical zones, where the diet is largely maize and groundnut dependent, chronic exposure of the population to aflatoxin is massive. It involves 85%– 100% of children in African countries of the Gulf of Guinea (Khlangwiset, Shepard, and Wu 2011). Many studies have shown a link between chronic malnutrition and the exposure of unborn children to aflatoxin, or sub sequently through breast feeding or weaning foods. The biochemical mechanism involved remains to be identified, but the strong and regular links observed between the level of exposure to aflatoxins and the prevalence of chronic malnutrition argues S ome farming practices may entail risks for the environment (air, water, soil, biodiversity) term and/or the health quality of foods, thereby affecting the health of individuals and their nutritional status. • Risks of zoonosis associated with livestock farming W hile livestock farming is a strategy for alleviating poverty and malnutrition (quality foodstuffs, 88