The integrated crop–livestock system (ICLS) is a farming strategy that helps to sustain agrobiodiversity, ecosystem services, and restores environmental sustainability. Furthermore, ICLS provides food and nutritional security to the small and marginal farmers in developing nations. In this context a mass-balanced ecosystem model was constructed for a smallholder ICLS along the Indian west coast to analyze the agro-ecological performance in terms of sustainability, resource use, nutrient balance and recycling. Thirteen functional groups were defined in the ICLS model with trophic levels ranging from 1.00 (detritus and benthic nitrogen fixers) to 3.00 (poultry and ruminants). The total system throughput index was estimated to be 1134.9 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ of which 60% was from consumption, 15% from exports, 10% from respiration, and the remaining 15% eventually flowing into detritus. The gross efficiency of the ecosystem was estimated to 0.3, which indicated higher growth rates and low maintenance energy costs. The higher food self-sufficiency ration of 7.4 indicated the integration of crop–livestock as an imperative system to meet the food and nutritional requirement of the farm family. The indices such as system overhead (60%), Finn’s cycling index (16.6) and mean path length (3.5) denoted that the ICLS is a small, resource-efficient, stable, maturing and sustainable ecosystem in terms of the ecosystem principles and recycling. The present model will serve as the first model on the ICLS from the humid tropics and will help in the evaluation of the other agro-ecological systems using the Ecopath modelling approach. In conclusion, farm intensification through crop and animal diversification has the highest impact on farm productivity, food self-sufficiency and resource-use-efficiency of the smallholder’s livelihood security.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess food safety knowledge, choice behavior and health hazard concerns of ethnic Goan pork sausage consumers through various consumer food safety indices and also to evaluate socio-demographic influences on various consumer food safety indices.Design/methodology/approach: Primary data in the form of 210 questionnaire responses were collected from Goan pork sausage consumers. Based on the responses, seven various consumer food safety indices were derived. The cumulative score of all the indices were normalized (0–1). The association between socio-demographic variables and consumer indices were evaluated using linear regression analysis, Pearson's correlation matrix, principal component analysis (PCA) and correspondence analysis (CA).Findings: The results of the analysis indicate that the consumption of Goan pork sausages is most prevalent amongst younger people with high education having higher income. A majority of consumers have high score for the four consumer indices. The results of correlation analysis, regression analysis, PCA and CA revealed a significant association of consumer indices with socio-demographic variables.Originality/value: The results of this study will provide a way forward for the evaluation of existing overall food safety concerns in the target population and in the future would be used for the promotion of good handling practices and health of Goan pork sausage consumers.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a part of South-East Asia, is enriched with the presence of native breeds of livestock (cattle, pig, goat) and poultry. There are two native goat breeds, viz., Andaman local goat and Teressa goat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, to date, the origin and genetic makeup of these two breeds have not been detailed. Therefore, the present study describes the genetic makeup of Andaman goats through analysis of mitochondrial D-loop sequence for sequence polymorphism, phylogeographical signaling and population expansion events. The genetic diversity of the Teressa goat was less compared to the Andaman local goat due to its sole presence on Teressa Island. Out of 38 well-defined haplotypes of Andaman goats, the majority of haplotypes belonged to haplogroup A followed by haplogroup B and haplogroup D. The result of mismatch distribution and neutrality tests indicated no population expansion event of haplogroup A and B. Finally, based on poor geographical signaling, we hypothesize that Andaman goats have been imported to these Islands either through multidirectional diffusion or unidirectional diffusion. We justify our hypothesis of multidirectional diffusion on the basis of observation of the haplotype and nucleotide diversity of Andaman goats. Simultaneously, the probability of unidirectional diffusion of goats in these islands from the Indian subcontinent in different spells of domestication events through maritime routes cannot be ignored.

Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA), caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, is a highly contagious disease of small ruminants, especially of goats and sheep. Here, we report an outbreak of the disease in goats for the first time from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands along with isolation and molecular characterization of the pathogen. A total of 22 goats were affected, with an attack rate of 12.02%, and six isolates were identified from the clinical samples. Molecular characterization of the pathogen was carried out based on the sequence information of 16S rRNA and RNA polymerase β subunit (rpoB) gene fragments. rpoB-based phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolates belonged to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis biovar ovis. The antimicrobial resistance study revealed that the isolates were 100% resistant against erythromycin and rifampicin. Fifty percent resistance was found against amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, penicillin, and vancomycin. All the isolates were sensitive to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole, sulphafurazole, ampicillin/cloxacillin, and oxytetracycline. In conclusion, the present study reports the occurrence of CLA in goats for the first time from an isolated archipelago of India and unveils the molecular signature and antibiotic resistance patten of the pathogen. The findings of this study will be helpful to control or eradicate the disease from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

This study elucidates the Kewadi sweet production from pandanus fruits (Pandanus leram) in the Nicobar Islands which represents a convergence of cultural heritage, food security and community resilience. Rooted in the indigenous knowledge of tribal people and also as a sustainable practice, Kewadi sweet production and consumption not only provides nutritional benefits but also fosters community strength and cultural identity among the Nicobarese tribe people. Despite facing challenges from modernization aspects and changing dietary preferences, the preservation and promotion of Kewadi sweet are crucial for maintaining this traditional delicacy and cultural legacy. Strategic policy initiatives that enhance value chains, promote market access and raise awareness of Kewadi’s cultural significance can bolster its production and consumption for a harmonious coexistence of tradition and modernity. By embracing and supporting traditional practices like Kewadi sweet preparation, we can ensure sustainability through local resource utilization systems, enhance food and nutritional security and foster the cultural richness in the Nicobar Islands. In this study, technical aspects of Kewadi sweet production were documented through one-on-one interviews with tribal community members, followed by a focus group discussion with key stakeholders. Using the SWOT-AHP framework, the study further analyzes and discusses the social and economic challenges and opportunities associated with the product.