Editor's Note [Volume 21 No. 1 (2021)]

It is difficult to retire when nearly a billion people still go to bed hungry

Matters of food and nutrition security have become everyone’s concern and should have been a responsibility for all of us who care about the vulnerable, many of whom go hungry or ill-nourished for days and even years on end. That is why this journal is important. It shares all aspects of food systems with a particular focus on Africa. With over 1000 articles published in the past 20 years a lot of ground has been covered. Without the many well-wishers, including authors who trust us with their manuscripts, reviewers who peer-review the papers, our Editorial Board who provide guidance, the secretariat who work tirelessly to ensure thorough and professional processing of the manuscripts, we would not be here today, 20 years later. From the time we started publishing, we have never missed a single year. Right from the start, friends I knew, colleagues, and organizations believed in us and committed resources: finances, editorial, reviewing, and generally goodwill. Some of the individuals that started with us are still on this journey with us. For 15 years or so, we did not charge anything. We continued to struggle especially after some good donors decided that we needed to find a better way of sustaining the journal. I can testify to the fact that there are not many options when it comes to sustaining a scholarly journal. I work for free as I saw this as my professional legacy right from the beginning. Yet, I have those who support the journal, that must be compensated. Reviewers are crucial to the success of the journal. We have nearly 200 from across the globe. We do not pay them but they enjoy certain benefits that keep them motivated, including JUST being my friend and believing in the cause. Starting to charge authors was one of the most difficult decisions we ever made, as we are aware of the economic situations of countries across Africa. We devote quite a bit of time discussing with authors regarding payment. Somehow, we are managing. The secretariat is amazing. Their contributions are hardly fully compensated. Thank God, the baby that was born 20 years ago has survived and is now a young adult, ready to fly into the world, and has now connected to every corner of this globe. Food matters concern everyone and especially now during the global pandemic; food and nutrition matters, and sustainability during climate change are of global concern and worth sharing. We have attempted to bring to the world, in our small way, that which is truly African. The same way we started with goodwill from friends and colleagues, is the same way we continue to seek help as we train and capacity-build the young scholars. Please help us and THANK YOU SO MUCH, everyone. Let us not retire from, or tire of addressing hunger in our midst.

HAVE A JOYFUL, SAFE AND BLESSED YEAR, THE YEAR 2021.

Ruth Oniang'o
Editor-in-Chief, AJFAND



Note: In this issue, we have 15 well reviewed articles, and a Guest Editorial by Dr Denis Kyetere, outgoing CEO of AATF(African Agricultural Technology Foundation), who has done a 10-year stellar tenure promoting Africa friendly agricultural technologies. Please contact us if you have something interesting to share through a commentary or Guest Editorial. I take this opportunity to invite bilingual reviewers. We continue to receive more submissions in French and would appreciate more support here, scientist who operate in this fields we cover.
ENJOY. - Editor-in-Chief