“After more than a decade of agricultural flying in Africa and in the United States, most of it in turbine aircraft and a few years of mosquito control operations, also in turbine agricultural aircraft, I was amazed at how much I learned in the simulator. I knew there was always more to learn when it comes to flying but I really thought I had the engine handling down pat. Well it didn’t take Andy long to expose some glaring gaps in my knowledge of the PT-6 engine and it didn’t take him long to bring me up to par. There are many situations that can or should only be replicated in a simulator, ranging from loss of oil pressure and hung starts to being caught in a thunderstorm. Experiencing these events in the simulator gave me much more confidence and peace of mind in my daily operations knowing I could handle emergencies and situations I would have been totally unprepared for before my simulator course. I went on the refresher course a year after my initial to bring me back up to speed and I again found that very worthwhile. You don’t want to be scratching your head trying to remember the procedure for an air start while the altimeter is unwinding. Take the course, I’m glad I did.”
Giovanni (Johnny) Falzoi, (Florida, USA)
“I have been flying turbine ag-aircraft since 1981 starting first with a 510 Turbo Thrush and PT6-34AG engine. In 2007 and 2008 I attended a flight simulator course in Orlando Fl, to satisfy a local aviation authority requirement. The course was on an Air Tractor 502 simulator. I always enjoy learning and adding to my knowledge and this course did not disappoint. Much time was spent on engine management, engine failures, air-starts, FCU override practice, along with flying situations such as upset recovery and dead stick landings. After thirty-six plus years flying it was great to be able to simulate all the situations and know the proper procedures to follow. The instructor, Andy Montague, along with being very personable, has many years experience as an aerial applicator. He has a wealth of information to offer, and is also open to student input. I recommend this course to pilots in the Ag business whether for initial transition to turbine aircraft or for seasoned pilots like myself who wish to hone their skills. Currently in my career I fly 550 Turbo Thrushes spraying(PT6-60AG) and AT-802 's (PT6-67AG) in both spraying and fire bombing roles and consider this course a definite plus”.
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Monday, June 28, 2010
Causes of Food Insecurity
Dairy co-operative in Pondicherry
Dairy co-operative in Pondicherry © Peter ArmstrongAcross the country 75% of farms cover less than two hectares; in Bihar this figure rises to over 95%. Over 60% of crops are rain-fed. The rural investment necessary to support this profile of agriculture - efficient transport and communications, reliable microfinance and cooperative management structures – has not been forthcoming and middlemen hold the upper hand.
Regulations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which force Indian farmers to compete on an unlevel playing field have undermined the sector. Agricultural imports have increased four times since the WTO came into effect in 1995. It can be no surprise that India's insistence on special protection for its farmers was a vital factor in the collapse of the Doha round of WTO negotiations.
Dairy co-operative in Pondicherry © Peter ArmstrongAcross the country 75% of farms cover less than two hectares; in Bihar this figure rises to over 95%. Over 60% of crops are rain-fed. The rural investment necessary to support this profile of agriculture - efficient transport and communications, reliable microfinance and cooperative management structures – has not been forthcoming and middlemen hold the upper hand.
Regulations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which force Indian farmers to compete on an unlevel playing field have undermined the sector. Agricultural imports have increased four times since the WTO came into effect in 1995. It can be no surprise that India's insistence on special protection for its farmers was a vital factor in the collapse of the Doha round of WTO negotiations.
Food Security in India
Chronic food insecurity is the most prominent symptom of poverty in India. According to UNICEF, 42.5% of all young children were underweight in 2008, many of them in the more serious categories of wasting and stunting. Any improvement in this indicator since 1990 has been far too slow to satisfy the MDG target of halving hunger.
Poor standards of nutrition undermine all health indicators. Almost half of all Indian babies are born underweight and 5% die within a year of birth. The risk of haemorrhage in childbirth is aggravated by anaemia, a diet-related condition which affects almost all pregnant women in India.
Per capita consumption of the crucial protein in pulses has declined to about 20% of recommended intake. Less food is available to rural households than in the 1950s. This is a worrying platform on which to build food security strategies for 2050 by which time India’s population is projected to grow from 1.2 billion to 1.7 billion.
Poor standards of nutrition undermine all health indicators. Almost half of all Indian babies are born underweight and 5% die within a year of birth. The risk of haemorrhage in childbirth is aggravated by anaemia, a diet-related condition which affects almost all pregnant women in India.
Per capita consumption of the crucial protein in pulses has declined to about 20% of recommended intake. Less food is available to rural households than in the 1950s. This is a worrying platform on which to build food security strategies for 2050 by which time India’s population is projected to grow from 1.2 billion to 1.7 billion.
Standard agriculture
In today's high-tech world, even the most conventional areas of human activities get a digital flair. Modern farms and agricultural companies actively use the Internet to sell their products and offer services, not to mention the fact that the process of managing a large farm or an agricultural complex these days requires efficient computer-based tools, such as ERP and CRM systems. These tools solve a wide range of problems associated with agricultural activities and assists owners both in managing their resources and maintaining connections with external suppliers, distributors and authorities. If you are a developer working on a complex solution for the agricultural industry, or a relatively small Intranet application, or a website of an agricultural company, you will need to reflect the essence of the business in your design for better navigation and improved usability. If drawing calves and farmers is not exactly what you do best of all, entrust this into the hands of professionals and take a closer look at Standard Agriculture Icons!Standard Agriculture Icons is a comprehensive set of professionally-drawn icons related to everything agricultural - farming, animals, cattle, breeding, trading, medical care, measurements, production, accounting, agricultural infrastructure, transportation and more. Each of these icons was created with great attention to detail and will satisfy the needs of the most demanding users. Each icon is available in a variety of sizes - 16x16, 20x20, 24x24, 32x32, 48x48, 128x128 and 256x256 pixels - and colors - 256 and True Color versions are available. All this makes it possible to use the icons anywhere in your application - from a splash screen to menu items. The images in the set are provided in ICO, PNG, GIF and BMP formats, which saves you the trouble of having to convert them on your own. And if you still want to add your own touch to any of the icons, use the included vector source files in the Adobe Illustrator format!
Standard Agriculture Icons 2008.1 Icons and Cursors software developed by Aha-soft. The license of this icons and cursors software is demo, the price is $99.95, you can free download and get a free trial before you buy a registration or license. Do not use warez version, crack, serial numbers, registration codes, pirate key for this icons and cursors software Standard Agriculture Icons. If you want to get a full and unlimited version of Standard Agriculture Icons, you should buy from original publisher Aha-soft.
Standard Agriculture Icons 2008.1 Icons and Cursors software developed by Aha-soft. The license of this icons and cursors software is demo, the price is $99.95, you can free download and get a free trial before you buy a registration or license. Do not use warez version, crack, serial numbers, registration codes, pirate key for this icons and cursors software Standard Agriculture Icons. If you want to get a full and unlimited version of Standard Agriculture Icons, you should buy from original publisher Aha-soft.
Migao Corp and Hanfeng Evergreen
Hanfeng is a leading developer and producer of slow and controlled release (S&CR) fertilizer in China and South East Asia. Hanfeng derives its revenues from the sale of these fertilizers products. Its main expenses are linked to the acquisition of raw materials, labour and ongoing operations. Hanfeng’s key assets include its production plants, inventories and cash. Its liabilities include loans, as well as unearned revenues. Migao operates fertilizer production plants across China to produce specialty potash fertilizers, namely potassium nitrate and potassium sulphate. Migao derives its revenues from the sale of these fertilizers. Its main expenses include the acquisition of raw materials, labour, maintenance and SG&A. Migao’s key assets include inventory, accounts receivable, prepaid deposits, and production plants. Its liabilities include bank loans and accounts payable. Both Hanfeng and Migao operate fertilizer businesses in China and their business models are comparable. The growth of both the companies is tied to the growth of agriculture in China. With 20% of the world’s population and only 7% of the world’s arable lands, the use of fertilizers to increase crop yields is on the rise in China.
Central guidelines for watershed mgmt
w Delhi/ Dehra Dun: The Centre has issued new guidelines to boost productivity under the watershed management development programmes (WMDPs) in India with special focus on proper utilisation of heavy funds.
Watershed management has emerged as an effective tool to enhance the productivity of agriculture, horticulture, fishery and other livelihood-oriented sectors, which in turn boost the economy of a particular area. But despite heavy funding from the centre and other international donor agencies like the World Bank, the watershed programme has not made much headway in the country.
Through the new plan, each ministry at the centre would set up a central nodal agency comprising experts to ensure smooth flow of funds to district watershed development units (DWDUs) and allocate budgetary outlay among the states by adopting criteria evolved in the guidelines. The nodal agency would ensure suitable system of monitoring, social auditing and impact assessment and support capacity-building programmes.
The Dehra-Dun-based Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute (CSWCRTI) has been made the nodal organisation for capacity building of the watershed programmes, its Director V N Sharda said. “Our main role will be for capacity building and develop new model villages under the watershed programme,” Sharda added. After developing several model villages, some of which have been working successfully for over 35 years, CSWCRTI is developing a new model village in Chakrata region of Dehra Dun district.
The national rainfed area authority (NRAA) has also been given the task to develop strategic plans for watershed development projects and prepare state-specific manuals. The NRAA will also provide technical input and expertise and organize conferences and workshops.
A national level data centre and national portal are also being set up under the NRAA for preparing country-wide data and archival data for programmes. A state level nodal agency (SLNA) has also been proposed. The central funding will be directly transferred to SLNA and not through state departments.
Watershed management has emerged as an effective tool to enhance the productivity of agriculture, horticulture, fishery and other livelihood-oriented sectors, which in turn boost the economy of a particular area. But despite heavy funding from the centre and other international donor agencies like the World Bank, the watershed programme has not made much headway in the country.
Through the new plan, each ministry at the centre would set up a central nodal agency comprising experts to ensure smooth flow of funds to district watershed development units (DWDUs) and allocate budgetary outlay among the states by adopting criteria evolved in the guidelines. The nodal agency would ensure suitable system of monitoring, social auditing and impact assessment and support capacity-building programmes.
The Dehra-Dun-based Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute (CSWCRTI) has been made the nodal organisation for capacity building of the watershed programmes, its Director V N Sharda said. “Our main role will be for capacity building and develop new model villages under the watershed programme,” Sharda added. After developing several model villages, some of which have been working successfully for over 35 years, CSWCRTI is developing a new model village in Chakrata region of Dehra Dun district.
The national rainfed area authority (NRAA) has also been given the task to develop strategic plans for watershed development projects and prepare state-specific manuals. The NRAA will also provide technical input and expertise and organize conferences and workshops.
A national level data centre and national portal are also being set up under the NRAA for preparing country-wide data and archival data for programmes. A state level nodal agency (SLNA) has also been proposed. The central funding will be directly transferred to SLNA and not through state departments.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
AGRICULTURE IN CUBA TODAY
Cuba is now one of the world leaders in biofertilisers, with a highly impressive production of organic food. This agricultural approach has breathed new life into rural communities and done a great deal to stem rural migration to urban areas. It is the envy of international organizations promoting organic farming and sustainable development. Cuban farmers and researchers are applying traditional and alternative technologies to food production and forging ahead towards their ultimate goal of total sustainability.
cuba urban agricultureAnother area in which an innovative approach has been applied is that of urban agriculture. Havana is the largest city in the Caribbean, housing 20% of Cuba’s population. Food shortages and the lack of fuel for distribution had a catastrophic effect on the city in the early nineties so the establishment of private gardens, state-owned research gardens and popular gardens employing around 25,000 urban farmers has been of inestimable value in maintaining the capital’s food supplies. The popular gardens range in size from a few square metres to large plots of land which are cultivated by individuals or community groups. They yield important food supplies to local communities in addition to the medicinal plants prescribed for all manner of ailments by local yerberos.
In 2006 one cannot yet declare that everything in the Cuban garden’s lovely, but it would be churlish to deny the agricultural achievements of recent years:
By 1999, there were gains in yields for 16 of 18 major crops, potato, cabbage, malanga, bean and pepper yields having higher yields than Central America and being above the average yields in the world.
By the end of 2000, food availability in Cuba reached daily levels of 2600 calories and more than 68 grams of protein (the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation considers 2400 calories and 72 grams of protein per day to be sufficient).
By 2002, 35,000 acres of urban gardens produced 3.4 million tons of food. In Havana, 90% of the city's fresh produce came from local urban farms and gardens, all organic. In 2003, more than 200,000 Cubans worked in the expanding urban agriculture sector.
In 2003, the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture was using less than 50% of the diesel fuel it used in 1989, less than 10% of the chemical fertilisers and less than 7% of the synthetic insecticides. A chain of 220 bio-pesticide centres provided safe alternatives for pest control.
The ongoing National Program for Soil Improvement and Preservation benefited 475,000 hectares of land in 2004, up 23,000 hectares in 2003. The annual production of 5 million tonnes of composted soil by a network of worm farms is part of this process.
AGRICULTURE IN CUBA TODAY
cuba urban agricultureAnother area in which an innovative approach has been applied is that of urban agriculture. Havana is the largest city in the Caribbean, housing 20% of Cuba’s population. Food shortages and the lack of fuel for distribution had a catastrophic effect on the city in the early nineties so the establishment of private gardens, state-owned research gardens and popular gardens employing around 25,000 urban farmers has been of inestimable value in maintaining the capital’s food supplies. The popular gardens range in size from a few square metres to large plots of land which are cultivated by individuals or community groups. They yield important food supplies to local communities in addition to the medicinal plants prescribed for all manner of ailments by local yerberos.
In 2006 one cannot yet declare that everything in the Cuban garden’s lovely, but it would be churlish to deny the agricultural achievements of recent years:
By 1999, there were gains in yields for 16 of 18 major crops, potato, cabbage, malanga, bean and pepper yields having higher yields than Central America and being above the average yields in the world.
By the end of 2000, food availability in Cuba reached daily levels of 2600 calories and more than 68 grams of protein (the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation considers 2400 calories and 72 grams of protein per day to be sufficient).
By 2002, 35,000 acres of urban gardens produced 3.4 million tons of food. In Havana, 90% of the city's fresh produce came from local urban farms and gardens, all organic. In 2003, more than 200,000 Cubans worked in the expanding urban agriculture sector.
In 2003, the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture was using less than 50% of the diesel fuel it used in 1989, less than 10% of the chemical fertilisers and less than 7% of the synthetic insecticides. A chain of 220 bio-pesticide centres provided safe alternatives for pest control.
The ongoing National Program for Soil Improvement and Preservation benefited 475,000 hectares of land in 2004, up 23,000 hectares in 2003. The annual production of 5 million tonnes of composted soil by a network of worm farms is part of this process.
AGRICULTURE IN CUBA TODAY
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