Category Archives: Agriculture

Agriculture

Diseases Wreak Havoc in Cassava Fields in Africa

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NAIROBI, KENYA – In Africa, demand for the cassava plant has grown significantly over the years. The continent produces 60 percent of the crop in the world. But the crop is drastically declining in East and Central Africa due to diseases that reduce production.

More than 160 million people in east, central and southern Africa depend on cassava as a stable food and a source of income.

Production of the crop has significantly dropped due to the cassava mosaic and cassava brown streak diseases.

According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO], the brown streak disease is worse since it affects the root of the crop. These two diseases are creating havoc in Africas agricultural lands.

Improvements necessary

The acting head of the FAO in eastern and central Africa, Luca Alinovi, said the agency has invested to improve the situation in the African fields, but it is not getting better.

Doing right or wrong on cassava has a huge impact on the food security of the people in this region, has such a relevance in our daily lives that we tend to forget it because it appeared in a kind of technical discussion. And I want to bring to your attention that, although it is a technical issue it requires knowledge and requires research, said Alinovi.

The head of the European Union Rural Development and Agriculture program in Kenya, Dominique Davoux, said that over the years the cassava diseases have evolved, and there is need to invest in research to fight the diseases.

We supported the cassava initially, there has been [a] stop in the support, the research slugged [lagged] behind, and the disease reinvented itself [and] propagated again. We have to re-address the issue, said Davoux.

The FAO says a minimum of $100 million is needed to support clean farm production, disease surveillance and research, and market and micro-finance development across the cassava production chain.

Experts warn failure to do so means the cassava disease likely will reach Nigeria, the biggest producer of cassava in Africa.

Agriculture

Briquetting Of Biomass – Create Bio Briquettes From Agriculture Waste

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Briquette fuel produced from briquetting of biomass is fairly good substitute for coal, lignite, firewood. Fuel from biomass briquetting is the process of converting low bulk density biomass into high density and energy concentrated bio briquettes. Compared to fire wood or loose biomass, bio briquette gives much higher boiler efficiency because of low moisture and higher density.
* Biomass Briquettes coal is cheaper than usual coal.
* Oil, coal or lignite, once used, cannot be replaced.
* High sulfur content of oil and coal, when burnt, pollutes the environment. There is no sulfur in biomass Briquettes coal.
* Biomass briquettes have a higher practical thermal value and much lower ash content (2-10% as compared to 20-40% in coal).
* There is no fly ash when burning briquettes fuel.
* Briquettes fuel has consistent quality, has high burning efficiency, and is ideally sized for complete combustion.
* Combustion is more uniform compared to coal and boiler response to changes in steam requirements is faster due to higher quantity of volatile matter in briquettes.
* Briquettes are usually produced near the consumption centers and supplies do not depend on erratic transport from long distances.
The composition of the Briquettes biomass varies by area due to the availability of raw materials. The raw materials are gathered and compressed into briquetting machines in order to burn longer and make transportation of the goods easier. Compared to fossil fuels, the biomass briquettes produce low net total greenhouse gas emissions because the materials used are already a part of the carbon cycle.
Briquettes in India helps processing of the material in pieces of geometrically regular and uniform in each case form, almost same mass. Biomass Briquette manufacturers create additional raw materials of fine materials whose use is inefficient and inconvenient as well as recycled waste.
This can be prevented by using biomass briquettes for electricity generation instead of other energy sources. A renewable resource can be replaced as needed without hurting the planet or the inhabitants. Biomass in India is now used by many companies as it is environment friendly. Briquetting machine price can also be high. The fixed costs with creating those products are high because of the brand-new undeveloped technologies that concentrate on the extraction, production and storage within the fuel.

Agriculture

Los Angeles, Ca – Agriculture & Forestry

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Agriculture and forestry are two critical industries in Los Angeles, CA. Though it is the second-largest city in the U.S., LA was actually formerly known as the ‘breadbasket’ for the region. As industrialization grew, this focus waned and the city is currently 28th in agricultural production, with a gross production value of $278 million in 2005. In terms of forestry, the Angeles National Forest gives local residents a chance to enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities.

The Citybook.com online business directory details the many industry-related businesses in the agricultural and forestry areas at http://www.citybook.com/california/los-angeles/agriculture-forestry/agriculture-forestry-19-60101-627-0-60101.htm. Subject sections include commercial fishing, hydroponics, timber and logging, and wildlife services, among others.

All of those activities are available to those to visit the aforementioned national park. Fun activities like hunting and trail walking are great for youngsters, most who of whom have grown up with their faces plastered to a TV screen. Instilling an appreciation for the beauty of nature in the young is the first step to preserving the environment, as perhaps some will carry forward that feeling into adulthood.

In addition, fishing, in particular is a great way to build patience in young people. One does not order a fish to bite on the hook, like one can instantly conjure up ready food at a fast food restaurant. It can take hours of remaining still and quiet to catch a really good fish that later will adorn the dinner table. One can find out more about such agricultural and forestry activities in Los Angeles at http://www.citybook.com/california/los-angeles/agriculture-forestry/commercial-fishing-fisheries-5199-61250-627-0-60101.htm.

Hunting/trapping is another agricultural-related skill that park visitors can engage in. Though some are not happy about animals being killed with guns, in essence it is the same activity as fishing. Besides, millions of cattle are harvested each year to feed the ravenous American appetite for hamburgers. A list of agricultural consultants who can provide additional information on all of this can be found at http://www.citybook.com/california/los-angeles/agriculture-forestry/agricultural-consultants-5189-1124-627-52142-60101.htm.

Perhaps the biggest reason to visit the park is the opportunity to camp there. It is a unique experience to sleep with a ceiling of green trees and an open sky. With so many oxygen-cleaning plants around, it allows for the delivery of fresh air to lungs that are starving for it. In fact, it is sometimes hard to get back to city life and the attendant issues of fog and smog, especially in the Los Angeles area.

Plentiful recreation trails provide another source of enjoyment in nature. If one is lucky, forest dwellers such as foxes, deer and groundhogs can be viewed in their natural habitats. Known collectively as wildlife, the many species can be studied through the Los Angeles Wildlife Services, listed at http://www.citybook.com/california/los-angeles/agriculture-forestry/wildlife-services-5204-61256-627-55924-60101.htm.

Two major industries, timber and logging, also have a connection to agriculture and forestry. Though they are not without controversy millions across the nation enjoy the benefits of having finely cut wood available for a multitude of home-related building projects. If some trees need to be eliminated in order to make such products available, few would argue about the ethics involved in cutting down a natural resource.

Though agriculture and forestry are not the first things that come to mind when thinking of Los Angeles, both are critical pieces of the city and states character, and discerning residents do not neglect to take advantage of them.

Agriculture

Urban Governance and Infrastructure – Part 15

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Agriculture

The History And Agriculture Of The Wolfberry

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Wolfberry is the name given to the Chinese and European variety of the Goji berry. It actually goes by many other names and has more than 100 species. The Lyceum Barbarum Wolfberry is the most popular species of this plant. It is the best tasting one and is used for making Goji juice and for medicinal uses in Asia and India.

The Wolfberry is a shrub that can grow up to 10 feet with trailing vines spreading to up to 20 feet. In China it is cultivated in large plantations for commercial use. These commercial farms use conventional chemical methods to grow the Wolfberry and protect it from insect damage. The largest growing area is the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, in Northern China. This is where they grow the Lyceum Barbarum Wolfberry. This species was originally taken from Tibet and the Himalayan region.

Other varieties of this plant can be found growing wild in various parts of the world including the UK. It is known as the Wolfberry and also has other names, like The Box Thorn Fruit and The Matrimony Vine Fruit. This plant grows wild in the cooler parts of Europe and Asia.

In Tibet and Inner Mongolia the Wolfberry is known as the Goji Berry. It is one of the protected medicinal plants in this area. Because of its use as a medicine plant the Wolfberry is grown organically there with no additional chemicals. The areas it grows in are labeled as “wild places” and are relatively untouched by urban development. An organization Co-op for the Goji farmers that ensures they get fair prices and help continue growing Wolfberry plants, was created in 1975. The Tanaduk Institute has also helped to protect the medicinal plants grown in this region. Several monasteries in India also grow medicinal plants including the Wolfberry. They are grown organically here and are sold on a limited basis.

The plants are quite easy to grow and can be started from seed. The seeds take around 7 days to germinate. The Wolfberry can also be cultivated from roots. It is resistant to drought and can withstand temperatures of -15 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. The Wolfberry prefers light soil for optimum growth but will grow in any soil. Ideally the plant prefers full sunlight but will also grow in partial shade.

You can cultivate The Wolfberry in containers. If you do this, you need to hand pollinate the Wolfberry flowers, to get the fruit. The fruits are quite vulnerable to insect damage so you should take steps to protect the plants when they are producing fruit. The Wolfberry plants begin to bear fruit from the age of 1 year and will produce heavy crops when they are between 4 and 5 years old. They start to bloom in early summer and develop fruit in late summer. The Wolfberry will continue to bear fruit until the first severe frost. The best way to get the maximum health benefits from this plant is to try to grow it naturally without chemicals, herbicides or insecticides.

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