Agriculture

India Increasing Use Of Organic Farming

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Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar believes that Indias rapidly expanding production of organic agricultural goods can play a critical role in the future of the countys organic food trade.

Organic agriculture in India has made good progress during the last six years, Pawar stated while speaking in front of the parliamentary consultative committee for his ministry on Wednesday. With a combined effect of farmers efforts, NGOs work, government interventions and market forces, Indian organic agriculture has reached a stage where it can play a significant role not only in the growing domestic market, but also in global organic food trade.

Pawar said his ministry is promoting and spreading organic farming throughout the country with a variety of state-funded projects like the National Horticulture Mission, the National Project on Organic Farming, the Technology Mission for the Northeast and Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.

In India, as against 42,000 hectares under certified organic farming during the 2003-04, initial estimates for 2009-10 indicate organic agriculture under certification has grown to 1.05 million hectares. Out of this, nearly 750,000 hectares are fully certified while the remaining 300,000 hectares are under various stages of conversion.

Pawar believes that organic farming is an ideal option for raid-fed, marginal land, and hilly areas and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has initiated an All India Network Project on organic farming to scientifically test and prove the most effective methodologies in organic farming.

Promotion of organic farming will not only ensure increased availability of organic and biological sources of nutrients, but will also provide technologies and information which help other forms of agriculture in restoring soil health and conservation of resources, the minister said.

In addition to national initiatives in the organic farming field, a collection of state governments have also initiated their own organic farming promotion programs. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand have drafted policies for the promotion of organic farming and, of those, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand have declared that they wish to go 100 percent organic in the future.

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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