Eleven Million in Sahel Face Severe Food Insecurity
A U.N. agency says 11 million people in Africas Sahel region still face severe food insecurity. At the same time, an emergency appeal for 113 million dollars has gone largely unmet.
De Capua report on Sahel food insecurity
The Food and Agriculture Organization says the Sahel has faced food insecurity crises in 2005, 2008 and again in 2012. Those crises, it says, have eroded the capacity of the poor to maintain or restore their livelihoods.
In Dakar, Patrick David, FAOs deputy coordinator for food security analysis for West Africa and the Sahel, said, There is still a lot of people in food insecurity. The people more and more find some difficulty to recover from the past crisis even if there is a good harvest because there have been pretty good harvests in 2012.
David said many people in the Sahel depend on a few cattle and a small piece of land for survival. So, its hard for them to stock up any reserve food or agricultural supplies in the event of drought, conflict or bad harvest.
While before it would take one or two years to recover, now its longer for those people to recover. Its difficult to restock cattle, for example. Its difficult for them to access agricultural credit to have good input[s] and to have fertilizer. And in some places in the Sahel, like in Burkina Faso and Niger, there [are] some dense populated area[s] where there is degradation of land and the loss of soil fertility. That means their agricultural
yield[s] are decreasing year by year, he said.
That compounds the problems they already face as the price for grains, such as sorghum, millet and maize, continues to rise.
David said, The poor and the very poor households, as soon as theyve exhausted their little harvest, totally depend [on] the market. So they have to buy the grain at higher and higher prices. So their purchasing power is decreasing every year.
Insecurity, such as the recent conflict in northern Mali, can also boost prices because agricultural products cannot get to market.
The FAO has appealed for $113 million for its programs in the Sahel. However, its only received less that $19.5 million so far.
The intervention of FAO strengthens the resilience of the affected households. But when the affected households cannot receive the good seeds and the good fertilizer or cannot recapitalize their livestock, they stay very vulnerable and its a problem for the next year. So we definitely need additional support for the farmers and agriculture in order to decrease the impact of the forthcoming crisis, he said.
Building resilience includes improving the storage, processing and transportation of goods as well as livestock food supplements, animal health campaigns and herd restocking. The Food and Agriculture Organization programs also include fixing irrigation systems.
The FAO said it would like these programs to be in place and making a difference during the next growing season which runs from October through April
Usda Rural Developmentocean Springs, Ms
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Laos – Strengths And Weaknesses
Laos is one of the poorest countries in all of Southeast Asia with a great percentage of its people in poverty. It’s wedged in between two vastly larger and vastly more successful countries, leaving it in the dust in terms of economical growth and prosperity of its people. Laos has been fighting and gaining political independence, breaking free from its French Protectorate roots in 1949. Its civil war also brought it political freedom from communism in 1975. Laos is probably most familiar to Americans due to its role in the Vietnam War.
Laos is and always has been heavily dependent on its neighbors. Cities continue to grow due to trade but one of the biggest issues plaguing the country is its lack of infrastructure, a major weakness. There are hardly any railways to allow for the transportation of goods and, even though the major roadways have gotten paved in the past few years, most of the country is still only accessible through unpaved roadways. Communication also poses a problem as most of the area, outside of the major urban development, is inaccessible even to electricity, a weakness both to visitors and its citizens.
One of the major sources of pride to Laos is the Lao Brewery. There are 3 types of beer produced, all varying shades of the name Beerlao. Beerlao has actually grown in popularity across the globe and at the moment has 12 countries of export. This list is increasing and the effects are also helping to increase the country’s economy as a whole. Most of the GDP is still in the form of subsistence agriculture, equating for more than half and also provides 80% of the employment in the country. The government has been utilizing reforms and developing things such as International Rice Research Institute, one of the great strengths.
The Laos economy also receives aid from such sources as ICF, ADB, and other such international institutions. There have also been an increasing number of foreign investments to help grow Laos’ society and industry. Tourism is actually the fastest growing industry but on the flip side of what Laos has to offer, its smartest people are being taken away. In 2000 alone, they suffered a skilled emigration rate of 37.4% which has been a weakness to the industries. While Laos is considered a poor country with many citizens in poverty, it is high in valuable substances and commodities like rice, a key strength of the country. The country and foreign investors are working to help to grow Laos into a thriving nation. It you want to experience something truly amazing then Laos would be for you.
[Top]Ismailis In Iran
Tradition has it that Imam Muhammad bin Ismail left Medina and went to southern Iraq, where he acquired the epithet of al-maktum (veiled one), and then at Nishapur in disguise, where he lodged for some times. Afterwards, the Imam proceeded towards Ray, about 15 miles from Tehran. Ishaq bin al-Abbas al-Farsi, the Abbasid governor of Ray professed Ismailism. Imam betrothed to Fatima, the daughter of Sarah, sister of Ishaq bin al-Abbas. When the news of Imam Muhammad bin Ismail’s stay at Ray reached the ears of Harun ar-Rashid, he wrote to Ishaq bin al-Abbas, ordering to arrest the Imam and send him to Baghdad. Upon receipt of caliph’s letter, he showed it to the Imam and replied to the caliph that he found no trace of the Imam, and would send as soon as he was arrested, and thus he tried to put the caliph off the scent. But the spies planted by Baghdad reported to the caliph that Imam Muhammad bin Ismail not only was living at governor’s house, but that he was operating his mission from there. Upon this, the caliph wrote another letter to Ishaq bin al-Abbas, impugning him to come in person with his forces if his orders were not obeyed forthwith. The governor however made his usual reply. Meanwhile, the complaints about Ali bin Musa bin Mahan, the governor of Khorasan reached the point where Harun ar-Rashid could no longer ignore them, and adopted a militant stance. In 189/805, he marched towards Ray with a detachment of his army, and after searching for the Imam through a tracking party, ordered to arrest Ishaq bin al-Abbas. Ishaq died as a result of severe torture inflicted upon him, and was rigorously flogged till death. He did not waver and stood steadfast in spite of excruciating tortures. In spite of the gloomy situation, his faith remained unshakable.
Imam Muhammad bin Ismail selected Hurmuz as a mission centre, and then had made his footing at the fortified city of Nihawand, where he stayed with the governor, Mansur bin Jowshan, who had close ties with Ishaq bin al-Abbas. He allotted the Imam a piece of land in the district of Sarha, where he led a peaceful living. It is related that the Abbasid agent, named Muhammad bin Ali al-Khorasani, who surprised the Imam in a mosque, traced the Imam out on one day in Sarha. He was greatly impressed to behold the Imam, and lost courage to arrest him, and permitted the Imam to escape. Thence, the Imam went to Azar in Khuzistan. The Imam then proceeded to Shapur. Disguised as a merchant, he stayed in Shapur with a certain Qamas bin Nuh, whose daughter Rabta, he married. When the Abbasids intensified their search for the Ismaili Imam to its extreme, Imam Muhammad bin Ismail had to travel out of Iran
Imam Wafi Ahmad came to settle down in Nihawand, and betrothed to Amina, daughter of Hamdan, son of Mansur bin Jowshan, who was from Kazirun. The brother of Wafi Ahmad also married here and had a posterity. Imam Wafi Ahmad further on repaired to Daylam with his 32 trusted da’is, where he got married with an Alid lady in the village of Ashnash. The adoption of strict taqiya, and moving from one to another place, forced the Imam to assign the mission works to his brother, Hussain bin Muhammad. It is most possible that Imam Wafi Ahmad lived in Suk al-Ahwaz for a short period.
In Iran, the Ismailis founded their state in the fort of Alamut, where they ruled for about 171 years. Soon after the fall of Alamut, the Ismailis resided in different villages. The Imams also passed peaceful living as traders, farmers or local persons. In 1841, Imam Hasan Ali Shah left Iran for India. The condition of the Ismailis was worse for about a century. Poor economical condition, living in villages, agriculture, spinners, some employed as teachers or in army.
The King Reza Shah Pehelvi ascended in 1921 in Iran, and gave liberty to the people to practice their faith. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah admired his policy and published a letter in London Times in appreciation of the new policy of Iran, and made a forecast of a bright future of Iran. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah also propagated the splendid culture of Iran in Europe. The Iranians began to cultivate high regards for him.
In 1933, the 1000th anniversary of the poet Firdawsi was celebrated in Iran. Since Imam liked his poetry, he introduced the poet through his writings in the newspapers in Europe. In 1937, he also arranged to place a plate on the front entrance of the edifice of the League of Nations in Geneva, the following verse of poet Firdawsi:- “Whole mankind is like the different organs of one body. If one organ is injured, the other organs have to suffer.”
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah visited Iran in 1951. When his airplane landed at Mehrabad airport, loud cheers of joy and continued clapping of hands filled the air with deafening noise. Hakim al-Mulk, the member of the royal court, was the first to greet him on behalf of the king of Iran. Then the gentry and elite of the city of Tehran led by Aqai Ruknuddin Ashyani, welcomed the Imam. One of the relatives of the Imam presented the Koran and a bunch of flowers to the Imam. When the ceremonies ended, the Imam looked at the sky and the scene around him, and said with a smile, “What a lovely and beautiful country I have! I had been cherishing for years the desire to visit my beloved native land.” He was then led to Royal Palace of Princess Shams.
The Imam and the Begum then had an audience with the king. On his return to the palace, he also met the diplomats connected with the embassies of England, Egypt and India. He and the Begum spent the evening in the company of Princes Shams Pehlavi, the daughter of the late king. On February 11, the king of Iran awarded the Imam the title of The Order of the Crown First Class. The Imam also attended the marriage of the king on February 12, and presented one case of pure gold, one bangle of gold set with jewels, one lion and the sun with the royal crown set on it. The hand bangle of pure gold contained diamonds and emeralds set in it. During the conclusion of his tour in Iran, the Imam had appointed Timsar Amir Asad Shah Khalili as his agent, who led the Ismailis into a new era and many new schools and jamatkhanas were built in the villages where Ismailis resided.
After assuming the Imamate, the Present Imam visited Iran to see his followers. He arrived at Tehran on October 24, 1959 where he was accorded a warm welcome. He then went to see the king of Iran, and stayed in the palace of Bashgah Afasaran as a royal guest. On next day, he took a lunch with the king, and also attended the birth anniversary of the king on October 27, 1959. The Imam visited Ispahan on October 28, where the governor, Farzanigana, greeted him with great pomp. The village of Meimeh is about 100 kilometers from Ispahan, where a grand didar program had been arranged. Imam visited there on October 29, 1959 to see his followers who were accommodated in 800 tents. The Imam then returned to Ispahan on the same day and took lunch with the governor. He also attended a tea-party being arranged by Akbar Mirza Masud Sarm-i Dawla, the close relative of Lady Aly Shah, and the grandson of Nasiruddin Shah. On the evening, the Imam reached at Shiraz, and on October 31, 1959 he went to Birjand to give didar to his followers. Col. Abdul Ali Khan Shah Khalili, a well-known Ismaili leader had arranged the entire arrangements.
The Imam finally returned to Tehran on November 1, 1959 and held a press conference before evening. He announced for one million shillings for the foundation of a hostel in Tehran University. He also declared a donation of 40,000 shillings per year to the Red Lion and Sun Society of Iran, which continued for five years. At the evening, the Imam had a tea-party with the king of Iran. The Imam was honoured with the title of His Royal Highness. He attended a dinner party of the king, lasted till 11.00 p.m., and left Tehran for Geneva at 1.00 a.m. on November 2, 1959. The Imam also visited Iran to attend the coronation ceremony of the king of Iran on October 26, 1967, which was celebrated at Golestan Palace.
In Iran, the Ismailis are called Muridan-i-Aga Khan (the followers of the Aga Khan), and the jamatkhana is called Khanaqah Panjtani. The Ismailis have populated it for nearly 450 years in Dizbad, which boasts a high school in the name of Nasir Khusaro, and Syed Suleman Badakhshani established it in 1940 according to the advice of the Imam. In Khusk, there is a primary school, which was erected by Mulla Murad according to the Imam’s instructions.
[Top]Briquetting Of Biomass – Create Bio Briquettes From Agriculture Waste
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.