Delay in fixing prices: sugarcane growers stage protest demonstration

Expressing voice concern over delaying in fixation sugarcane prices for this year, dozens of growers staged a protest demonstration on main Sher Shah Suri Road near Press Club here on Monday, demanding the government to fix prices as per growing ratio of price-hike in the country.

The protest demonstration was spearheaded by Kisan Council District Peshawar, Arbab Mohammad Jamil, along with dozens of sugar cane growers. The protesting farmers were carrying placards and banner, inscribed slogans in favour of their demands, and against the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government. The protesters marched from Peshawar Press Club to Jinnah Park on main Trunk Road, where they staged a sit-in against the provincial government.

Talking to reporters, Arbab Jamil said the provincial government is using delaying tactics in announcement of sugar cane prices for the next season, which is sheer injustice with the poor farmers. He demanded the prices should be fixed at Rs 300 per/40 kilogram for this current year. The growers' leader said the arrangement should be made to export 'Gur' (raw form of sweet) to foreign countries, especially Middle East and Central Asian States. For this purpose, he urged the authorities to proper guide farmers and facilitation for them to export Gur to other countries.

Kisan Council demanded the government to lift ban on export of poplar wood to neighbouring Afghanistan and to restore the irrigation system through 'civil canal' in Duadzai an area of outskirt of Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The growers warned if the government failed to accept their demands forthwith, then they would compel on self-immolation in front of Chief Minister House.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2013

Silviculture

Silviculture is an important subject of forestry. It is tie forestry as Agronomy in to agriculture, in that it is concerned with the technology of crop production. It has been defined in a number of ways. Following are the accepted definitions of silviculture.

1. Silviculture is that branch of forestry which deals with the establishment, development, care and reproduction of stands of timber. By Tourney and Karstien

2. Silviculture is the art and science of cultivating forest crops. By Indian Forest and forest products Teminology (1957)

3. Generally, The science and art of cultivating (e.g. growing and tending) of forest crops, based on a knowledge of silvios. More particularly, the theory and practice of establishment, composition, constitution and growth of forests. By Society of American Foresters (1983)

4. Silviculture refers to certain aspects of theory and practice of raising forest crops, methods of raising tree crops, their growth and after care up to the time of final harvesting. By Rao (1987)

In simple words, Silviculture is the growing and tending stands of trees. Silva is the Latin word for forest and culture for cultivation. Therefore, without exaggeration, Silviculture is the Real art of forest.

Silviculture is very important and essential when human beings wish to manage the forests.

a. To accelerate the wildlife, timber and forage production.

b. To increase the Recreation values and Watershed values.

Original Article Here

Gambia: U.S. $20.28 Million Grant to Boost Agriculture

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide a US$20.28 million grant to The Gambia to help improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers, with a particular attention to rural women and youths in the country.

The financing agreement for the National Agriculture Land and Water Management Development Project was signed today by Abdou Kolley, minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, and Kanayo F. Nwanze, president of IFAD.

In The Gambia, agriculture is an important sector for the country's economy, employing over 72 per cent of the population and contributing about 30 per cent to the gross domestic product.

Most Gambians living in rural areas are extremely poor and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Women, in particular, who make up a large proportion of this group, lack economic opportunities and access to productive resources like credit, land, skills and services.

The project will enhance rice and vegetable production nationwide through sustainable land and water management practices to help smallholder farmers increase their incomes.

The project will increase the productivity of limited farmland and support improvements to infrastructure such as water and roads. It will strengthen farmers' organizations to help commercialize their activities to boost household incomes.

The project aims to transform the Gambian agricultural sector from simply subsistence farming to an increasingly efficient market system. It will contribute to the objectives of both the Gambia National Agricultural Investment Plan and Programme for Accelerated Growth and Employment.

Co-financed by the government of The Gambia and the Islamic Development Bank, the project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, and about 22,000 poor rural households, including 660 young rural women and men will directly benefit from the project.

With this new project, IFAD will have financed 10 programmes and projects in The Gambia for a total investment of approximately $73.9 million benefitting 149,200 households, since 1982.

IFAD works with poor rural people to enable them to grow and sell more food, increase their incomes and determine the direction of their own lives. Since 1978, IFAD has invested almost US$14.3 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries through projects empowering about 400 million people to break out of poverty, thereby helping to create vibrant rural communities.

IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized UN agency based in Rome - the United Nations' food and agriculture hub. It is a unique partnership of 169 members from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), other developing countries and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Original Article Here

Kenya Q3 growth rate picks up on agriculture boost

By Muhammad Iqbal

NAIROBI: Kenya's economy expanded by 4.7 percent in the third quarter of this year from 4 percent in the same period last year, boosted by agriculture and manufacturing, the statistics office said on Monday.

On a seasonally-adjusted basis, east Africa's biggest economy grew by 2.2 percent in the third quarter, up from 0.5 percent in the second.

"The expansion was more robust in comparison to the preceding quarters of 2012 primarily due to strong performances of the agriculture and forestry, fishing, manufacturing, transport and communication and a turnaround in the performance of the electricity industry," the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement.

Economic growth in Kenya has been sluggish in the first half of the year as the economy expanded by 3.4 percent and 3.3 percent in the first two quarters, when key sectors like construction sagged under the weight of high interest rates.

Kenya's current account deficit narrowed 21 percent to 105.4 billion shillings ($1.23 billion) from 133.5 billion during the same period last year. However, the deficit widened compared to 63.3 billion shillings recorded in the second quarter of 2012.

A Reuters poll shows the economy should accelerate to 5.5 percent growth next year assuming March 2013 elections are peaceful and benign inflation gives the central bank room to cut official interest rates further.

The Finance Ministry has said the economy will grow 5.6 percent in 2013, outpacing this year's forecast of 5.1 percent, thanks to strong rains boosting farm output.

Copyright Reuters, 2012

Strong agriculture pulls up Kenya GDP growth to 4.7pc

By MWANIKI WAHOME,

 jwahome@ke.nationmedia.com

Agriculture powered the growth of the economy in the third quarter to record 4.7 per cent compared to 4 per cent in the same period last year.

The sector, that recorded a low of 2 per cent in the first quarter, dramatically improved in the third quarter to 6.9 per cent to anchor the growth of the economy that has been struggling to reach the 7.1 per cent growth rate experienced in 2007, before the post election violence that clawed back the gains.

Other sectors that registered high performance were manufacturing, transport and communication, and the electricity generation boosted by heavy rains in the country.

Other sub-sectors in agriculture that registered growth were forestry and fishing.

The effect of maize disease in South Rift was offset by the adequate rains in other parts of the country. Production of maize, beans, sugar cane and fruits improved significantly in the period under review.

“The expansion was more robust in comparison to preceding quarters of 2012 primarily due to strong performance of the agriculture and forestry, fishing, manufacturing, transport and communication and turnaround of the electricity industry,” said the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics in its latest report on the economy.

The period was characterised by low inflation that averaged 6.4 per cent compared to high 16.5 per cent in the same period in 2011 on account of lower food and fuel prices.

The interest rates remained high at 13.6 per cent which was however an improvement compared to 18 per cent in same period in 2011, which was attributed to Central Bank maintaining a tight monetary policy.

Manufacturing was buoyed by rebound in processing of sugar that recorded 48.7 per cent compared to 38.2 per cent in the same period last year. Others were beer at 17.1 per cent, wheat flour 16.3 per cent and maize meal 9.3 per cent. Motor vehicle tyres, laundry and toilet soaps recorded the highest growth in the non-food category.

Electricity and water supply increased by 13.7 per cent compared to 11.1 per cent due to the heavy rainfall, increasing hydro-power by 39 per cent and reducing thermal generation by 25.2 per cent. Geothermal production declined by 2.3 per cent in the period.

Hotels and restaurants were hit hard by terrorism and slowdown in economies of Europe and America as visitors reduced to 342,135 in the third quarter from 383,100 last year.

Construction was slowed down by high interest rates, recording only 0.6 per cent growth compared to 3.6 per cent last year which was mirrored by low production and consumption of cement. In the third quarter of 2011, cement production grew by 8.9 per cent and consumption by 7.7 per cent.

Transport and communication recorded 5.2 per cent growth in the period under review compared to 3.9 per cent last year boosted by the communication sub-sector that registered significant 54.5 per cent growth.

Despite the export cargo contracting by 24 per cent, the Mombasa port registered growth in volume of cargo mostly boosted by increase in imports that registered 11.4per cent.

The financial sector overcame the challenge of high interest rates to record 6.8 per cent growth compared to 7.6 per cent in the same period last year.

Original Article Here

The Caribbean’s Agricultural Crisis

Kevin Edmonds

“Make no mistake about it. Our region is in the throes of the greatest crisis since independence. The specter of evolving into failed societies is no longer a subject of imagination. How our societies crawl out of this vicious vortex of persistent low growth, crippling debt, huge fiscal deficits, and high unemployment is the single most important question facing us at this time. Indeed, if CARICOM (the Caribbean Community) wishes to be relevant to the lives of the people of the region, then that issue should dominate its deliberations at the next summit. CARICOM cannot be seen to be impotent when societies and economies are at risk, on the brink of collapse.” These were the words of Dr. Kenny Anthony, Prime Minister of St. Lucia to a meeting of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry on October 31.

While fighting an uphill battle in an unfriendly global economic environment, a key part of the Caribbean’s socio-economic descent has to with the collective failure to take the necessary steps to integrate the region and find alternatives to support agricultural production. Due to the dictates of World Trade Organization (WTO) which dismantled protected trade agreements with Europe, a great deal of the Caribbean agricultural industry was left for dead. It was assumed that due to economies of scale the Caribbean was producing agricultural goods in an inefficient manner and that they should free up their human resources to focus on areas in which they held a “comparative advantage” (i.e. tourism or offshore financial services—which catered to powerful interests).

This feeling was so pervasive that in the late 1980s U.S. Secretary for Agriculture John Block argued that “The idea that developing countries should feed themselves is an anachronism from a bygone era. They could better ensure their food security by relying on U.S. agricultural products, which are available, in most cases, at much lower cost.”

Much to the surprise of the expert economists, the comparative advantage to replace agriculture never showed up. The small farmers of the Caribbean were forced into redundancy and the results are telling. During the start of the U.S. led “Banana War” at the WTO twenty years ago the countries which form CARICOM produced a net agricultural surplus of roughly $3 billion; today CARICOM’s food import bill stands at $3.5 billion per year. The loss of agricultural jobs contributed significantly to the sharp rise in unemployment, poverty, and hunger, with it also contributing to a sharp decline in government revenues. Furthermore, according to Ryerson University’s Center for Studies in Food Security much of the newly imported food is harmful, as “nutrition-related, chronic non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are the main causes of disability, illness, and death in the region”.

Given that the Caribbean is one of the most fertile regions on the planet and that it was colonized primarily for agricultural reasons, the fact that most of the Caribbean countries are now designated as Net Food Importing Developing Countries—meaning that they cannot grow their own food—is highly problematic. While this is predominately due to the actions of the WTO, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and bi-lateral loan conditions, the Caribbean leaders must take responsibility as well for not moving fast enough to build new links in the agricultural sector and reduce vulnerability due to high levels of food insecurity.

However, the delay on diversification should not be considered as a very recent phenomenon, as many Caribbean dependency theorists and progressive politicians also warned about the ongoing overreliance of the region on outward oriented protected trade agreements. Expressing the demand for greater economic self determination, diversification, and shift away from unequal trading, during the short lived St. Lucia Labour Party government of Allan Louisy, Winston Cenac and George Odlum remarked that:

“We (St. Lucia) have inherited our export economy in which the very operation of the economy was geared to external and not domestic demands and needs. The best resources in our country were utilized for producing the export staple .... Whatever resources remained, which were both few in both quantity and quality, could not satisfy our domestic requirements. The result was a large import bill and a disincentive to local production fostered by an attitude which maintained that foreign goods or anything with a foreign label was superior to our local products. The basic problem associated with the import/export economy lay also with the nature of our exports and imports. Our exports are primary products like bananas which suffer from the vagaries of the weather and sensitivity of their prices to factors outside our control .... Our imports, on the other hand, are high valued goods, covering every category from food to capital goods.”

The new service oriented direction that the Caribbean was forced into was not much different from the unequal trading terms which existed under agriculture. Looking at the nature of the tourism industry for example, in all inclusive resorts, all guests pre-pay for their visits, and such a great deal of the money does not come into circulation in the local economy. In addition, a great deal of the food is imported, as seen by the 2006 Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association study titled The Caribbean Accommodation Sector as a Consumer of Locally Produced Goods and Contributor to Government Revenue, which revealed that less than 20% of fresh fruit, fish, and eggs were acquired locally. Furthermore, a 2008 World Bank study titled OECS Increasing Linkages of Tourism with Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Service Sectors which showed that food imports for the tourism sector were estimated at a value of US$366 million, representing 20-25% of total agricultural imports.

While many Caribbean economies were overdependent on protected banana exports, the banana industry was highly regarded for the levels of economic growth due to what economists refer to as the “multiplier effect.” Bananas affectionately became known as “Green Gold” amongst the small farmers, as the steady prices enabled them to raise their humble standard of living. Due to the nature of the banana industry, the farmers spent their income in the local economy, creating spinoff jobs, which leads to more spending and the cycle continued.

While the United Nations has announced that the Caribbean is geographically unable to provide 100% food security, Belize Guyana and Suriname, with comparatively larger land masses, can do a great deal to reduce the region’s vulnerability. There are some small slivers of hope, as last month, Guyana and Trinidad announced the creation of a food-security facility with hopes of increasing agricultural and livestock production, reducing dependence on foreign food imports, and at the same time encouraging the regional goal to reduce food insecurity in CARICOM by 25% by the year 2015. Jamaica has recently announced in April that it would be launching a $150 million, 2,000 acre rice cultivation project. These are all promising steps in the right direction.

While refocusing on agriculture will not be a salvation in and of itself, it provides the opportunity for some stability for the region’s most vulnerable people. The resources, markets, and technical knowhow and experience of the Caribbean population already exists, it is just being underutilized. Additionally, governments must be stronger when dealing with the tourist industry and mandate that they must buy local first, then secure imports after. By supporting the agricultural sector, it will free up a great deal of revenue for health and education projects which are currently used up on food imports.

Furthermore, regional and national banks must offer credit to expand production and improve technology for small scale farmers. If the leaders simply continue to talk and do nothing to deepen regional integration, then Dr. Anthony’s warning of becoming a failed society will become reality. The real test will be to see which government takes the lead to make sure that this doesn’t happen—and whether others will do their part to implement the much needed reforms.

Original Article Here

Agricultural scenario 2012-13

By Dr Aamer Irshad

LAST year, the agricultural sector achieved a growth rate of 3.1 per cent against the target of 3.4 per cent.

Low production of wheat and some minor crops was the main cause of missed targets despite better harvests of some major

crops like cotton, sugarcane and maize along with satisfactory performance by the livestock sector.

Bad weather and floods predominantly remained the major causes of lower agricultural output.

In the same year, GDP growth was recorded at 3.7 per cent , lower than actual target of 4.2 per cent but above the revised target of 3.6 per cent and also the three per cent in 2010-11.

The positive correlation of agricultural GDP with the overall GDP suggests that agriculture is a significant factor in determining the economy’s performance. Keeping in view the thrust of growth of agriculture sector, a target of 4.1 per cent was fixed for this

year.

The targeted growth was based on the expected contributions by the major crops ( four per cent ), minor crops (4.5 )), livestock (4.2), fisheries (two) and forestry (two per cent).

The projections for major crops were based on the output of 25.5 million tonnes wheat, 6.9 million tonnes rice, 59 million tonnes sugarcane, 14.5 million bales of cotton, and 4.3 million tonnes of maize. The assumption was based largely on the level of production already achieved along with the performance over the last three years. Minor crops such as gram, onion and sunflower remained extraordinarily low because of unfavourable weather conditions last year. It was expected that performance of minor crops will revive and contribute positively towards the overall agricultural GDP.

For the crop sector, key contributing factors, including weather conditions, have remained comparatively better. Agriculture credit disbursement is increasing along with availability and use of fertiliser and improved seed. Plant protection measures and farm mechanisation are improving.

The underlying assumptions for the livestock sector, whose contribution in agricultural GDP (55 per cent) is more than the crop sector, are that its performance has been very steady being less prone to vagaries of weather.

The sector has achieved growth of about four per cent for the last many years. The poultry sector also witnessed sustained high growth rates well above six per cent annually.

A big push in growth rate of livestock is, however, not possible due to peculiar nature of the activities and gestation period required for an activity to become productive. The resilience of the livestock supports growth even in worst natural calamities.

Target for fisheries and forestry growth has been fixed at two per cent. The share of both is negligible in agricultural GDP and hence to the overall economy.

In Kharif (or summer) season, major crops like cotton, rice and sugarcane are grown. Wheat is only the major crop of Rabi or winter season.

The Kharif season is already over. Provisional production data available from Suparco indicate that about 13.9 million cotton bales of standard weight (170 Kg) will be produced this year. The production of sugarcane and rice can be anticipated at 68.5 and 7.2 million tonnes respectively.

If the production of minor crops is assumed normal and the livestock sector follows the fixed growth pattern i.e. around 4.1 per cent per year, wheat remains the only decisive factor to determine the actual agricultural GDP for 2012-13.

With the available data of cotton, rice, sugarcane and anticipated achievement of livestock sector, the performance of agricultural GDP may be viewed in two scenarios depending upon the production of wheat crop in ensuing season. In one instance, if wheat harvest meets the target of 25.5 million tonnes, the agricultural GDP will record a growth rate of 4.6 per cent.

However, if it misses the target by one million tones, the agricultural GDP will comfortably surpass the target figure of four per cent.

Wheat productivity largely depends on weather conditions along with the availability of critical inputs in the coming Rabi season. Weather is single most important factor in wheat production. Pre-Rabi rains provide moisture for timely sowing in rain-fed wheat growing areas which contribute to around 15 per cent towards overall production.

Likewise rains during the growth period of wheat especially in December, February and March are very significant. Intensity and duration of frost, fog and temperature in the later part of the wheat plant life are very decisive. Because of the non filling of Mangla reservoir up to the level of last year i.e. 1210 feet, comparatively less irrigation water will become available for wheat crop but it may not affect the overall productivity, being strongly linked with other factors of production. The factors under human control such as timely sowing with certified seed, balanced fertiliser use, and good crop husbandry will also have significant impact on wheat production.

Presently, the agricultural outlook appears positive. Policy and overall sector environment suggests a healthy growth in agriculture sector. Due to strong vertical and horizontal linkages of agriculture with the country’s economy, a high level of economic activity is expected. Most importantly, food security will be ensured for the ongoing as well as for the year to come.

Heavy dependence of overall GDP on agriculture also suggests a better overall economic performance .

The writer is Chief, food and agriculture, Planning Commission

Original Article Here

Agriculture Still a Growing Industry

By Orlan Love, Reporter

CENTER POINT, Iowa — In an insecure economy, Kim and A.J. Lewis, parents of three children under the age of 3, see a bright future in their chosen field of agribusiness.

So does Rachel Wayson, a John Deere product manager who, with husband Michael, looks forward to raising their first child, due in January, on their farm north of Vinton.

The Waysons and Lewises, all young graduates of the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, are living their dream, earning a good living in one of the nation’s few growth industries while staying close to their Iowa farm roots.

“We were a little worried when the economy crashed in 2008, but customers kept buying and sales increased,” said Kim Lewis, a feed saleswoman for Cargill and a partner in Lewis Genetics, a swine-breeding business she and her husband operate on a 60-acre farm east of here.

“When the farm economy is good (as it has been for much of the past decade), things are good for us,” A.J. Lewis said.

For Rachel Wayson, who grew up on a farm near Atlantic, It’s the best of two worlds: “I always knew I wanted to raise my family on a farm, and I am thrilled to have a career with one of the world’s great agricultural companies,” she said.

Unlike many recent college graduates, who begin their careers as coffee shop baristas, both Kim Lewis and Rachel Wayson were recruited out of college by their current employers.

Wayson said a Deere internship between her junior and senior years led to an offer of full-time employment seven months before she graduated in 2006.

Lewis, who interned with Cargill during her junior year, went full-time with the company’s Nutrena Feeds division right after graduation in 2005.

Wayson, who majored in ag business and economics, said one of her main responsibilities is to confer with customers about the features they want in the next generation of John Deere’s midrange tractors.

Lewis, who grew up on a farm near Alburnett and majored in animal science, counsels Nutrena customers on livestock nutrition and applies that same expertise in the family swine business.

The Lewises, who raise about 175 litters per year, market most of their pigs for 4H and FFA projects. As part of their service, they advise youngsters on swine health, nutrition and showmanship.

“You hear people say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go to work today.’ Honestly, I’ve loved getting up and working every day since I graduated from Iowa State,” Kim Lewis said.

Both Lewis and Wayson say they are delighted with their career choices and believe that the world’s growing population assures a growing need for the food and fiber their industry produces.

Mike Gaul, Iowa State’s director of career service, said demand for ISU ag graduates was underscored last month when 208 companies in hiring mode attended the college’s annual career fair — an increase of 37 from the 2011 fair.

Gaul said the booming farm economy is driving the demand, along with the increasingly high-tech nature of 21st-century agriculture.

“Agriculture has become a knowledge-based industry in which a specialized degree provides a definite career advantage,” said ISU Associate Dean David Acker.

Gaul said the top three majors in terms of starting salaries “tend to be on the technology side.”

The top four employers of ag college graduates, he said, include three industry giants, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Monsanto and John Deere, as well as the university itself.

While farm kids and small-town residents make up 44 percent of the ag college’s enrollment, the majority of students now come from cities and suburbs, Acker said.

Men still hold a slight enrollment edge in the college, but women now make up 47 percent of its undergraduates, according to Gaul.

Gaul said ag college students seem to be especially conscious of job prospects as a measure of return on their educational investment.

“They want to make the world better, but they want to do so through their jobs,” Acker said.

Original Article Here

China, ASEAN launch science, technology partner plan

China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have launched a plan that will see them cooperate in fields of science and technology.

More than 300 entrepreneurs and scholars from China and ASEAN countries attended a launch ceremony on Saturday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on the sidelines of the ninth China-ASEAN Expo.

"Science and technology are major powers for economic growth, and scientific cooperation has played a great role in solving some important problems," Suyoi Haji Osman, Brunei's minister of development, said.

Under the plan, key areas of cooperation include national science development strategy, major science programs' planning and management, agriculture, disaster prevention, information technology and space technology.

The two sides also initiated their first cooperative program under the partner plan, a satellite data platform based on China's satellite data resources which will be shared with the ASEAN countries.

The platform is expected to contribute to agricultural yield estimation, environmental supervision and disaster prevention and control.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao proposed the China-ASEAN science and technology partnership at the 14th China-ASEAN summit held on Indonesia's Bali Island in November, 2011.

Original Article Here

Agriculture program helps inmates grow new skills

By EDDIE DANIELS 

Jerry Don Haygood, in his grimy black and white uniform, was in no rush for the work day to end.

Haygood is an inmate at Land O' Lakes Jail. But between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., he's just another guy working the detention facility's farmland — raising pigs and cattle, as well as growing items in the hydroponic garden.

"First of all, it's a blessing," said Haygood, serving out the final weeks of a six-month sentence for violating terms of his probation on a 2005 grand theft conviction. "It gives us a different outlook on life. It helps you understand responsibility."

Haygood, 42, is one of several Pasco County inmates working in the Inmate Labor Section. That group is involved in the agricultural, janitorial and grounds maintenance programs at the jail and across the county.

At a time when everything seems to cost money, inmate labor has provided savings.

The programs, which help infuse food into the jail system, saved taxpayers $1.3 million in 2011. In 2010, that savings was close to $940,000.

Last year, 1,651 heads of bib lettuce, 1,450 heads of romaine lettuce and 823 cucumbers were cultivated, while 8,223 pounds of pork was produced.

The benefit has proven to be multifaceted. There's the food production and money savings. Then, to a certain extent, inmates are rehabilitated.

"We're not saying when they get out of here they're going to be working on a pig farm or they're going to be working in agriculture; however, from what they do out here maybe it gives them an opportunity," Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said. "That maybe when they are released, back in society, they have a work ethic that many of us were proud to grow up on, but for them they were never given in their lives."

Deputy Keith Adams has supervised the jail's agriculture programs for three years. Before one of his Hampshire pigs gave birth to at least 12 piglets Thursday, the jail had 243 total pigs. They're held in 20 pens and are between 275 and 300 pounds when they reach maturity.

It's a completely different life than his days as a booking deputy in Hernando County.

"I love it," he said. "I've been out here three years and I don't feel like I'm in corrections anymore. Every once in a while we have to do what we have to do, write reports and things like that, but it's not like it used to be in housing."

When Haygood is released Oct. 1, he's headed back to his Taylor County home to be with his girlfriend of 18 years and their twin daughters.

There, he'll apply his new skills.

"I am absolutely going back to the 40 acres and I'm going to set up a little thing and just start out small and work it," said Haygood, who hopes to secure a grant to assist him in cultivating that land.

"It's going to allow my children to have something, for them to carry on so they won't have to work so hard."

Original Article here

Agriculture producers face dropping supply of harvesters

VENTURA, Calif. — Ventura County agriculture producers are facing a rising labor shortage for which they see no solution anytime soon.

Growers and the labor contractors that hire a mostly Mexican workforce say the lack of harvesters worsened this spring, causing portions of the county's highest value crops to go unpicked.

The reasons they cite behind smaller crews -- tougher border patrols, aggressive deportation and harder and riskier border crossings -- are tied to federal immigration reform and out-of-state hands.

The labor shortage "was acute this year, and I'm anticipating it will get worse next year," said Craig Underwood, owner of Underwood Ranches in Camarillo. "The concern is building."

In response, some growers and contractors have raised the harvesters' typically low pay and pushed benefits, but they say it's unlikely anyone else will or even can do the backbreaking and skilled handpicking required for strawberries, citrus and avocados. In 2011, strawberries alone were worth $625.5 million to the county.

Growers now say they are struggling to find irrigators, tractor and truck drivers and farmhands.

It's time, state farm agencies, industry experts and growers say, for the federal government to replace the current temporary farmworker program with one that is simpler, less expensive and less restrictive.

"The most effective thing to do is address the issue at the federal level," said Bryan Little, the California Farm Bureau Federation's director of labor affairs. "That's really the solution to the problem: create programs that enable us to get an adequate and readily available workforce."

Hand-harvesting heavily depends on a largely undocumented Mexican workforce, and that makes the agriculture industry particularly vulnerable to a labor shortage, wrote the authors of a 2008 study on challenges facing Ventura County agriculture.

The study reported 91 percent of California's agricultural workers were born in Mexico, 33 percent had green cards and 57 percent were unauthorized. Additionally, 99 percent of the newer harvesters, the Mixtec-speaking people from Oaxaca, were unauthorized.

The study -- authored by California Lutheran University business and economics professors, including leading economist Bill Watkins -- used a farmworker survey done apart from CLU of 13 counties for the findings.

A potential labor shortage was "the most serious threat to Ventura County agriculture," the authors wrote. It would require growers to raise wages, cause some to leave the industry and others to shift to crops that could be mechanically harvested.

The state Department of Food and Agriculture reported in late 2010 that "labor instability" has caused some farmers to stop growing high-value crops and others to move growing overseas.

Other farming states are also experiencing a decrease in agriculture workers that experts attribute to recent declines in immigration.

For the first time in two decades, flows of unauthorized Mexicans into the U.S. have dropped significantly, as determined by a decline to 6.1 million living here from 7 million in 2007, according to recent findings by the Pew Hispanic Center, part of the nonprofit Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C.

The flow has slowed because of fewer U.S. jobs, tougher border patrols, more dangerous border crossings, increased deportation, lower Mexican birthrates and Mexico's improving economy, the report estimates.

Richard De Leon, who runs the labor contractor business Servicios Agricolas in Ventura County, Mexico and Arizona, said he has raised wages 5 percent annually over the past few years to abate the dwindling crews.

He now pays $11.50 to $12 an hour, De Leon said, but he was still short by about 13 harvesters at the season's start.

Strawberry giant Reiter Brothers Inc. in Oxnard also "felt the pinch" this spring with 10 percent fewer harvesters, said Saul Aguilar, manager of labor strategies.

Years ago, growers had few jobs and many harvesters to choose from, Aguilar said. But the paradigm has switched, he said, and pickers who are paid by volume now choose which berry fields to work based on which fields will yield the most fruit.

"Harvesters can walk onto your field and see if you have a good crop," Aguilar said. "They determine then and there if they're going to work for you."

Farmers and labor contractors say they just want a guest worker program that simply and cheaply lets Mexican laborers work here.

They say the federal government's guest agriculture worker program, H-2A, is anything but that.

William Reiman, general manager of Catalinos Berry Farms in Oxnard, says complexities and cost make the program "not very workable. It's not ag-friendly."

Reiman wants a program that would provide enough labor to do the harvesting. "It has to be simple and flexible so we have options, and doesn't overburden us with cost."

The program allows employers to bring in foreign workers, typically for one year but up to three, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

Employer requirements are onerous. They must show that there's no adequate local workforce and that no one will be affected by the worker's wages. Employers must also meet conditions involving housing, meals, wages, transportation, compensation insurance, tools and supplies, fees and labor disputes.

"It's incredible, and that's why no one wants to use it," said Rob Roy, president and general counsel of the Ventura County Agricultural Association in Camarillo.

Rep. Elton Gallegly, a Simi Valley Republican and chair of a House subcommittee on immigration policy and enforcement, believes one solution to the labor situation would be a guest worker program within or as a separate law in conjunction with his proposed bill. The Legal Workforce Act proposes a national mandate of E-Verify, which requires employers to electronically verify that foreign workers are not unauthorized to work in the U.S. The bill defers the E-Verify requirements for the agriculture industry for three years.

Farmworkers "would not be a permanent resident and not have a pathway to citizenship but that would solve the problem in agriculture," Gallegly said. "If they are required to stay in agriculture, we would have 10 times more (workers) than we need right now."

(Contact Carol Lawrence of the Ventura County (Calif.) Star at clawrence@vcstar.com.)

Original Article Here

Building capacity for sustainable agricultural growth

A five-day capacity-buildingtraining course on the theme of "conservation agriculture-based crop management" was conducted in Rajshahi recently, avowedly to increase food production in the face of multiple adversities, both natural and man-made. It was organised jointly by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and Bangladesh International Research Institute (BARI) under the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) project, with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Its main focus, as was reported in the media, was on improved food security, livelihoods and the best and judicious use of natural resources. Agricultural experts and researchers were thus reported to have discussed there in Rajshahi a wide array of issues such as the benefits of reduced tillage, leaving some post-harvest crop residues on the field to increase soil fertility, crop rotation and diversification and other 'new and updated technology', all having relevance to the principles of conservation agriculture.

Many critics point out that for Bangladesh's farming folk, prior to the green revolution of the 1960s, crop rotation and use of crop residues and other organic matter to enhance soil fertility, used to be a standard practice. They had been forced to unlearn much traditional wisdom due to the top-down intervention of educated outsiders. Granting that there can be many benefits as well as setbacks from such encounters, the target group would do well to keep their wits around them and make the best of the capacity-building exercise. There is plenty of scope for enhancing knowledge and collaborating in agriculture. A recent joint venture between Bangladesh and Japanese investors to produce high quality 'mung' bean sprouts, entirely for theJapanese market, may be a case in point. This project was expected to get off the ground within 2012 and if all goes well, could contribute a substantial additional amount of foreign exchange to Bangladesh's export earnings. This kind of a joint venture which has the potential of providing jobs remunerative for farmers, bringing fallow land under non-cereal crop cultivation and enhancing the availability of the legume for domestic consumption as well, is more than welcome.

Sustained agricultural growth, coupled with efforts to enhance productivity and to promote diversification while keeping the resource endowment factors from dynamic context into consideration, is critically important for Bangladesh. Despite the gradual decline of the share of agriculture in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) with economic progress over the past few decades, the sector still contributes about a fifth to the national incomes and employs nearly half of its labour force. There is no denying that the natural resources -- land, water and soil fertility -- that are available for agricultural production have been under some adverse pressures in Bangladesh. But there are also many opportunities that yet remain unexploited. Here the diffusion of appropriate technologies and improved farm practices, can make the difference, in terms of increased productivity and higher levels of production. A synergy of actions -- supportive policy measures, incentives, marketing and related infrastructural facilities, better conservation methods, improved management practices etc., -- will be needed to tap the potential for diversification of agricultural activities on a sustained basis.

Original Article Here

South Africa's economic growth rate slows

The mining sector was hit by a major strike during
the first quarter of the year

The rate of growth in the South African economy slowed sharply in the first quarter of the year, hit by a big fall in output from its key mining sector.

In the January to March period, South Africa's economy - the biggest economy in Africa - grew 2.7% on a seasonally-adjusted and annualised basis.

This compares with a 3.2% rise in the last three months of 2011.

Output from South Africa's mining sector fell 16.8%, due in part to a six-week strike at a platinum firm.

The shutdown took place at Impala Platinum, the world's second-largest producer of the precious metal.

The wider mining industry was also hit by reduced demand from Europe.

Estimate cut

The slowdown in the economy was not as bad as the 2.4% growth rate expected by analysts for the first quarter.

This was due to a bigger-than-expected 7.7% rise in production from the country's factories.

On an unadjusted basis, the South African economy grew 2.1% in the first quarter, down from 2.9% in the last three months of 2011.

Kevin Lings, chief economist at South African investment firm Stanlib, said: "We know mining was weak because of all the closures and strike activity, especially around platinum.

"The other sectors held up reasonably well, especially manufacturing."

The South African central bank now expects the country's economy to grow by 2.9% this year, down from its previous estimate of 3%.

Original article here

Agriculture, industry thriving side by side in Gujarat: Modi

Ahmedabad: Outlining various facets of development in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the state has struck a balance between agricultural and industrial growth.

"At a time when India's agriculture is not growing beyond 3 per cent, Gujarat's agriculture is growing at 11 per cent, despite the fact that unlike the rest of the country, the state is not blessed with perennial rivers," Modi said addressing NRIs across 12 cities in the US through a video-conferencing session.

The Chief Minister said Gujarat has achieved "balanced growth" in sectors like agriculture, industry and services. Speaking about agricultural growth, Modi told the overseas audience that the agricultural income has shot up to Rs 96,000 crore as compared to Rs 14,700 crore a decade ago, with farmers being the major beneficiaries.

"From 108 lakh hectares of agriculture land in 2001, Gujarat now has 135 lakh hectares," Modi said adding that he would not let the agriculture land get reduced.

This is for the first time that agriculture and industry are thriving side by side on such a vast scale, he asserted.

Modi told them that Gujarat's milk production has risen by 68 per cent and the state is taking great strides in cotton production. In 2001, Gujarat produced 23 lakh bales of cotton, but today the figure stands at 1.23 crore bales (one bale equals 170 kg).

Modi said Gujarat was surging ahead in the manufacturing sector as well and was all set to turn into Asia's auto-hub. Even American auto giant Ford is coming to Gujarat, he said.

While addressing the gathering, he pointed out that American companies had invested Rs 15,000 crore in Gujarat and Canada had been working with the state in close coordination for quite some time.

Modi invited the audience to visit the state during the upcoming 2013 'Vibrant Gujarat' Summit and the Uttarayan festivities.

Modi also spoke about Gujarat's advancement in the field of solar energy. He claimed that the state has dedicated 600 MW to the national grid, while the rest of the country is producing only 120 MW of solar energy.

The solar park set up at Charanka will be the Asia's largest, Modi said.

He also claimed that the innovative canal-top solar power project was beneficial in saving about one crore litres of water per kilometer from evaporation annually and would save 16 per cent of electricity and land for farmers.

Original article here

India Sugarcane Expected to Continue Strong Growth

INDIA - Sugarcane production in India for 2012/13 is expected to continue its strong growth for the third consecutive year. Sugarcane area plantings are expected to expand 3 per cent to 5.25 million hectares. Sugarcane production is forecast at 365 mmt, about 5 per cent more than last year.

Of this amount, 270 mmt is intended for centrifugal sugar production. The remaining 90 mmt is for seed (46 per cent), noncentrifugal lump sugar, or gur (47 per cent), and khandsari sugar (7 per cent).

Although domestic wholesale sugar prices have been soft, between $540 and $600 per mt, the prospect of strong export sales is expected to help processors maintain strong cash flows and avoid cane payment arrears to producers. Sugar production is forecast at 29.00 mmtrv, or 29.75 mmtrv if khandsari (a lowrecovery form of centrifugal sugar) is included.

Sugar consumption in 2012/13 is forecast at 26.5 mmt, about 3.9 per cent higher than in 2011/12. The growth is aided by a 1.8-per cent increase in population and the expectation of continued overall growth in the economy.

The Government of India reduced the import duty on high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from 30 per cent to 20 per cent. Although this reduction favors more HFCS imports, it remains to be seen if HFCS can capture industrial sweetener consumption at anything above the 5,000 mt estimated for 2010/11.

Indian 2012/13 sugar exports are projected at 2.5 mmtrv. In 2011/12, the Indian Government has allowed 3.0 mmt of exports under the Open General License (OGL). Exports for 2011/12 through the end of March are estimated at 1.3 mmt.

Based on pace to date, total 2011/12 exports will total 2.6 mmt. To guard against food-price inflation without restricting exports, the Indian Government has relaxed sugar import restrictions. The elimination of duties on both raw and refined sugar, expected to last through 2012/13, is especially important. Since December 2011, Government-imposed stockholding limits have also been lifted.

Ending 2012/13 sugar stocks are forecast at 7.28 mmtrv, about 750,000 mtrv more than projected beginning stocks. This amount is considered to be a normal level, corresponding to 3 months of domestic consumption needs.

Original Article Here

Panel to chart out agriculture growth map in Gujarat

By Rishi Banerji 

In a bid to give a boost to agriculture and agro-based industries in Gujarat, the state government will form a high-level committee comprising experts, researchers, progressive farmers and administrative officials. The panel will draw a blue-print for the sector for the coming years.

Chief minister Narendra Modi said, “The team will work towards bringing value addition into farming and related industries. It will also emphasise on strengthening agriculture sector in the state. This includes developing cold storages, preservation, packaging and marketing among others.”

Modi was at Nanaponda in Valsad district on Thursday to attend Krishi Mahotsava 2012 in seven districts of South Gujarat -Surat, Valsad, Navsari, Tapi, Dangs, Bharuch and Narmada. He met district’s progressive farmers, scholars, scientists and researchers.

Praising Krishi Mahotsava, the CM said that the annual agricultural fest had showed other methods of bringing revolution in agriculture and animal husbandry.

“We have been organising the mahotsava for past eight years and that too for a period of one month. No government in India has taken so much pain to change the picture of agriculture sector,” Modi added.

Original Article Here