Food Scarcity Can Be Tackled With Global Innovation and Knowledge Sharing in Agriculture

Among the Millennium Goals that were set at the turn of the century were specific goals set for significant agriculture and food production and reducing global hunger and malnutrition.

The UN ' s Food and Agriculture Organisation ( FAO ) highlighted some specific areas on which attention needed to be focused including working closely with civil society organizations, the domestic private sector and international yoke to improve fertiliser supply and demand, ensuring a massive replenishment of soil nutrients on lands with nutrient - depleted soils worked by smallholder farmers, and conducting a massive training program for community - based partners to nail down expertise in soil nutrients, water supply and environmental management.

Following a year ( 2010 ) of high weather, food stuff price speculation and renewed fears of high food prices and food scarcity in 2011, one periodical hearsay in the UK seems to suggest that things are not obtaining element better. It reported that a study by the UK ' s Commission for Rural Communities had erect that 25 % of the country ' s farmers were living below the poverty line with an income of less than 20, 000 a year and of these a third had made no profit for the last three years. Tenant farmers were particularly badly affected, especially those whose businesses depended on grazing livestock.

It is a situation that would be recognised by the many small farmers in developing countries across Africa and S Asia and presents a bleak picture. But there are a number of organisations working hard to develop more sustainable, environmentally friendly and affordable techniques for small farmers.

They include the not for profit organisation Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International ( CABI ) which has many projects across the world and recently celebrated its centenary at a two - day workshop in Delhi, India. CABI has worked with the Indian Government to help the country ' s improve their yields and the quality of their crops - by helping them with techniques to manage pests and diseases, and by making sure they have access markets plus the knowledge and skills to meet international export standards. The work echoes on of the areas the FAO highlighted ( see above ).

The Worldwatch Institute is another independent research organization working on issues around the environment and sustainability. It plans a comprehensive project for 2011, to be called The Nourishing of the Planet, which will assess the the state of agricultural innovations - from cropping methods to irrigation technology to agricultural policy - emphasising sustainability, diversity, and ecosystem health, as well as productivity.

Both CABI and Worldwatch include private sector research, for example from Biopesticides Developers, as innovative thinkers and potential sources of solutions for improving agricultural productivity in a sustainable way - using low - chem agricultural products such as biopesticides, biofungicides and yield enhancers using materials from natural sources.

One positive news story that appeared this week ( November 29 2010 ) was about an innovative thinker, a retired Dutch inventor called Pieter Hoff with a potential innovative solution to the problem of growing plants in dry regions. It ' s a simple container, a bucket, fitted with a convex cover in which are two holes. It allows water to be trapped and for a plant to grow in what is effectively a microclimate. Water is dripped onto the plant at 50cc per day, which allows the plant to survive but not to grow properly which encourages it to develop tap roots so that it can search out water by itself. It has been proven to work better than daily watering and allows plants to grow in challenging areas where there may be little ground water or energy supply.

It is innovators like these that could make all the difference in tackling the issues of increasing crop production to meet the projected growing world population in ways that are sustainable and that farmers can understand and afford.

Copyright ( c ) 2010 Alison Withers

Features Of Landscape

The term landscape refers to the study of Landscape unaffected features of an area of land equal as the type of landforms, genuineness water nationality agnate as rivers, lakes and the sea, existence of living elements of land cover, topography and the quality and type of flowering. The study also involves the weather changes in a particular environment.

Topography influences human life in incomparable ways. Its effects on farming and transportation are pronounced. The exact topography of the plains puts little constrains on the development of agriculture and the network of transportation. But in certain highlands ruggedness of topography makes development of farming and transportation difficult. In the areas which are not rugged, agriculture is confined to the narrow river valleys.

The study of climate is classified as dry climate and Highland climate. Dry climate is the characteristic feature of the climate in which potential evaporation exceeds precipitation. It is subdivided as Arid or desert which is in the case when potential evaporation exceeds precipitation by more than two times, and semi arid or steepe is the case when potential evapo transpiration exceeds precipitation but is not twice as great. The two subgroups are further divided into two climatic types on the basis of temperature. Areas where the temperature of the coolest month is 10 or less are classified as Kalt and those with more than ten as Heiss.

Soil gives support to the plants and act as an agent supplying wholly or in part nutrients, water, air and heat. Now we see that what the factors that affect the soil formation are. These include climate9temperature and precipitation ), vegetation and living organisms, parent material, topography and time. The role of climate is that in sub humid regions the quality of soil is good but in the areas of ice there is no soil. Alluvium, loessa, wind reworked sands act as parent materials. With regard to topography the areas of different areas develop different soils. Soil formation is a complex phenomenon and requires considerable time. The conversion of the bedrocks into regolith is a time consuming process. Soil erosion is a menace which destroys the soils. It is unfortunate that the problem of soil erosion has not roused much public and government attention. Water and wind are the two main agents of erosion in Pakistan. Soil erosion has been further accelerated by landslides and soil creep and by the cutting of the forest, overgrazing and poor management of the farmlands. It must be noted that wind and water erosion both work together particularly in the desert and the semi - desert areas.

Former Minister Zakaria Mohamed Haji Abdi Candidate for Somali Presidency

Former Minister Zakaria Mohamed Haji Abdi Candidate for Somali Presidency

As Somalia is electrifying for the first presidential elections in two decades, the end of the eight year - long Transitional Federal Government is near for August 20, 2012. Political activities acute over the past few days, as thousands of people rally in the streets ahead of the upcoming control contest.

Various caucuses have been exposed present-day as the electoral process is currently underway for the selection of the new, 275 - organ Somali parliament. Jubilant supporters and colourful advocates, along with associates and folks scrape together to welcome the return of zillion politicians from abroad where most spent time, seeking solutions of the Somali crisis. The hustings fever has gripped the Somali finance for the first time since the 70s, and will individual never cease to intensify in the days ahead.

The electoral trek got new impetus a few days ago, following the announcement issued by former Minister, Dr. Zakaria Mohamed Haji Abdi, Chairman of the Alliance for the Re - freedom of Somalia, as regards his candidacy for the Somali presidency. Dr. Zakaria ' s Presidential Manifesto was welcomed by a great figure of Somalis across all tribes, provinces and backgrounds, as it reflects a strong jingoist view for Somalia ' s future. Dr. Zakaria ' s meaningful approach to Somalia ' s rehabilitation and reconstruction, his democratic credentials, and his fervent, all - inclusive call retained the attention of a great quantity of Somalis across the Horn of Africa.

I whence republish herewith Dr. Zakaria Mohamed Haji Abdi ' s Presidential Manifesto integrally.

Zakaria Mohamed Haji Abdi Announces Candidacy for Somali Presidency

10th August 2012 - Zakaria Mohamed Haji - Abdi, Chairman of the Alliance for the Re - price of Somalia, today announced his candidacy as the People ' s Candidate for the next elections for the Presidency. He also issued his Manifesto, highlighting:

A devoir to local and regional rule through democratic governance

A government that knows how the people hunger to live their lives and in what type of communities they ambition to live

A government that promotes Fairness and Fairness

A culture committed to the expansion of rope

A transparent government

Obstruction for public servants

Progressive and sustainable use of resources for the people

A forward - looking nation dogged not to repeat its history

A good healthcare that is fit for end

An educational system that will transform our nation

- My commission is a Somalia based on true democratic principles, the rule of law, and fear for human rights and civil liberties; a nation with no general public favours, partiality and partiality. I will strive for opportunities for all horde, regardless of their seasoning. My destination is to make Somalia the most peaceful, prosperous and corruption - free nation in Africa; to foster a culture of togetherness and transparency in government and media. My progressive agenda is designed to continually move Somalia forward. I will eliminate the practice of - looking back - commanding. My intent is to booty the best of Somalia culture and tradition, and combine them with modern - lifetime global standards. -

For more information or an tarriance please contact trek squad:

London: Mr Alex Glover on: + 44 ( 0 ) 7887610335 Mr Mohamed Adan: + 447882963542

Mogadishu, Somalia: Dr Bishaar Cigaal: + 252615545915

Dubai, UAE: Sh Mohamud Mohamed: + 971529585730

The Manifesto:

GOVERNANCE:

I will renew faith in our politics and contribute sound direction based on principles of oneness and fairness, equity and inclusiveness. I will govern in the interest of all, and habitus a nation in which we all have a stake.

Under my stewardship, I will certify not right one interest band or tribe will be represented. I will actively test to extract those obstacles which obstruct individual achievement from humanity, gender or economic constitution. I will label the issue of ethnicity in our country.

I will introduce an independent Presidential Public Appointments Commission whose task will be to effect that appointments to public offices are based on merit and give forth the ethnic diversity of Somalia in its overall representation.

The Commission will have to publish its appointments on an minutes basis so one can check that all ethnic groups have been addicted equal one's turn to serve, and are duly appointed.

I will renovate the system of governance to empower local communities. By so practice, I will enable the transfer of power to communities with strong democratic and responsible local planed governance structures.

I will radiate power to communities and engage our people in active citizenship by involving them pdq in the management of their neighbourhoods, and of the services they use. I will do this being I vehemently believe that devolution without democracy is just tyranny on local scale.

EDUCATION:

Our educational system will be modernised and made relevant to the needs of all the people. There will be no room for unproductive elitism, but productive education that is capable of solving the real problems that face our country. Education will be compulsory and free from pre - school ( kinder garden ) until age 18.

I will strive to reduce class sizes to 30 students, by building more schools, training more teachers, and providing more up - to - date educational facilities.

There will also be civic education to foster nationalism, and adult education to improve employability and good citizenship. Through employability and employment opportunities, every citizen will be able to fend for themselves, and dependency rate may begin to come down.

Higher Education and Universities will have the necessary support to engage in research, scientific, and technological progress and design.

I will promote sports through youth activities in the school system to encourage positive participation and competition which will boost our representation on the world platform.

Standardized testing of students will be done annually; those schools with failing test scores will be in danger of being in receivership by the national government. The school system in each region will be held accountable.

I shall create a Centre for Professional Development, designed to continuously improve, update and modernize the skills of our teachers.

I will create a national literacy - based library system with focus on - learning to read - then - reading to learn -.

Technical / Trade Schools will be established in each region; the technical / trade school system will place heavy emphasis on agriculture, engineering and any other relevant skills necessary for the progression of the nation.

Somalia Universities will be open and operational. Young people will be provided tuition assistance upon completion of their community service.

Providing free public schools will facilitate the introduction of truancy legislation. Parents will be required to send their children to school.

I believe that special emphasis must be placed on quality education for our nation ' s girls. Our administration will create a Special Assistant to the President for Women & Girls. This position will be empowered to ensure that girls and women will receive favourable policies in education and beyond, throughout the government.

HEALTH CARE:

I will emphasise on preventative and promote healthcare through targeted health education.

I will ensure equitable allocation of government resources to reduce disparities in health status.

I will increase the cost effectiveness and cost efficiency of resource allocation and use.

I will create an enabling environment for increased private sector and community involvement in health service provision and finance.

I will continue to manage population growth.

I will introduce better management structures to ensure efficiency in the management of the healthcare institutions and systems.

I will review the health financing policies and invest in the National Health Security Services as a key national health financing mechanism that will progressively ensure equal access by the poor to the basic health services.

I will increase the efforts in the fight against HIV / AIDS to improve and increase the lives of those infected, and reduce the number of those getting infected every year.

I will increase the health service infrastructure to ensure better access to healthcare, particularly in the historically disadvantaged areas.

I will devolve healthcare system management, procurement and financing.

I value our healthcare human resources, and I aim to train more professionals and paramedical workers and enhance their terms and conditions of service and remuneration.

I will reduce corruption in the health sector and increase access to medicines.

I will ensure the development of effective regulatory and inspection mechanisms to protect the public from health injuries and loss of lives related to substandard health services.

SECURITY:

I recognize the primary purpose of government is the security of its people and their property. Moreover, the communities cannot prosper and economic development does not thrive where people feel insecure.

While we promote a humane and transformative judicial system, I will be tough on crime and criminals.

The law enforcement agencies such as the National Army, police, prisons, security etc., shall be properly trained in Human Rights Regulations and how to deal fairly with the civil population. Harassment and mistreatment of civilians by police and security forces will not be tolerated.

I will also establish a Department of Homeland Security to defend and protect private property, including camels, goats, farms, food, water, and all other forms of commerce.

I will encourage traditional authorities to be involved in keeping security at the grassroots level.

RECONCILIATION: Establish a Truth and Restitution Commission to bring closure to past corrupt crimes via a process of Justice, Truth, Reconciliation and Restitution. To this end, I shall legally establish a system through a - Restitution Instrument - to facilitate this. For those who admit, declare and repay there shall be forgiveness. For those who forget or pretend to forget their past abuses, they shall go through the justice system before they are exonerated. A process driven by justice - making good or compensating for past loss, damage, and injury is what am proposing. I intend to facilitate a process that will see the return to the Somali people what is rightfully theirs. The principle of Restitution has Ancient Somali roots, including constructive disengagement of all armed groups in Somalia.

ECONOMY:

A steady economic growth will be the engine to drive our development. Therefore, I will seek to invest properly in the productive sector, encourage private investment and entrepreneurship, and create an efficient tax collection system to raise revenue for the government.

I will diversify our revenue base to sustain our growth and development.

Small businesses will receive the right degree of government support which will demand full accountability from small businesses. Community organisations will be supported to create employment within local communities and speed up service delivery.

Our taxation system will be based on transparency, I am confident it will attract the right type of private investment into road construction that will create employment and make everybody busy. In fact, tar - surfaced roads are costly only in the short - term, but are much, much cheaper in the long run.

Our thoughtful, reasonable and consistent investment in our public infrastructure will surely create sustainable, good paying jobs for our citizens. Our investments in health care, education, security and globalization will open our economy up in unimaginable ways that will move Somalia to an economically secure future.

Throughout the nation, my government will invest in a public works campaign that will smartly use public funds in community development projects.

I will invest heavily in our nation ' s agricultural sector. I will encourage training for agriculture - pickers -, incentives for the canning industry, urban farming campaign, agro - industrial development and modernized agricultural legislation.

Somalia will research, develop, legislate and mandate a modern tax system that is fair and just on the national and regional level.

ENVIRONMENT:

Somalia ' s environment has been greatly damaged, if not destroyed in many aspects, in the last two decades as result of combined local and external predatory activities. The country is suffering from severe desertification, deforestation, extinction of wildlife, coral reef destruction, marine resource depilation, chemical and nuclear waste dumping.

If elected, I will immediately outlaw deforestation and overgrazing activities, call for national environmental restoration campaign through reforestation projects, wildlife conservation and marine protection programs.

FOREIGN TROOPS:

General recent experience also suggests that the presence of a large contingent of foreign troops would be resented by the Somali population and, moreover, fiercely resisted by the various armed clans and factions. Rather than helping the Somali government to broaden its support base, the effect could be to marginalize it even further.

A much larger stabilization force capable of suppressing resistance, holding territory, and providing security for a more ambitious reconstruction effort is imaginable but even more unrealistic.

In the absence of a decisive event - such as the voluntary withdrawal of AMISOM or its resignation the United States, United Kingdom and EU should work with the African Union and the UN to promote and reform the armed parties in Somalia and their structures and to allow them to become a more inclusive governing mechanism, by insisting that the Somali Government plays the role of gatekeeper to any dialogue between the armed Islamist opposition and the government.

HOUSING AND TOWN PLANNING:

I will ensure there is proper town planning and all construction and building must comply with set town plans and safety standard requirements. Implementation will be strict and without favour and corruption.

I believe in adequate shelter for all citizens of Somalia and will support sustainable housing and planning that provides basic shelter to the people, using our own resources. I will use global best practices to develop low income housing for the nation ' s private and social landlords to build new houses, so as to make housing accessible and affordable.

Food Poisoning How to Avoid It, How to Treat It

Clock Americas food supply is the safest in the world, food poisoning is incumbent for approximately 76 million illnesses in the United States each year. In truth, it is estimated that 60 % or more of the unprepared poultry moved today routine has indisposition - causing bacteria. Anyone eating food contaminated by certain bacteria, parasites, or viruses can get food poisoning. Certain factors double as age and substantive endowment can make certain people more susceptible to food poisoning than others. Infants, cogent women, the elderly and people with compromised unaffected systems are at greatest risk.

For most people in good aspect, food poisoning is repeatedly neither long lasting nor life - threatening. However, to less healthy persons it can become a intent health threat, accounting for approximately 5, 000 deaths each year.

The good news is that by beguiling light precautionary steps juncture purchasing, handling, and preparing food you can prevent most cases of food poisoning in the home.

What causes food poisoning?

Food poisoning is most commonly caused by bacteria, parasites, or viruses that may be present in the food that you have eaten. You may have heard the names of many of these organisms. They include Escherichia coli ( E coli ), Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium botulinum, Shigella, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Trichinella, and Hepatitis A virus, just to name a few. They can be present in a wide range of food including red meat, poultry, milk and other dairy products, eggs, unpasteurized vegetable juices and ciders, spices, chocolate, seafood, and even water.

These organisms may be present on your food when it is bought or can get into the food, including cooked food, if the food comes into contact with raw meat juices on dirty utensils, cutting boards, or countertops used to prepare contaminated food. Thats why it is important not only to thoroughly cook your food, but to wash your hands, utensils, and countertops, before and after you handle raw foods.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms will vary depending on the type and amount of contaminants eaten. Some people may get ill after ingesting only a small amount of harmful bacteria, while others may remain free of symptoms after eating larger quantities. The most common symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain ( cramps ), fever, headache, and fatigue. Symptoms may develop as soon as 30 minutes after eating tainted food, but more commonly do not develop for several days or weeks. Symptoms of viral or parasitic food poisoning may not appear for several weeks, while some toxins in fish may take only a few minutes to cause symptoms.

If you have botulism, you probably will not have a fever and the symptoms may include blurred vision, fatigue, dry mouth and throat.

How food poisoning is diagnosed

Food poisoning is often suspected when several people become ill after eating the same meal. To diagnose the cause of the illness, your doctor will need to know the symptoms and what was eaten right before the illness occurred. The doctor may need samples of the food, bowel movements, or vomit. These samples can be tested in a laboratory to determine if the food was contaminated and identify the organism causing the illness.

How is it treated?

If the symptoms are severe, the victim should see a doctor or get emergency care. Treatment depends on the severity and cause of the food poisoning. Generally, for mild cases of food poisoning, the doctor will recommend for you to rest, drink fluids to prevent dehydration due to vomiting or diarrhea, and to follow a specific diet. It usually only takes about 1 to 5 days to recover from food poisoning.

If you have botulism, your doctor will prescribe an antitoxin. Other types of food poisoning have no antidote. Antibiotics are usually not helpful in treating food poisoning. Medicine to stop vomiting and stomach cramping may be given.

Prevention is the best approach to avoid food poisoning

Most cases of food poisoning can be prevented. Below is a list of a few simple Dos and Donts to help you avoid food - borne illness in the home.

Do wash your hands, utensils, cutting boards, and countertops between different foods

Do refrigerate or freeze perishables right away ( Refrigerator temperature should be 41 F and freezer 0F )

Do thoroughly cook foods. Cook beef, lamb, and pork to an internal temperature of 160F; whole poultry and thighs to 180F; poultry breasts to 170F, ground chicken or turkey to 165F

Do refrigerate leftover foods as soon as possible; leftovers shouldnt remain unrefrigerated longer than 2 hours.

While food shopping, do select frozen foods and perishables such as meat, poultry, and fish last - before checking out

Do use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or plastic that are free of cracks and crevices

Do store raw meats in leak - proof containers or on the bottom of the refrigerator to prevent juices from dripping on other foods

Dont allow uncooked meats, meat juices, or unwashed fruits and vegetables to come in contact with either cooked or washed foods

Dont buy frozen seafood if the packages are open, torn, or crushed on the edges

Dont buy food in cans that are bulging or dented, or in jars that are cracked

Dont ever buy outdated food. Check the use by or sell by dates

Dont buy unpasteurized milk or dairy products

Do not buy refrigerated or frozen products that are not displayed at the proper temperature

Do not let small children put foods away unsupervised

More information about this important health subject can be obtained from the following sources:

Gateway to Government Food Safety Information

www. foodsafety. gov

U. S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

http: / / vm. cfsan. fda. gov / ~dms / wh - food. html

Food Safety and Inspection Service

United States Department of Agriculture

www. fsis. usda. gov / OA / pubs / consumerpubs. htm

Supported as an educational service by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. This information is not intended for use as medical advice. You should discuss this information with your doctor.

Farm and Agricultural Business Financial Reporting

Farm and agricultural business owners increasingly understand the benefits of utilising financial reporting software specifically designed for the industry. Those tumultuous with the obligatoriness of operating a profitable enterprise need indepth and accurate financial management, reporting and analytics to feed into business decisions that create a thoroughgoing impact on the business. The pressures exerted on agricultural and farming operations during the recent depression have magnified this need. With the strength to access timely and accurate reports surrounding the performance of the business empowers owners and managers to make well informed decisions that can positively affect the bottom profits of the business, lastingness providing the necessary documentation required by institutions for credit and financial purposes. Furthermore, this data allows farmers and members of the management team to accurately ascertain areas of underperformance, and more importantly, put in place procedures and policies that ensure that conditions that may lead to business failures are avoided.

Over the last several decades, the prevalence of more accessible technology in the form of both hardware and software, has been quickly adopted within the farming and agricultural environments. During this time, the increasing information technologies available to those in the farming and agricultural industries has changed substantially, with the development of specific accounting and financial reporting that is designed to meet the specific needs and nuances of the industry. Not only do the functions of such advanced software provide a simple and intuitive platform for accounting tasks, but incorporate some of the fundamental agricultural essentials into the process, such as stock management, crops and stock control, input and output analysis, amongst many others.

Recent research has proven the worth of such technology in the farming environment. In 2004, Nuthall examined the adoption and use of advancing technologies available to farmers in New Zealand, noting that the progression in both the affordability and performance of business financial reporting software had a direct correlation with the performance of such businesses involved in the study. Further data highlighted by the Agricultural Resources Management Survey found that farmers are increasingly utilising the internet for communication and applications that provide price tracking, online record keeping and data transmission to their clients and suppliers.

With advanced business financial reporting software now being within the reach of all, with functionality and features present that have previously been available to only those enterprises with large company budgets, all farming and agricultural business owners now have access to software that provides a level playing field. Ensure your business has the best tools available to enhance its management and performance.

Forex Versus Futures

The origins of today ' s futures market lies in the agriculture markets of the 19th century. At that time, farmers began selling contracts to deliver agricultural products at a following date. This was done to surmise market needs and provide supply and demand during off seasons.

The current futures market includes much more than agricultural products. It is a worldwide market for all sorts of lines including manufactured goods, agricultural products, and financial kit twin as currencies and treasury bonds. A futures contract states what price will be paid for a product at a nuts-and-bolts delivery date.

When the futures market is played by speculators, the actual goods are not important and there is no expectation of delivery. Rather, it is the futures contract itself that is traded as the value of that contract changes daily according the market value of the tool.

In every futures contract there is a buyer and a seller. The seller takes the short position and the buyer takes the long position. The futures contract specifies a buying price, a total and a delivery date. For specimen: A farmer agrees to deliver 1000 bushels of wheat to a baker at a price of $5. 00 a bushel. If the daily price of wheat futures falls to $4. 00 a bushel, the farmer ' s account is credited with $1000 ( $5. 00 - $4. 00 X 1000 bushels ) and the baker ' s account is debited by the same amount. Futures accounts are settled every day.

At the end of the contract period, the contract is settled. If the price of wheat futures is still at $4. 00 the farmer will have made $1000 on the futures contract and the baker will have lost the same amount. However, the baker now buys wheat on the open market at $4. 00 a bushel - $1000 less than the original contract, so the amount he lost on the futures contract is made up by the cheaper cost of wheat. Similarly, the farmer must sell his wheat on the open market for $4. 00 a bushel, less than what he anticipated when entering the futures contract, but the profit generated by the futures contract makes up the difference.

The baker, however, is still in effect buying the wheat at $5. 00 a bushel, and if he hadn ' t entered into a futures contract he would have been able to buy wheat at $4. 00 a bushel. He protected himself against rising prices but he loses if the market price drops.

Speculators hope to profit by the daily fluctuations in the futures market by buying long ( from the buyer ) if they expect prices to rise or by buying short ( from the seller ) if they expect prices to fall.

FOREX

The foreign exchange market ( FOREX ) has several advantages over the futures market. FOREX is a more liquid market as the largest financial market in the world it dwarfs the futures market in daily exchanges. This means that stop orders can be executed more easily and with less slippage in the FOREX.

The FOREX is open 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. Most futures exchanges are open 7 hours a day. This makes FOREX more liquid and allows FOREX traders to take advantage of trading opportunities as they arise rather than waiting for the market to open.

FOREX transactions are commission - free. Brokers earn money by setting a spread the difference between what a currency can be bought at and what it can be sold at. In contrast, traders must pay a commission or brokerage fee for each futures transaction they enter into.

Because of the high volume of trading FOREX transactions are almost instantly executed. This minimizes slippage and increases price certainty. Brokers in the futures market often quote prices reflecting the last trade not necessarily the price of your transaction.

The FOREX is less risky than the futures market because of built - in safeguards in the trading system. Debits in futures are always a possiblility because of market gap and slippage.

Farming and Best Practices in Australia

Australia is second to Antarctica in terms of scarcity of water. Despite this genius, farming has always under obligation a denoting position in the economy and culture of Australia. Many Australians are forthwith or indirectly involved in farming.

Since the 1800s, the dry climate and infertile soil of Australia presented austere difficulties to farmers who purposeful in the country. Water availability and drought management were, and still are, key challenges for farmers throughout most of Australia.

Up to now, agriculture is an important sector for the Australian economy, generating up to $43 billion in gross value each year. The industry employs around 370, 000 people across Australia. Although agriculture is not as extensive as at its pinnacle in the mid 1970s, farms still return up around sixty per cent of all the land in the country. One state in Australia which regards farming as the most important industry in its history since settlement took hangout in the state is the island of Tasmania. But in order to sustain the industry disposed the existing water conditions in places like Tasmania, improved water use through efficient irrigation systems often play a key - role in helping farmers cope with the water scarcity stress.

With advances in technology, farming practices have been elevated to a different level. Although a traditional enterprise, the industry has evolved to cope with changing times. Part of this evolution is the employment of highly modern and improved irrigation systems and irrigation equipment to contribute to sustainable farming in the country. Irrigation is a very important factor in making farming viable in states like Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

Australian farmers nowadays look for high quality and heavy duty pumps sets, hard hoses, irrigators, pivots, travelling irrigators and other irrigation equipment that will meet industry standards. Meeting industry standards are becoming increasingly important in order to address the challenges of increased productivity, resource management and environmental issues in our ever changing world. Industry standards connote performance standards for equipment while technical codes for practice involve methods such as engineering, installation, design and operation being done in a prescribed way.

A highly accepted irrigation method that has met industry standards in all farming communities in Australia and the rest of the world is the centre pivot and lateral move irrigation systems. Center pivot and lateral move irrigation systems are composed of self - propelled structures equipped with sprinkler irrigation and control elements which make it possible to irrigate large surfaces with low installation and maintenance costs. Agricultural communities like Tasmania, South Australia and other farming areas are prevalently using these systems. Likewise, combined technologies in Agriculture employing irrigation systems with pivot and with lateral move are also widely used.

The adoption of new technologies remains vital for farmers not just in Australia but all over the world to continue to operate sustainably and profitably. The advocacy of advancing sustainable farming practices will likewise benefit not just the agricultural industry but everyone in general to enhance the quality of food and promote eco - friendly usage of air, water and soil.

Farmland Investment Performance in Europe - 2011 - 2012

Farmland values across emerging economies in Europe prolonged to perform well during 2011 as increased capitalist appetite for productive agricultural assets, as well as active agriculture investment policies from of China and Arab states who are interested in bolstering food security has provided stable short - term pricing support.

Throughout Europe there is meager data available to effectively measure the performance of farmland investments; one must for rely on anecdotal evidence supplied by land agents and agribusinesses in the region.

There remains substantial growth potential in the region; in Romania for exemplar, which joined the EU in 2007, farmland can be bought for around 2, 000 - 2, 500 per hectare - up to 40 times cheaper than in parts of Western Europe. ( Daily Telegraph, 2011, Rich pickings from Eastern Europe ' s farmlands ).

According to Valeriu Tabara; Romanian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development ( MADR ), foreigners currently own more than 700, 000 hectares of agricultural area in Romania, representing 8. 5 % of the total arable land.

" The agricultural land owned by the foreigners in Romania at the moment is more than 700, 000 hectares, with Italy having 24. 29 % of the surface, Germany 15. 48 % and the Arab countries, 9. 9 %. The request to buy agricultural land is a developing phenomenon, " Tabara said.

According to the data revealed by the minister, other countries with significant farmland investments are Austria with 6. 13 %, Spain with 6. 2 %, Denmark with 4. 25 %, the Netherlands with

2. 4 %, Hungary with 8. 17 %, Greece with 2. 4 % and Turkey with 0. 78 %, whereas Malta, Cyprus, Monaco, San Marino and Luxembourg have acquires 5. 91 % of Romania ' s agricultural land through offshore companies. Land owners in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Iran are present from the Arab world.

In a recent paper published by Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting, farmland values in the Ukraine were assessed using the income capitalization approach to farmland price estimation. Based on the actual land productivity ( gross margins ) for Ukrainian farms over the period of 2007 - 2009, researchers found that a hectare of arable land would be traded from 1500 UAH ( Zakarpattia ) to 5500 UAH ( Kirovohrad ). If the sub sample of top - 25 % performing farms was to be considered, the maximum land value will increase to around 6800 UAH or $860 USD ( Oleh Nivevskiy & Serhiy Kandul, 2011, The Value of Farmland - Expected Farmland Prices in Ukraine after lifting the Moratorium on Farmland Sales, Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting ).

It is widely expected that farmland values in the Ukraine will continue rise as the number of investors keen to access the productivity potential of the country ' s black earth rises

In recent years there has been a proliferation of investment schemes based on the cultivation of Ukrainian farmland, with one scheme collapsing entirely and another offering land parcels for an extortionate price of $2, 325 ( USD ) per hectare. This represents a potential ' land - banking ' style mark - up of 1, 130 % at worst, and 170 % at best.

Elsewhere in the region, a hectare of agricultural land in Hungary, Poland or the Czech Republic is priced between 5, 500 and 7, 000 demonstrating a continued upward trend in values throughout 2011.