How to use integrated pest management on farms.

Pesticides are harmful both to consumers and environment but so also are pests,thus to eliminate these from the environment a combination of techniques must be implemented that is safe for consumers and environment. Agricultural practices without the use of pesticides is the in-thing as many more people know the implication of these chemicals on health,environment and productivity.The starting point is to ensure that your farm is unsuitable for pests to thrive. The cultural practice of preventing pest invasion is to plant shade trees to create a macro environment to prevent pest in cocoa and coffee plant. Cow urine can be applied as a low cost pesticide,see and onions have also been used to stop aphid attacks. see Mechanical approach to pest management can also be implemented to remove pests from plants without using chemicals.In some areas cabbage have been used to kill worms in farms see Farmers have also used water to wash to wash mealybugs off coffee plants and then use lime to kill the bugs once removed from the tree.Sticky traps have also being used to remove flies from tea plantation.

Why is sustainable cocoa better for the environment?.

Why is sustainable cocoa better for the environment? In cocoa farming, there is a big issue with deforestation. Forests are vital to the survival of the planet, but due to aging cocoa farms and decreasing revenues, many forests are being cleared to create new plantations. The UTZ program tackles this problem in the following 1) Ban on deforestation. 2) Training of farmers on better agricultural practices. 3) Mitigating effect of climate change by planting shade trees to lower temperature around plants and prevent against soil erosion from rainfall. 4) Better water management by adopting irrigation methods for better production. more

Sneakers Made from Corn and Seat Cushions From Soybeans.

Facing overstuffed silos and forecasts for another huge harvest this year, U.S. farmers are trying to find new uses for their corn and soybeans. Robust demand for processed foods, animal feed and biofuels isn’t keeping up with a record glut of crops in the U.S. and around the world, after several years of bumper harvests and largely benevolent weather. To sell the surplus, farmers and trade groups are wooing new customers, from car makers to toy companies. In recent years, corn and soybeans have been added to the recipes for Ford Motor Co. seat cushions, IKEA mattresses, Danone SA’s yogurt cups and Procter & Gamble Co.’s Olay moisturizers. Adidas AG’s Reebok brand recently unveiled sneakers made with corn. Lego A/S earlier this year said it was toying with using grain-based materials to mold its famous bricks. Industry groups also are calling for more research into new ways that the crops could replace petroleum as a raw material in industrial and construction applications. more

The sun2grow solar greenhouse.

The sun2grow solar greenhouse solution harvests two vital natural resources: energy from the sun and fertility from the soil. Our custom designed, photovoltaic turnkey systems allow a maximisation of energy production, and simultaneously an optimization of cultivation conditions. The greenhouse business is a burgeoning sector in many tariff-regulated nations. Communities highly benefit from the usage of PV technology improving the economics of agricultural sectors, accelerating the modernization of facilities and creating job opportunities. Consequently, the sun2grow solar greenhouse solution represents the optimal way to utilize the power of the sun and support the well being of local communities. more

Solar energy as a reliable source for improving education.

Solar energy as a reliable source for improving education. Given the severity of the energy shortage in Pakistan, crippling the development of the country, the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) decided to forgo its fuel cost for its gas/diesel gensets and move to long-term sustainability by making use of solar power. In early 2013, LUMS started considering a long-term, sustainable strategy to tackle the electricity crisis and therefore called upon The meeco Group to work together for the development of electricity generation capacity and the implementation of renewable energy solutions. Within that year a first 51 kwp sun2roof installation was executed as proof of concept. see

Anisakis infection associated with eating raw or under cooked fish.

Parasitic infection associated with eating raw fish is increasing, and consumers of raw fish delicacies have been warned. The Anisakis infection linked to eating raw fish or under cooked fish is often associated with severe abdominal pain ,nausea,vomiting and fever within hours to 2 weeks of consuming infected fish. The larvae of the parasite is common in squids,mackerel,salmon ,sardines , squids and Japanese horse mackerel. A study done in 2008 published in the U.S. journal Clinical Microbiology Reviews, states that Anisakis can also induce allergic reactions and immune hypersensitivity. Consumers are advised to heat fish at over 60 degrees for a minute to kill larvae. Fish lovers should endeavor to remove the intestines alongside other internal organs as the larvae are usually in these sites. Food hygiene and proper handling comes to play here to ensure food safety. According to Japan times, Japanese comedian Tomoharu Shoji, revealed on the Fuji TV program “Tokudane” on Wednesday that he contracted the parasite last summer. Shoji, 41, said he had been diagnosed with Anisakis after eating raw salmon and salmon roe with rice while on location. He said he started feeling strong, persistent pain in the middle of the night that was misdiagnosed by the first doctor as stomach spasms. Later, it turned out that he had eaten seafood infected with eight larvae that had perforated his stomach and caused it to bleed. Experts advise that people with severe pain should go see a doctor and have the parasite removed using endoscopes.

How to use zinc to treat diarrhoea in piglets and children.

Zinc oxide is used to prevent post weaning diarrhoea in piglets.The mode of action of the zinc oxide is unknown but farmers attest to the efficacy of this compound and the interesting twist is that World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the use of zinc alongside oral re hydration therapy to reduce the duration and severity of diarrhoea in children. The role of zinc in diarrhoea treatment has been linked to the level of zinc in the blood, in children with diarrhoea the zinc level in the blood was low but with zinc supplementation the level increased and diarrhoea ceased. Scientist working with the principle of zinc in children with diarrhoea decided to find the connection, they discovered that the level of zinc in blood of piglets before weaning was same as healthy children while the level of zinc post weaning was same as children with diarrhoea. This drop in level of zinc occurred as fast as 2 days post weaning signifying the need to prevent post weaning diarrhoea by providing zinc supplements at onset of weaning. Piglets deficient in zinc are immunosuppressed with reduced physiological functions as zinc is needed for cellular growth,cellular metabolism and resistance to infection. more