Mars recalls chocolate over salmonella fears

Mars recalls chocolate over salmonella fears: Mars Chocolate UK and Mars Ireland are recalling some Galaxy, Maltesers Teasers and Minstrels chocolate products, after routine testing revealed the presence of salmonella.

Farmers using ash and sand to tame army worms spread.

Farmers using ash and sand to tame army worms spread. A section of farmers in Nakuru have resorted to traditional methods of dealing with army worms, a deadly pest that has invaded large swathes of land, causing devastation to farmers. John Sialo, who owns a five-acre land in Rongai, uses ash and sand to control breeding and finally kill the worms.According to Mr Sialo, the method has helped control invasion in his farm and in his children's farms. The mixture, which was used by farmers to control crop diseases in the older days, is mixed in a ratio of one to two, with the sand being the most. With the help of his family members, the father of nine makes enough mixture to cater for maize plantation in his piece of land.The mixture is then applied to the maize funnel at knee height. According to a research by International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology, ash is alkaline and therefore useful as a fungicide and a pesticide. Insects that come into contact with wood ash are burned and killed. The research stated sand contains moisture and high micro-organism concentrations that help to reduce the larvae of the pests before they mature. more

Cash for weight loss.

Cash for weight loss.A new study has shown that selling rewards programs to participants entering a weight loss program is a low cost strategy to increase both the magnitude and duration of weight loss. The study, published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, has shown that selling rewards programmes to participants entering a weight loss programme is a low cost strategy to increase both the magnitude and duration of weight loss. A team from the Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH) led the research, which has implications for insurance companies and employers looking for low cost strategies to improve population health. Worldwide, overweight and obesity are increasingly prevalent conditions, which have led to the rise of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. They have also increased absenteeism among employees and raised private and public healthcare costs. However, they are largely preventable by making healthier food choices and engaging in regular physical activity. Yet, because people often succumb to temptation, they often fail to make healthier choices. source

The health benefits of rice bran.

The health benefits of rice bran. Rice bran, the outer covering of the rice grain, has high nutritional value and is a rich source of proteins, fats, minerals and micronutrients such as B vitamins, according to a study. Researchers suggest that rice bran, which is removed from whole grain rice during processing and used as animal feed, could have benefits for human health and nutrition. According to USDA a single serving of rice bran is 28 grams and delivers more than half of a person's daily requirements of important vitamins such as thiamine, niacin and vitamin B6. Rice bran as a food ingredient could deliver more than 400 individual compounds when consumed. Traditionally, rice bran is thought to be a cheap fiber source and only considered useful as a source of lipids, for example as cooking oil. It has not been used much in human health and nutrition because it is considered an animal feed but its high nutritional value warrants greater public health attention. A literature search conducted by the authors showed that some of the compounds they identified in rice bran had been shown in previous studies to have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-hypertensive properties, among others. Rice bran also has a protein content of 12-15% that deserves attention as it could help tackle nutrition shortages that are a major global health concern. source

Minitablets help medicate picky cats

Minitablets help medicate picky cats. Cats are often considered the most difficult ones to medicate,but very small minitablets with flavors or flavor coatings can help cat owners commit to the treatment and make cats more compliant to it, while making it easier to regulate dosage and administer medication flexibly. Both cats and dogs are popular pets, but there are many differences between the two. In terms of oral medication, the most important difference has to do with the preferred foods, eating habits and taste preferences of the two animals. While dogs are omnivores, cats are almost exclusively carnivorous. Another factor making the treatment of cats more difficult is the fact that few registered drugs have been tailored and made palatable specifically for cats. This means that veterinarians often have to resort to canine drugs to treat cats, and adjusting the dosage to suit the much smaller animal may be challenging for the pet owner. In addition, if cats find the taste, smell, shape or mouthfeel of the drug unpleasant or repulsive, they will refuse the medication, making the administration of the drug more difficult and possibly leading to the complete failure of the treatment altogether. more

Working with women farmers to make Cambodian communities “Plantwise”.

Working with women farmers to make Cambodian communities “Plantwise”.Greater involvement of women in plant clinics has improved the climate resilience of the farmers in Rohal Suong village, Cambodia. Women farmers play a critical role in agricultural production and food security, as well as household welfare in most Southeast Asian countries. According to a Census of Agriculture in Cambodia in 2013, of the 82% of Cambodians engaged in the agriculture sector, at least half of them were women. Female youth and women, however, have limited access to education, agricultural extension services and social events, as they often have low education backgrounds, and are frequently busy with household activities and other unpaid work. They are historically underrepresented in agriculture decision-making and community leadership as well. Agricultural development projects are now seeking to increase women’s involvement. The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), aims to improve gender equality and women farmers’ decision-making in agriculture through the establishment of Climate-Smart Villages (CSVs). Rohal Suong Village in Battambang, Cambodia is one of the six CSVs in Southeast Asia. more

How to set up an aerial vegetable farm with plastic bottles.

How to set up an aerial vegetable farm with plastic bottles. Plastic bottles have found various uses in agriculture from drinker to feeder to brooder and fish tank,these innovations have turned waste to wealth and also ensuring a clean environment.

 An agripreneur has used waste plastic bottles to set up an aerial vegetable farm. Anthony Mutugi has grown 294 spinaches and kales on a 4m by 5m by 3m space. 

The 294 crops may require about 0.02 acres on a flat ground. The Kiambu’s Juja area farmer has suspended six crops in the one-and-half-litre bottles with a wire string in a shed net wooden structure that creates greenhouse effects for quick growth. Each of the bottles is lying horizontally with its bellies ‘scoped’ slightly to accommodate about three quarters of a kilo soil and the kale or spinach.Each of the crops is one and half feet away from the other and the space of one row to the other is about one and half feet. 

 The crops depend on irrigation. The excess water can drain via the uncapped opening of the bottle. Wedding is done by hand in this aerial farm. Soil nutrients are not leeched since the bottle is non-porous. It is a perfect example for urban farmers, who do not have permanent residences.

They can move with their crops any time by unhooking the strings and dissembling the wooden farm. source