September 19, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
The general census of agriculture was essentially a census of economic nature that is accurate count of the farm and working in Italy today. In the data emerging from the census should be included in a particular manner the various characteristics of each company, the workers employed and agricultural machinery in the possession of the owner of the farm itself.
The census is done through the detection unit which is the agricultural, livestock and forestry. The census also serves to give the key definitions for agriculture because it is within the last census report that you can recall the precise definition of the farm that is “techno-economic unit consisting of land, including parcelsnon-contiguous, which implements the agricultural production, forestry, livestock by a tenant as an individual, company or institution, who bears the risk either alone or in partnership form. “However, this definition is still vague to understand all the realities that exist within the agricultural world. In fact, many times at international level was stressed that there is a need to distinguish between different reality on the land cultivated, technologies such as drills agricultural tractors or other machinery of high technology used, the number of workers and annual turnover.
The census of agriculture had its first implementation in 1961 and held every ten years. That provided in the autumn of 2010 therefore appears to be the sixth edition. Data collection is via the administration of questionnaires, from simple to complex, to the farmers by officers who have passed the invitation of the Region launched by themselves independently. These officials must have the characteristics to be respected both for admission to the competition is good for the completed engagement. They must be experts on agriculture, livestock husbandry and have accumulated expertise in the technologies applied to the primary sector in general. E ‘therefore necessary to have the diploma of secondary school is desirable but in many cases a degree in agriculture or similar.
The questionnaires are designed to be administered may know the reality which is to explore means of general questions that are gradually increasing in particular aimed at understanding the general characteristics of the company (then type of activity, crop farming and other features in general) that are useful for statistics on production and distribution activities. Another focal point on which applications were submitted is that of the organization and division of labor within the company itself that is useful to know how many farm machines are used and how many workers are needed to tend to a certain number of crops or animals to livestock.
And ‘undisputed national and European level not only useful but indeed the indispensability of the census to have a clear situation of the whole primary sector that many times, given the vague regulations and less monitored than those relating to industry,might not be considered as it should.
September 16, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
Agriculture is one of the main activities in almost most of the countries. With such high demand of agriculture, it has become very important to use some of the extra-ordinary kinds of equipment at the same time. People are willing to use some of perfect equipment, which is sure to increase the production as well as reduce down the total effort in the same. Seeds are very important as these are the important product in agriculture. With proper grading of the seed, the quality of the seed is enhanced to a higher level. People from various parts of the world are willing for the latest technology to be used in agriculture. The seed grading equipment are such kinds of equipment, which can easily handle the grading process of the seed.
There are other kinds of products such as the digital moisture meter. This particular meter mainly checks the moisture in the environment. The exact moisture is recorded by the machine. People need to check the moisture level in the agriculture field for one reason or the other. With the help of the new digital moisture meter, it becomes very easy to record the moisture content in the air. This will further help to maintain the conditions as per the demand. With the development of technology, lots of new moisture meters are developed, which can record the moisture content without much problem. There is no much hassle involved while using these meters. They are very handy in nature and any one can easily use it.
The moisture meter as well as seed grading equipment can serve farmers in a very perfect manner for better productivity. There are many other kinds of products in the list, which can easily enhance the production as well as efficiency. The seed grading machine are now coming in automatic modes. Thus, one need not to worry much about the handling process. It is very easy to operate and the size varies as per the demand. Most of the models are very normal and, which are perfect in handling good work loads. This is also a very cost effective method in cleaning various kinds of cereal grains. The seeds are directly fed to the lower part, where it gets sucked by an aspirator. All the dust and other particles are cleaned properly and the waste products get collected in the bins. So, agricultural production can be increased to a great extent with the help of these devices.
A-GRAIN (India) is involved in the development, manufacturing and marketing Post Harvest Test Equipments and Seed Processing Machinery. We also manufacture a host of products like grain moisture testers, seed dividers, seed germinators, seed processing plants etc. To get more details visit us.
September 12, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
Tradition has it that Imam Muhammad bin Ismail left Medina and went to southern Iraq, where he acquired the epithet of al-maktum (veiled one), and then at Nishapur in disguise, where he lodged for some times. Afterwards, the Imam proceeded towards Ray, about 15 miles from Tehran. Ishaq bin al-Abbas al-Farsi, the Abbasid governor of Ray professed Ismailism. Imam betrothed to Fatima, the daughter of Sarah, sister of Ishaq bin al-Abbas. When the news of Imam Muhammad bin Ismail’s stay at Ray reached the ears of Harun ar-Rashid, he wrote to Ishaq bin al-Abbas, ordering to arrest the Imam and send him to Baghdad. Upon receipt of caliph’s letter, he showed it to the Imam and replied to the caliph that he found no trace of the Imam, and would send as soon as he was arrested, and thus he tried to put the caliph off the scent. But the spies planted by Baghdad reported to the caliph that Imam Muhammad bin Ismail not only was living at governor’s house, but that he was operating his mission from there. Upon this, the caliph wrote another letter to Ishaq bin al-Abbas, impugning him to come in person with his forces if his orders were not obeyed forthwith. The governor however made his usual reply. Meanwhile, the complaints about Ali bin Musa bin Mahan, the governor of Khorasan reached the point where Harun ar-Rashid could no longer ignore them, and adopted a militant stance. In 189/805, he marched towards Ray with a detachment of his army, and after searching for the Imam through a tracking party, ordered to arrest Ishaq bin al-Abbas. Ishaq died as a result of severe torture inflicted upon him, and was rigorously flogged till death. He did not waver and stood steadfast in spite of excruciating tortures. In spite of the gloomy situation, his faith remained unshakable.
Imam Muhammad bin Ismail selected Hurmuz as a mission centre, and then had made his footing at the fortified city of Nihawand, where he stayed with the governor, Mansur bin Jowshan, who had close ties with Ishaq bin al-Abbas. He allotted the Imam a piece of land in the district of Sarha, where he led a peaceful living. It is related that the Abbasid agent, named Muhammad bin Ali al-Khorasani, who surprised the Imam in a mosque, traced the Imam out on one day in Sarha. He was greatly impressed to behold the Imam, and lost courage to arrest him, and permitted the Imam to escape. Thence, the Imam went to Azar in Khuzistan. The Imam then proceeded to Shapur. Disguised as a merchant, he stayed in Shapur with a certain Qamas bin Nuh, whose daughter Rabta, he married. When the Abbasids intensified their search for the Ismaili Imam to its extreme, Imam Muhammad bin Ismail had to travel out of Iran
Imam Wafi Ahmad came to settle down in Nihawand, and betrothed to Amina, daughter of Hamdan, son of Mansur bin Jowshan, who was from Kazirun. The brother of Wafi Ahmad also married here and had a posterity. Imam Wafi Ahmad further on repaired to Daylam with his 32 trusted da’is, where he got married with an Alid lady in the village of Ashnash. The adoption of strict taqiya, and moving from one to another place, forced the Imam to assign the mission works to his brother, Hussain bin Muhammad. It is most possible that Imam Wafi Ahmad lived in Suk al-Ahwaz for a short period.
In Iran, the Ismailis founded their state in the fort of Alamut, where they ruled for about 171 years. Soon after the fall of Alamut, the Ismailis resided in different villages. The Imams also passed peaceful living as traders, farmers or local persons. In 1841, Imam Hasan Ali Shah left Iran for India. The condition of the Ismailis was worse for about a century. Poor economical condition, living in villages, agriculture, spinners, some employed as teachers or in army.
The King Reza Shah Pehelvi ascended in 1921 in Iran, and gave liberty to the people to practice their faith. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah admired his policy and published a letter in London Times in appreciation of the new policy of Iran, and made a forecast of a bright future of Iran. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah also propagated the splendid culture of Iran in Europe. The Iranians began to cultivate high regards for him.
In 1933, the 1000th anniversary of the poet Firdawsi was celebrated in Iran. Since Imam liked his poetry, he introduced the poet through his writings in the newspapers in Europe. In 1937, he also arranged to place a plate on the front entrance of the edifice of the League of Nations in Geneva, the following verse of poet Firdawsi:- “Whole mankind is like the different organs of one body. If one organ is injured, the other organs have to suffer.”
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah visited Iran in 1951. When his airplane landed at Mehrabad airport, loud cheers of joy and continued clapping of hands filled the air with deafening noise. Hakim al-Mulk, the member of the royal court, was the first to greet him on behalf of the king of Iran. Then the gentry and elite of the city of Tehran led by Aqai Ruknuddin Ashyani, welcomed the Imam. One of the relatives of the Imam presented the Koran and a bunch of flowers to the Imam. When the ceremonies ended, the Imam looked at the sky and the scene around him, and said with a smile, “What a lovely and beautiful country I have! I had been cherishing for years the desire to visit my beloved native land.” He was then led to Royal Palace of Princess Shams.
The Imam and the Begum then had an audience with the king. On his return to the palace, he also met the diplomats connected with the embassies of England, Egypt and India. He and the Begum spent the evening in the company of Princes Shams Pehlavi, the daughter of the late king. On February 11, the king of Iran awarded the Imam the title of The Order of the Crown First Class. The Imam also attended the marriage of the king on February 12, and presented one case of pure gold, one bangle of gold set with jewels, one lion and the sun with the royal crown set on it. The hand bangle of pure gold contained diamonds and emeralds set in it. During the conclusion of his tour in Iran, the Imam had appointed Timsar Amir Asad Shah Khalili as his agent, who led the Ismailis into a new era and many new schools and jamatkhanas were built in the villages where Ismailis resided.
After assuming the Imamate, the Present Imam visited Iran to see his followers. He arrived at Tehran on October 24, 1959 where he was accorded a warm welcome. He then went to see the king of Iran, and stayed in the palace of Bashgah Afasaran as a royal guest. On next day, he took a lunch with the king, and also attended the birth anniversary of the king on October 27, 1959. The Imam visited Ispahan on October 28, where the governor, Farzanigana, greeted him with great pomp. The village of Meimeh is about 100 kilometers from Ispahan, where a grand didar program had been arranged. Imam visited there on October 29, 1959 to see his followers who were accommodated in 800 tents. The Imam then returned to Ispahan on the same day and took lunch with the governor. He also attended a tea-party being arranged by Akbar Mirza Masud Sarm-i Dawla, the close relative of Lady Aly Shah, and the grandson of Nasiruddin Shah. On the evening, the Imam reached at Shiraz, and on October 31, 1959 he went to Birjand to give didar to his followers. Col. Abdul Ali Khan Shah Khalili, a well-known Ismaili leader had arranged the entire arrangements.
The Imam finally returned to Tehran on November 1, 1959 and held a press conference before evening. He announced for one million shillings for the foundation of a hostel in Tehran University. He also declared a donation of 40,000 shillings per year to the Red Lion and Sun Society of Iran, which continued for five years. At the evening, the Imam had a tea-party with the king of Iran. The Imam was honoured with the title of His Royal Highness. He attended a dinner party of the king, lasted till 11.00 p.m., and left Tehran for Geneva at 1.00 a.m. on November 2, 1959. The Imam also visited Iran to attend the coronation ceremony of the king of Iran on October 26, 1967, which was celebrated at Golestan Palace.
In Iran, the Ismailis are called Muridan-i-Aga Khan (the followers of the Aga Khan), and the jamatkhana is called Khanaqah Panjtani. The Ismailis have populated it for nearly 450 years in Dizbad, which boasts a high school in the name of Nasir Khusaro, and Syed Suleman Badakhshani established it in 1940 according to the advice of the Imam. In Khusk, there is a primary school, which was erected by Mulla Murad according to the Imam’s instructions.
September 9, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
Our current agricultural practices are a major contributor to climate change. A whopping 14% of all greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to the way we grow, process, distribute and consume food, and an additional 18% are due to deforestation largely driven by the clearing of forests for agricultural land. This problem can only intensify as our population grows. Imagine how many more greenhouse gasses will be pumped into our atmosphere in 2050 when the estimated world population reaches 9.1 billion. Without a drastic change to the way we produce food, we simply wont survive.
Traditional agriculture, and even organic agriculture, relies heavily on tilling the soil to prepare the ground for planting. Tilling, however, has a number of undesirable side-effects, such as: soil erosion, loss of organic matter, destruction of living soil microbes, dependence on heavy machinery, loss of soil structure, loss of nutrients and soil compaction. However, there is another negative side-effect of tilling that many people may be unaware of, and that is carbon oxidization. Tilling causes the carbon in the soil to be oxidized which releases it (the carbon) into the atmosphere. This, of course, increases greenhouse gasses and contributes to climate change.
Over the past 30 -40 years there have been people experimenting with no-till agriculture. No-till agriculture uses a range of practices so that tilling is rarely or never used, resulting in the following advantages: improved soil structure, better water and nutrient holding capacity and less use of machinery. However, one of the biggest advantages of no-till agriculture is that the soil can store much more carbon. This means that there will be more carbon in the plants and soil and less in the atmosphere. In other words, agriculture has the potential to become a fighter against climate change. Wouldnt that be a turnaround?
So far, no-till agriculture has been heavily dependent on herbicides. When I attended agricultural college in the late eighties, no-till agriculture was in its early developmental stages. It was seen as unorthodox and alternative a little way out. We were taught that paddocks needed to be sprayed out with herbicide first. The dead plants, which were called stubble, were left standing. Then seed was sown through the stubble, using a direct-drilling method. The stubble offered soil protection and increased biomass, which is great. However, the method was completely dependant on chemical herbicides.
The organic industry, which is generally seen as an environmentally positive industry, does things quite differently. They use a combination of green-manure crops and tilling. Green-manure crops, such as oats, millet, clover, and many more, are commonly used and sown into a paddock prior to planting the target species. For example, lets say our target species is corn. Prior to the corn being planted in spring, a green-manure crop, such as oats, is planted out in autumn and allowed to grow through winter. In spring, the oats are tilled into the soil and the corn is sown. This is an excellent way of building soil biomass and soil nutrients; however, you still have the negative effects of soil tillage, mainly the release of carbon into the atmosphere.
As you can see, both no-till and organic agriculture have their pros and cons. No-till methods store carbon but rely on chemicals. Organic farming uses no chemicals but relies on tilling.
A method that combined the soil protection of no-till farming and the non-toxicity of organic farming would be ideal agricultural heaven. There are people around the world who are working towards this ideal. These pioneers, referred to as no-till organic farmers, are still working out a few bugs.
With this revolutionary method, a green-manure cover crop is planted out prior to the target crop. However, when the time comes to plant the target species, the green-manure crop is not tilled into the soil, and neither is it killed with herbicide. Rather than being tilled or sprayed, the green-manure crop is killed using a mechanical method called crinking. A large roller with blunt blades set at intervals is rolled over the green-manure crop. The blades crink, but not cut, the stems of the cover crop. It also flattens the cover crop so that it becomes a dense, dead organic matt covering the soil. Then seed is sown using a direct-drilling method through the dead matt. The dead green-manure crop is still attached to the soil via its dying roots. This offers excellent soil protection and the dense matt offers weed suppression and moisture retention. It also increases soil biomass and builds nutrients.
The beauty of this method is the fact that agricultural land can act as a giant carbon sink. This is a complete turnaround as agriculture is presently a major producer of greenhouse gasses. It is believed that no-till farming has the potential to store a staggering 3000 pounds (1360 kilograms) of carbon per acre. No-till organic farming has the potential to become a major fighter against climate change, and provide healthy, chemical-free food at the same time.
On a small scale, no-till organic food production is actually very easy. Food4wealth is an ideal example of this revolutionary way of producing food. Food4wealth is a small-scale, easy-to-follow, organic food-growing method that retains a dense coverage of plants and uses no tilling. A food4wealth plot is just like a mini-carbon sink. It takes carbon from the atmosphere and turns it into healthy, organic food.
For more information go to: Food4Wealth
by Jonathan White B.App.Sci. Assoc. Dip.App. Sci.