Wednesday, May 23, 2012
RIO+20: CGIAR calls to action on agricultural research for sustainable food security
CGIAR calls for a focus on the entire agricultural landscape as an integrated system, which recognizes that isolated solutions will not reduce risks or achieve required progress in the same way as integrated approaches will.
CGIAR calls for a focus on harmonizing food security and environmental sustainability through agricultural research and development. This will require us to minimize the harmful effects of agriculture on the environment through more efficient management of water, soils and agricultural inputs.
CGIAR calls for the sustainable management of complex agricultural systems while maximizing agricultural productivity and improving the livelihoods and food/nutrition security of the poor.
To achieve these objectives at Rio+20 and beyond, CGIAR, the world's largest publicly-funded global research partnership that advances science to reduce global poverty and hunger by addressing issues related to climate change, farming, forestry, environment and natural resources management, among others, has outlined a seven-point plan for how agricultural research for development can contribute to a more sustainable, food-secure future:
- We call on Rio+20 actors to adopt cross-sectoral approaches which facilitate broader partnerships, coordinated regulatory frameworks and appropriate economic incentives. What is required now is the vision and courage to transcend conventional sectoral approaches and apply integrated thinking to the management of agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, forests and water.
- We urge Rio+20 actors to address the unequal sharing of natural resources and their benefits through improved governance and technology dissemination. Robust land rights, more sustainable management and use of agricultural biodiversity, appropriate inclusive decision-making, benefit-sharing from forest goods and services, and enhanced enforcement by forest agencies, when appropriate, can all contribute to reduced conversion of forests and grasslands and more sustainable management of natural resources.
- We prompt Rio+20 actors to support knowledge sharing systems that engage with smallholder farmers to improve the management of their crops, livestock and natural resources in order to increase production as well as minimize negative environmental impacts.
- We insist that Rio+20 actors support the wide range of options currently available to restore and better manage degraded environments and ecosystems. Efforts need to focus on scaling out these options and encouraging the adoption through community-designed programs.
- We urge Rio+20 actors to strengthen and support local food production groups, livestock herders and smallholder farmers by investing in agricultural research, strengthening land and water rights, increasing access to markets, finance and insurance, and enhancing local capacity, especially with regard to the use of local agricultural biodiversity.
- We request Rio+20 actors to endorse the full implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), which promotes not only the conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity but also the equitable sharing of any benefits that may arise from its use.
- We call on Rio+20 actors to make a clear commitment to sustainable agricultural systems that prioritize food and nutrition security in order to lessen the need for emergency responses, thus reducing the human toll of disasters and freeing funds, normally dedicated to disaster relief, to be used for preventive research.
In particular we call on:
- Government decision-makers to promote increased and sustained investment in agricultural research. CGIAR and its partners work with national and regional research institution agendas to ensure they are meeting local development targets.
- Farm, land and livestock managers to develop, test and adopt new approaches to land and ecosystem management. The work of CGIAR contributes to providing tools, technologies and approaches in support of a more integrated management of land, forests and water resources.
- Civil Society Organizations to support partnerships with research agencies at local and national levelto ensure development initiatives are using appropriate technologies and approaches. CGIAR provides a range of proven technical solutions and approaches that are socially, economically and environmentally appropriate.
- Private Sector to support the discovery and dissemination of technologies, tools and knowledge needed by poor farmers and herders. Partnerships between the private sector and public research bodies, such as CGIAR, can play a key role in driving and disseminating agricultural innovation.
Original post
Read more about CGIAR at Rio+20
Register for the Agriculture and Rural Development Day at Rio+20 (Follow @AgricultureDay on Twitter, the #Rio4Ag Twitter tag, or the Agriculture Day Facebook page)
MSF: New research from medical humanitarian projects to be presented live online this year
Where: Scientific Day website http://www.msf.org.uk/Scientific_Day.aspx
- HIV and tuberculosis - What are the risk factors for children dying during treatment for tuberculosis? Resistance to HIV drugs and adherence, interrupted treatment, and drug regimen changes in resource poor settings
- How far we should go in our medical programmes to provide increasingly specialised treatment or in advocating or running long-term community health projects? Including: HIV and cervical cancer; innovative neonatal care approaches in MSF settings; long-term outcomes of children with severe acute malnutrition in Bihar, India; sexual health/violence/mental health and access to care in Guatemala City
- Hidden and neglected populations: treatment for post-kala azar dermal leishmaniasis; screening young children for psychological difficulties; HIV treatment for cross-border migrant farm workers in South Africa
Thursday, May 17, 2012
'Inside job' as Peru eyes gas in uncontacted tribes' land
| per_nan_s_24_screen[i-per_nan_s_24_screen] |
| A Nanti man. His tribe is under threat as Peru's gas projects expand further into protected areas. © Survival |
The Nahua-Nanti Reserve in southeast Peru is known for its uncontacted Amazon tribes, but more controversially, for a wide stretch of gas fields called the Camisea project.
Only last month, despite 75% of one gas block already dominating the reserve, Peru’s Ministry of Mines and Energy gave the Camisea consortium the green light for more gas exploration.
And now Peru has gone further, releasing plans for the country’s first state-owned oil block, which will be inside the legally protected area.
Known as Fitzcarrald, and owned by PetroPeru, Survival International can reveal the new site is projected to be east of Camisea’s Block 88.
| per_unco_ag[i-per_unco_ag] |
| In April, Peru gave Camisea permission to expand its gas fields further into protected land. © A. Goldstein/Survival |
Peru’s indigenous organization FENAMAD says ‘there is no doubt the government is attempting to cut up indigenous territories for gas exploration…which will be reflected in the genocide and ethnocide of indigenous peoples.’
The new plans are a clear violation of a 2003 Supreme Decree prohibiting any new development of natural resources inside the Nahua-Nanti Reserve.
Survival International’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘These steps not only jeopardize the future of uncontacted and contacted tribes in the reserve, but also go entirely against the law. Previous gas exploration in this area has decimated Indian tribes, so it’s astonishing that the government is prepared to contemplate history repeating itself, and doesn’t appear to care what the consequences are.’
Exposed: World's 'most threatened tribe' outnumbered 10:1 by invaders
| link[i-link] |
| Little Butterfly and her people, the Awá, are earth's 'most threatened tribe'. © Survival |
Officials acknowledged the scale of the emergency after receiving over 20,000 messages of protest following the launch of Survival’s campaign to save the Awá tribe from imminent extinction.
Survival International has learned that a government survey estimates there could be up to 4,500 invaders – ranchers, loggers and settlers – now occupying just one of the four territories inhabited by the Awá tribe, whose total population stands at no more than 450.
The new head of FUNAI (Brazil’s Indian Affairs Department), Dra Marta Azevedo, has confirmed that the plight of the Awá tribe is now her department’s top priority.
Meanwhile Brazil’s Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo has been receiving over 1,000 messages a day since actor Colin Firth launched the campaign.
| link[i-link] |
| This satellite graphic shows the extent of illegal logging in one Awá territory. © Survival |
Survival International Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘Brazil is one of the world’s most important countries with one of its most dynamic economies, and it certainly has the resources to protect Awá land. Can it deliver? If not, and the Awá are destroyed, then is this new ‘economic miracle’ just for the rich and powerful? Where does ‘the rule of law’ stand in the hierarchy of money and guns?’
Blackbaud CRM Release Features Powerful New Data Tools for Nonprofits
Leading nonprofits select Blackbaud CRM to power constituent engagement
Charleston, S.C. (May 17, 2012) — Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLKB) today announced enhancements to Blackbaud CRM™, including new membership features, a simplified user interface accessible on mobile devices and intuitive duplicate management options.
“This latest release of Blackbaud CRM has incorporated significant user feedback in the design of new features to deliver enhancements that help nonprofits save time and more efficiently manage their constituent relationships, so they can spend more time on their missions,” said Eric de Jager, Blackbaud’s vice president of product management.
Blackbaud CRM brings together industry-leading fundraising, online applications, actionable prospect research and analytics, and multichannel direct marketing together in one platform to enable an integrated view of the constituent experience across an organization. Built to handle the unique needs of cause and cure, healthcare and other large direct response marketing organizations, higher education institutions and international NGOs, Blackbaud CRM works with nonprofits’ unique processes to allow easier access to data and to offer a complete view of constituent and alumni activity.
Blackbaud CRM now features:
- A simplified user experience – users can now more easily access key functions via mobile devices and the web, enjoying a redesigned user interface, key feature enhancements and new role-centers and dashboards tailored to individuals’ use.
- Enhanced membership features – setup and processing has been simplified through the use of a setup wizard, supporting a variety of membership models, including alumni and other dues- and contribution-based memberships, allowing flexibility for monthly, annual and lifetime programs.
- Data processing improvements – enhanced duplicate management and data entry tools with more configuration options, allowing users to effectively manage high-volume direct marketing and integration from multiple data sources.
- Powerful multi-channel marketing – new features designed to execute and analyze multi-channel appeals more effectively, enhanced search engine optimization options and content management system (CMS) improvements to enable efficient and agile web design.
View the release video or take a walk-through of the new features.
Leading nonprofits select Blackbaud CRM
AmeriCares, American Heart Association, Boy Scouts of America, Mission of Mercy and University of Toronto each recently selected Blackbaud CRM.
In support of its $2 billion Boundless campaign, publicly launched in November 2011, the University of Toronto will use Blackbaud CRM to support its development, alumni relations and stewardship activities. “Blackbaud CRM will help us improve our data integrity and sharing across the University, while helping us to work with people who may want to support our students and faculty,” said David Palmer, University of Toronto’s Vice-President, Advancement. “It will empower our staff with planning, business intelligence and reporting tools, so they can analyze, track and improve the overall performance of our advancement programs. Ultimately, it will be a key tool in helping us support the University’s dual missions of teaching and research.”
Blackbaud tops 2012 ZDNet CRM Watchlist
Blackbaud was recently named the winner of the 2012 ZDNet CRM Watchlist as the highest scoring technology firm. This list is looked to by the industry as a resource featuring viable CRM vendors.
Paul Greenberg, author of CRM at the Speed of Light, gave accolades to Blackbaud’s ability to provide outstanding tools and technology for nonprofit organizations. “The applications are built around the jobs that nonprofits generally do” and “the platform back end is as strong as any platform in the enterprise software world with strong administration, security, auditing, and an open standards API, plus a business rules and workflow engine.” Greenberg continued, “Even with the much tougher criteria and scoring of this year, they had so much going for them, I saw them as a definite winner.”
For more information about Blackbaud CRM and to access the CRM Watchlist, visit www.blackbaud.com/crm. To learn more about the latest release, visit www.blackbaud.com/newcrm.
International Medical Corps to Assist Up To 900 People a Day Returning Into South Sudan
International MedicalCorps has deployed an Emergency Response Team to address the humanitarian needs of returnees arriving from Sudan to South Sudan. Acute malnutrition and a high level of morbidity have been flagged as risks among the returning population.
The National Health Cluster and the Central Equatoria State Ministry of Health asked International Medical Corps to be the lead health agency responding to the arrival of up to 12,000 South Sudanese returnees currently displaced in Sudan. In preparation, International Medical Corps is establishing a clinic at the National Teacher Training Institute (NTTI),which will be the largest transit site for returnees. NTTI, located close to South Sudan’s capital city of Juba, is expected to hold up to 10,000 people. Returns began on May 14, and approximately 600 individuals have already arrived in Juba. It is expected that 600-900 returnees will be arriving each day.
Three International Medical Corps doctors will be staffed at the site, assisted by national clinic officers, nurses, support staff and a nutritionist. International Medical Corps will provide health services for returnees and take the lead on nutrition screenings and outpatient therapeutic programming to treat cases of moderate acute malnutrition. The World Health Organization has provided International Medical Corps with a kit of drugs and medical supplies to treat up to 10,000 people for three months.
In addition to assisting returnees in Juba, International Medical Corps is supporting 49 health facilities in South Sudan, providing primary and secondary health care, nutrition, and water and sanitation services. The organization has been present in South Sudan since 1994, and currently works in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Central Equatoria and Western Equatoria States.
Violence has continued to escalate as South Sudan and Sudan have engaged in protracted border disputes since the south officially seceded from the north almost a year ago. The economic situation in South Sudan is grim, as there is very little fuel in the country and its currency is weakening. International Medical Corps continues to monitor the situation and is prepared to deploy additional teams to addresshumanitarian needs.
Since its inception nearly 30 years ago, International Medical Corps' mission has been consistent: relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster and disease, by delivering vital health care services that focus on training. This approach of helping people help themselves is critical to returning devastated populations to self-reliance. For more information visit: www.InternationalMedicalCorps.org. Also see us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Germany Considers Sending Whale Defender to What Will be a Death Sentence in Costa Rica
If the German Ministry of Justice and/or the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs give notice that they would not grant an extradition of Paul Watson to Costa Rica the case would be over, and Captain Watson would be set free immediately. We ask our supporters to continue to appeal the German Ministry of Justice for help.
Sea Shepherd representatives were able to visit Captain Watson in the Frankfurt prison this morning and they were able to record the following statement from Captain Watson:
In our efforts to defend the lives of whales, dolphins, seals, sharks, and fish we have made some powerful enemies, most notably the government of Japan. It is no coincidence that the extradition request by Costa Rica was issued the same month (October 2011) as the Japanese whaling (ICR) lawsuit against Sea Shepherd was initiated. The extradition request was in reference to a complaint from Costa Rican fishermen who I caught poaching in Guatemalan waters. The fishermen were not injured and their boat was not damaged. The incident was fully documented for the film Sharkwater. Interpol originally denied this extradition order and deemed it as politically motivated. Therefore the question must be asked why Germany is now taking into account accusations made by illegal poachers.”- Captain Paul Watson
Captain Watson has travelled extensively throughout the world since the Costa Rican government issued this arrest warrant in October of 2011. He has been to Australia, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, etc. None of these countries have sought to arrest Captain Watson as Germany has.
Should Captain Watson be extradited to Costa Rica, he will certainly not receive a fair trial and his safety cannot be guaranteed. Sea Shepherd is doing everything it can to provide Captain Watson the best legal defense team possible. Between the illegal Japanese whalers and the shark finning mafia in Costa Rica, Captain Watson has formidable enemies who seek to stop his efforts to defend marine life.
Your generous donation will help keep Captain Watson out of harm’s way, and will allow him to fulfill his mission: to protect marine creatures while there is still hope.
Statement from Captain Watson’s Attorney Oliver Wallasch:
Sea Shepherd press conference, Germany Frankfurt airport, May 16, 2012
Dear all,
Today I received the request from the general public prosecutor in Frankfurt to the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt to issue a preliminary extradition arrest warrant against Paul WATSON on the basis of the local arrest warrant and the request for extradition from Costa Rica. The general public prosecutor gives notice, that the Costa Rican authorities have asked for extradition on a charge which is also a criminal act under the German law (dual criminality rule); the general public prosecutor is concerned that the preliminary arrest is necessary because of the likelihood of an escape of the client.
At this stage of the procedure we do not have all the evidence and we do not have any extradition papers from the Costa Rican authorities Therefore the public prosecutor only asks for a preliminary extradition warrant; he does not ask for a decision of the court concerning the extradition itself. Absolutely unusual - I never had this experience in all my practice in cross border cases - is the fact, that the public prosecutor stated, that the German Ministry of justice and the German Ministry of foreign affairs have the power to stop the extradition procedure on political reasons.
If the German Ministry of justice and/or the German Ministry of foreign affairs give notice, that they would not grant an extradition from Paul Watson to Costa Rica the case will be over, and Paul Watson will be set free immediately. For an independent public prosecutor this statement is absolutely unusual, and gives a hint, that is not an ordinary extradition case, but to be handled also on the political level.
Please click here to donate to Captain Watson’s legal defense fund