culture

The right cannot resist a culture war against the 'liberal elite', even now | Nick Cohen

The highest rates of Covid-19 casualties are in countries run by know-nothing populists

All of a sudden, and after years of bluffing, conservatives are warning of the dangers of jumping to hasty conclusions. Before I go any further, I must therefore say our newly scrupulous masters have a point. The league tables of national Covid-19 death figures are not the last word on the crisis, and may look different in a few weeks. That’s that done, then. Everybody happy? Good. Let’s get on with it.

In the world as it is, rather than as it may be, a shameful fact is undeniable. The highest Covid-19 casualties are in the US and the UK, where the mendacities of the populist right have deformed society. It turns out that being governed by Anglo-Saxon conservatives is a threat to the health of nations. Their rule kills the old and blights the futures of the young. To understand their ineptitude, think of how conservatism turned into a know-nothing culture in the past decade, and ask what Donald Trump and Boris Johnson would be doing in an alternative universe where they never came close to power.

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culture

Panel on private investment in the food and agriculture sectors

Private investment in the food and agriculture sectors can enhance productivity, drive job creation and income growth, increase food supply and improve food security, according to panel participants. The panel also recognised the need to attract more private private investment in the food and agriculture sectors, and called on governments to design coherent policy frameworks and implement reforms to improve the investment climate.




culture

The Policy Framework for Investment in Agriculture

The Policy Framework for Investment in Agriculture is a flexible tool which helps governments evaluate their investment policies in the ten areas essential to creating an attractive environment for investors and in enhancing the development benefits of agricultural investment.




culture

OECD and FAO call for responsible investment in agriculture

16 February 2018 - OECD and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a pilot project in Paris today to kick-start the practical application of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains with 30 leading enterprises.




culture

Rain doesn’t follow the plow: climate change, agriculture and water

In many areas today, there is no such thing as a “natural” landscape. Thousands of years of farming have selected and encouraged some species, marginalised or eliminated others. The land itself has been altered by ploughing, enclosure, herding and other human interventions. We may feel that we have tamed Nature. Reports like this new one from the OECD remind us of our ignorance and warn us about our arrogance.




culture

Agriculture and agricultural soils facing climate change and food security challenges: Public policies and practices

This joint OECD/France conference to be held in Paris on 16 September 2015 will aim to lay the foundation for the international effort which is needed on public policy options and economic incentives to support food security, the fight against climate change and adaptation to climate change while integrating soil issues in that effort.




culture

Navigating pathways to reform water policies in agriculture - Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers

This report offers a guide on potential reform pathways towards sustainable agriculture water use, based on a thorough review of selected past water and agriculture reforms and extensive consultation with policy experts.




culture

India - The treasure house of culture and heritage

India is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It has been the dream land for centuries.India is an ideal place to sp




culture

Green Growth in Fisheries and Aquaculture

This report summarises the current situation in fisheries and aquaculture, observing that in many parts of the world these sectors are at risk and do not reach their full potential.




culture

Résultats PISA 2012 sur la culture financière: France

Résultats pour la France de PISA 2012 sur la culture financière en comparaison avec 17 autres pays et économies qui ont participé à l'évaluation: l'Australie, la Belgique (Communauté flamande), Shanghai-Chine, Colombie, Croatie, République tchèque, Estonie, Israël, Italie, Lettonie, nouvelle-Zélande, Pologne, Russie, République slovaque, la Slovénie, l'Espagne et les États-Unis




culture

Working together to build the culture of learning in the Netherlands (OECD Education Today Blog)

The Netherlands’ economy and society are being transformed by technological change, increased economic integration, population ageing, increased migration and other pressures.




culture

Genome Editing: Applications in Agriculture

The OECD Conference on Genome Editing: Applications in Agriculture – Implications for Health, Environment and Regulation will explore the regulatory considerations raised by genome edited products, with the aim to favour a coherent policy approach to facilitate innovation involving genome editing. More information on the programme and the speakers.




culture

The Slow Lane: Culture brings its own riches

Participation in the arts has a hugely positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing




culture

Donald Trump and America’s culture wars

From abortion to gay rights, he is unorthodox on Republican ‘values’, writes Christopher Caldwell




culture

Mitsui’s Tatsuo Yasunaga on Japan’s start-up culture

The Japanese trading house trusts its history of investment to create new lines of business




culture

The Fast Lane: who’s going to be the ‘global culture cop’?

‘What does it mean if you can’t comment on a sector of society unless you’re part of it?’




culture

Mutiny behind the sofa: BBC Breakfast has a 'bullying culture'

It's the wholesome morning TV show enjoyed by millions for its gentle take on the day's news. But it seems that all is not so cosy behind the scenes at BBC Breakfast.




culture

Jahangirpur Primary Agriculture ... vs The State Of Bihar on 6 May, 2020

2. Naturally, filing of the writ application has been found to be defective being inconsistent with the filing procedure prescribed under the High Court Rules, on many counts.

3. The petitioner is a Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) registered under the Bihar Cooperative Societies Act, 1935 and is, therefore, a body corporate. The PACS has been given licence to run a fair price shop. There is no averment in the writ application as to when such licence was granted to the PACS, though it is stated in paragraph-5 of the application that for last one decade various similar cooperative societies of the State are successfully conducting the business of fair price shops in addition to discharge of their other duties including procurement of food grains under the procurement schemes of the Government.




culture

Mutiny behind the sofa: BBC Breakfast has a 'bullying culture'

It's the wholesome morning TV show enjoyed by millions for its gentle take on the day's news. But it seems that all is not so cosy behind the scenes at BBC Breakfast.




culture

CM tells officials to prepare comprehensive agriculture policy

: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive agriculture policy for the state with an aim to make the agriculture sector profitable. Rao said he would be talking to farmers through clusters, farmers groups such as Rythu Bandhu Samithis and agriculture officers through a video conference very soon, an official release issued late on Saturday night said. Rao, who held a review on the agriculture department, instructed officials concerned to prepare the comprehensive agriculture policy and stressed the need for everything to happen in tune with it. "The government should decide on which crops the farmers should cultivate. Planning should be done in such a way that crops should be cultivated based on the food needs of people in the state and the crops, which are in demand in the markets in other regions," Rao said. Alternative crops should be identified and suggested to farmers and cultivation done on these lines, he said,




culture

'Culture Cops' and the mass media


The evidence of the pernicious influence of today's mass-media empires is overwhelming. But, lacking a historical consciousness that includes technology, modern India is thoroughly unprepared to tackle the excesses they promote, says Venkatesh R. Iyer.




culture

Making agriculture attractive


With the 2003-4 budget giving agriculture the go-by, Devinder Sharma outlines five criteria that nation's finance minister must keep in mind while crafting budgetary policy for agriculture.




culture

Any capital redesign must move towards a participatory culture

At a time when the government should be deeply troubled by the coronavirus pandemic and devising long-term health strategies, its inner circles are busy planning the upgrade of Parliament House and the Central Vista. But...




culture

Capt Amarinder Singh asks PSAC to focus on agriculture




culture

Punjab allows harvesting of horticulture produces with conditions




culture

Study reveals Agriculture and Fishing Cause Coral Reef Decline

Since researchers began surveys in the 1980s, coral reefs in the Caribbean have undergone widespread change following bleaching and disease epidemics that have reduced the […]

The post Study reveals Agriculture and Fishing Cause Coral Reef Decline appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.




culture

New Book: “Across Atlantic Ice : The Origin of America’s Clovis Culture”

Supplying archaeological and oceanographic evidence, this book persuasively links Clovis technology with the culture of the Solutrean people who occupied France and Spain more than 20,000 years ago.

The post New Book: “Across Atlantic Ice : The Origin of America’s Clovis Culture” appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.




culture

New Book: “Recreating First Contact: Expeditions, Anthropology, and Popular Culture”

Between the world wars of the early Twentieth Century, an age of adventure travel and cultural exploration flourished when newly developed transport and recording technologies–particularly […]

The post New Book: “Recreating First Contact: Expeditions, Anthropology, and Popular Culture” appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.




culture

Book Review: Double Exposure: photos of African American History & Culture

Photographs, by virtue of their static nature, not only allow us to look back to a fixed point in time, but also give us a […]

The post Book Review: Double Exposure: photos of African American History & Culture appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.







culture

Effects of Oil and Gas Development Are Accumulating On Northern Alaskas Environment and Native Cultures

The environmental effects of oil and gas exploration and production on Alaska s North Slope have been accumulating for more than three decades, says a new report from the National Academies National Research Council.




culture

Extensive Study on Concussions in Youth Sports Finds Culture of Resistance for Self-Reporting Injury - Not Enough Evidence to Support Claim That Helmets Reduce Concussion Risk

Young athletes in the U.S. face a culture of resistance to reporting when they might have a concussion and to complying with treatment plans.




culture

Sustaining Strong Safety Culture for Offshore Oil and Gas Operations Requires Collective Action Among Industry and Regulators

To transform the offshore oil and gas industry’s safety culture, operators, contractors, subcontractors, associations representing these groups, and federal regulators should collaborate to foster safety throughout all levels of the industry and confront challenges collectively, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




culture

To Prevent Sexual Harassment, Academic Institutions Should Go Beyond Legal Compliance to Promote a Change in Culture - Current Approaches Have Not Led to Decline in Harassment

A systemwide change to the culture and climate in higher education is needed to prevent and effectively respond to sexual harassment, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




culture

New Report Provides Guidance to USDA for Updating Its Data Programs to More Completely Understand American Agriculture

To ensure that U.S. agricultural policies are well-informed, data collection programs must be periodically revisited to reflect current realities of the agricultural sector, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




culture

National Academies Gulf Research Program Opens New Funding Opportunity to Advance Safety Culture in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced it will award up to $10 million through a new funding opportunity to support research projects that will advance understanding and facilitate improvement of safety culture in the offshore oil and gas industry.




culture

Gulf Research Program Awards $7.25 Million to Eight Projects Working to Advance Safety Culture in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced $7.25 million in grant awards for eight projects focused on strengthening safety culture in the offshore oil and gas industry.




culture

Increasing Women’s Representation in STEMM Fields Will Require Culture Change Driven by Systemic Actions by Higher Education Institutions, Funding Agencies, Congress

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine urges systemic action to change the culture in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) to address the underrepresentation of women in these fields.




culture

Intensive agriculture leaves lasting legacy on soil health

The long-lasting and negative effects of intensive farming on soils persist even where complex animal communities have been reintroduced to the soil in attempt to restore the natural balance, according to a recent study. The findings highlight the possible effects of historical land use on soils' ability to deliver ecosystem services.




culture

Sustainable agriculture: wider debate of farming techniques needed

There is a need to broaden the debate on sustainable food security from a straight comparison between organic and conventional farming to a consideration of a variety of farming techniques. This is the conclusion of a new review of research that indicates, for some crop types, organic yields can nearly match conventional yields under good management practices and growing conditions.




culture

How to prevent alien plant invasions in the global ornamental horticulture trade?

Alien plant invasions can have significant environmental, ecosystem and economic implications. Since ornamental horticulture is the primary pathway for invasive alien plant introductions, it is a suitable focus for prevention policies. A recent review of published evidence has examined the effectiveness of four major instruments: pre-border import restrictions, post-border sales bans, industry codes of conduct, and consumer education. The study highlights that, while each instrument has the potential to contribute to a reduction in plant invasion risk, none is sufficient to achieve this goal alone. The researchers, therefore, describe how the four instruments can be integrated along the ornamental horticulture industry supply chain to reduce risk more effectively, and outlines the role that government, industry and other stakeholders must play to achieve this goal.




culture

How much water is used for irrigation in European agriculture?

Agriculture plays a large role in the management of water in the EU. However, there is little consistent information on water use in irrigation. New EU supported research has estimated how much water is used for irrigation in European countries, providing a framework to analyse agricultural pressures on water quantity.




culture

Modern agriculture and land use behind the decline in bees

Estonian research has identified land use practices and agrochemical use as the main pressures that are causing a decline in pollinating insects in Europe, such as bees and butterflies. It calls for increased funds for agri-environment measures from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to help tackle pollinator loss.




culture

Estimating agriculture's phosphorus footprint

Researchers have calculated how much phosphorus is taken from the land by major crops around the world and how much is applied as fertiliser, to help estimate agriculture's phosphorus footprint. Among their conclusions, they argue that phosphorus fertiliser needs to be used more sustainably to address global imbalances in its use.




culture

Recent evidence on climate change risks for African agriculture




culture

Intensive agriculture leaves lasting legacy on soil health

The long-lasting and negative effects of intensive farming on soils persist even where complex animal communities have been reintroduced to the soil in attempt to restore the natural balance, according to a recent study. The findings highlight the possible effects of historical land use on soils' ability to deliver ecosystem services.




culture

Sustainable agriculture: wider debate of farming techniques needed

There is a need to broaden the debate on sustainable food security from a straight comparison between organic and conventional farming to a consideration of a variety of farming techniques. This is the conclusion of a new review of research that indicates, for some crop types, organic yields can nearly match conventional yields under good management practices and growing conditions.




culture

Agriculture can be powered by renewable energy sources

Some agricultural activities, such as irrigation, could be powered by renewable sources, a new study indicates. Farm machinery could also be renewably-powered, but the machinery would need to be adapted to use renewable electricity, instead of liquid fuel.