The Food Security Of India

The Food Security Of India Food Security as described in World Food Summit, Rome 1996, Food Security exists, when all people, at all time have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preference for an active and healthy life. India uptill now has faced 14 famines in its history and among them the Bengal Famine of 1943 was the worst. Food availability and agriculture in India has been largely related to the vagaries of monsoon. In the past concentrated efforts were made to achieve food security by increasing food grain production. The Green Revolution was a step towards attaining Food Security. For maintaining a satisfactory level of operational and buffer stock of food grains and to ensure national food security, The Food Corporation of India (FCI henceforth) was set up under the Food Corporation Act 1964. It ensured effective price support operation for safeguarding the interest of the farmers. Another important work that FCI does is managing the Public Distribution System. FCI maintains food security in the country through its four Zonal Offices- North Zone, South Zone, East Zone and West Zone and their respective regional offices. FCI has also established a comprehensive and a structured training mechanism in accordance with its organisational goals known as the Institute of Food Security. The flagship activity of the institute has been to conduct short-term training programmes on various subjects related to Food Security, Managerial Skills, Computer skills and on operations of FCI. Food Security as we have mentioned above exists when all people have access to have food and there is a minimum level of nutrition that is maintained. There are four main dimensions of food security that can be identified: PTO Physical Availability of food- It is determined by the level of food production, stock levels and net trade or in short we refer to the supply side of food availability. Economic and Physical access to food- Access to food depends on income, expenditure, market and prevailing prices in the market. Availability of food grains in the country does not ensure availability to every individual. Food utilization- Sufficient energy and nutrient intake by individuals along with good biological utilization of food consumed determines the nutritional status of individuals. Stability of other three dimensions over time Adverse weather conditions, political conditions and economic factors have an impact over food security. In spite of constant efforts by the government and FCIs repeated efforts India has failed to feed the teeming millions. Food availability in the country is poor and there still remain a huge amount people who strive to get two squares of meal a day. Innovative strategic interventions are the needs of the hour and they have to be implemented to ensure food availability, food access and utilization. Freedom from hunger is not only a basic right but it is also essential for the enjoyment of all other rights. There has to be much stress on community farming. Through research and development it has to be aimed to reduce cost of production. New technology has to be introduced so as to achieve high production and better yield. It has been rightly mentioned in our five year plans that the time has come to introduce a Second Green Revolution. A revolution of such a great intensity is required to overcome these ailments. Expanding utilization of food facilities and encouraging private sector i nvestments can be another possibility towards achieving this goal. Over the years India has miserably failed to achieve food security. The number of people without enough food to eat on a regular basis remains stubbornly high through the ages. In India about 29 % of the 872.9 million people are malnourished. There have been various reasons contributing to this. One of major reasons is that Indian agriculture has been highly dependent on the vagaries of monsoon. Rainfall has been constantly irregular in India and moreover the recent changes in the climatic conditions all over the world have contributed to the problem of unavailability of food. In spite of Governments repeated efforts to maintain Food Security and availability, it has been highly subject to the irregularities of agricultural production. It is said that India attained national food self-sufficiency 35 years ago yet about 35% of its population remains food insecure. We look into the close interlink between food security and agriculture. In the past three decades the South Asian countries have made considerable advancement in food production which was elicited by the Green Revolution. Green Revolution was introduced in 1960s and they brought in the use of High Yielding Variety (HYV) of seeds. It brought about a revolutionary boost in production. Now there was a huge expansion in the crop yield which contributed to the countrys growth. But agriculture was highly decelerated in the country and more focus was laid on industrialisation. Thus the wave of green revolution did not reach all parts of the country and it full effect was not realised. It remained regional and only affected the rich farmers. Also in the 1960s India experienced two major droughts and there was a severe food shortage. There was not sufficient food for all. Also we can say that green revolution was successful to some extent but the aim of self sufficiency and food security still seem like a distant dream. In India climate plays a major role in agriculture. Agriculture even to this day is highly dependent on the vagaries of monsoon. Climatic change will affect food security through its impacts on all components of national and local food production system. There has been a rising trend in the temperatures all over the world. This has contributed to a fall in rainfall drastically. Another aspect of climatic change is that of extreme weather events like cyclone which has made agriculture losses higher and has affected total production. Climatic changes as seawater incursion and unusual flooding are effecting greatly as well. Changes in temperature and precipitation influence water run-off and erosion affecting soil organic carbon and nitrogen content and salinity in the soil. Thus the changing weather condition all over the world has had its toll on agriculture. The new climatic conditions are more likely to have negative impacts such as a rise in the spread of diseases and pests, which will reduce yields. Rainfall trends have changed and decrease in rainfall has lead to a fall in production. Rising temperature, changing precipitation patterns and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events are expected to be the reasons for reducing regional water availability. In a country like India where there is lack of irrigation facilities and agriculture is completely dependent on rainfall, irregular rainfall directly affect the total crop production. Unavailability of sufficient water is also another reason for crop failure. Grain output has been stagnating for over a decade and there is a growing gap between supply and demand. A decrease in production leads to poor availability and thus food security of the country is poor. The crisis has been building up for some time. The food grains yields of Indian farmers are not going up. Thus we come to the conclusion that climate change will reduce crop yield in the tropical country like India. The regional inequality in foo d production resulting from climate change will have a very great implication on the food security of the country. Another problem is that of lack of proper mechanization in agriculture. Indian farmers are mostly too poor to implement the modern techniques or machinery in their farms. The small and marginal farmers generally sell their produce. Now transporting and storage of food grains too holds huge importance in a country like India where the condition of infrastructure is very poor. The Food Corporation of India has been entrusted with the job of maintaining a buffer stock. A buffer stock is necessary so as to ensure food security during bad agricultural years or crop failures. But due to lack of infrastructure every year there is a considerable amount of food grains that is wasted. Quantity of food grains damaged in India : YEAR QUANTITY(lakh MTs) 2004-2005 0.97 2005-2006 0.95 2006-2007 0.25 2007-2008 0.34 2008-2009 0.03 2009-2010 0.03 AVERAGE 0.58 Source: Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2779, dated 27.04.2007. Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3065, dated 08.12.2009 The above table shows the amount of food which is wasted from 2004-2010. In a country like India where agricultural production is not enough and people do not get two squares of meal a day, these datas are shocking. This has lead to a fall in food security because there has been a deficiency of food grains. Another important factor in this context is that of land use. Due to rapid industrialisation in building roads, houses and factories, private entrepreneurs are taking away the fertile lands for non-agricultural purposes. The supply of land in nature is fixed and as more and more land is used for non-agricultural practises it has been seen that the land for agricultural purpose is decreasing. People look at the comparative advantage of industrialisation over agriculture. But they fail to realise that in a way they are decreasing their food-grain production. This has lead to a disparity between the demand and supply of food grains and thus instability in food security. The food policy of India took up two objectives one is to create a food surplus economy and next is to provide food grains at subsidised rates. Our Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had implemented a seed-water-fertilizer policy commonly called the Green Revolution in order to attain self-sufficiency and to attain food security. It is time we had a revolution of such an intensity to revive our strategies to attain food security. In a country as huge as India where population grows at about 8 % and where a large chunk of the population is malnourished and under-weight it becomes necessary to attain food security. The supply chain between the farmers and the consumers should be shortened. Farmer friendly marketing processes should be introduced. And most important a second revolution is necessary to bring about stability in the Food Security in the country. **************************

Hair Weaving The Mathematical Connection

This survey examines the mathematics behind hair weaving. The observation is conducted in a little salon in Decatur, Georgia. The stylist utilizations math on a day-to-day footing. The range of the mathematics in this survey is merely focused on a little facet that occurs daily in a salon. The mathematics that is involved includes: fractals, transmutation, perimeter, numeration, appraisal, anticipation, measuring, ratios, angles, and add-on. In add-on, the survey demonstrates the importance of utilizing civilization in the schoolroom, and literature that has successfully implemented activities affecting hair gold braid and other African parts.Context of the StudyIntegrating civilization into schoolrooms is really of import. One pattern that is common in the African American civilization is hair lacing and hair weaving, where hair gold braid is a really of import measure in the hair weaving procedure. These peculiar manners are apparent in all schoolrooms across the state. Since the h airdos are prevailing in schools, associating hair weaving to curriculums will actuate the pupils ( Gilmer, 2004 ) . The pupils can function as theoretical accounts. Making the pupils a portion of the lesson will further peer interaction and construct self esteem ( Gilmer, 2004 ) . In add-on, hair weaving will supply a connexion to history. This connexion will supply the chance to larn mathematics in a contextual signifier that African American pupils are familiar with. In add-on, since hair gold braid and hair weaves are a current manner tendency, this tendency can present the historical parts of the African civilization to pupils as good, redesigning the current bringing of mathematical direction ( Weiger, 2000 ) . The fact-finding processs involved in utilizing conceptual mathematics will beef up the African American pupil ‘s critical thought, job resolution, and communicating accomplishments because the pupils are utilizing and discoursing the mathematics.Research Question sThrough the literate reappraisal and the analysis of informations, the undermentioned inquiries will be answered at the terminal of this ethnographic survey: What is the relationship between hair weaving ( sew- in ) and mathematics? How make you use the historical manner parts of ancient Africans to motivate motive amongst African American young person? How make you utilize the civilization of hair to actuate African American young persons? Why is it of import to incorporate civilization and instruction? How make you place the mathematical constructs in hair gold braid and hair weaving?Concise Literature ReviewAfrican Americans take pride in their hair and their visual aspect. This is apparent in the billion dollar hair industry with adult females, work forces and kids lending to the net incomes ( Chris Rock ‘s Good Hair, 2009 ) . The billion dollar industry contains weaves, hair attention merchandises, and hair attention tools. African American adult females can pass 1000s of dollars on one weave session. Since so much accent is placed on hair, the research of schoolroom use by Gloria Gilmer ( 1998 ) is of import to African Americans. During Gloria Gilmer ‘s look intoing into hair manners of African American adult females, geometric designs and forms were discovered in the gold braid procedure ( Gilmer, 1998 ) . After farther probe, the constructs of tessellations were identified in the gold braid forms of the participants. The tessellations were easy seeable in the expo sure provided in the survey. Another research worker connected the forms of hair lacing to the transmutations besides ( Eglash, 2004 ) . On the website provide by Ron Eglash cornrow plaits translate, reflect, rotate, and distend Y forms in which the Y resembles a plait stitch ( 2004 ) . Pamela Frost discovered that African fractals are non limited to hair gold braid, but can be extended to calculate artworks, genetic sciences, and biological science ( 1999 ) . Since hair gold braid contains common taught mathematical constructs, implementing the construct is an easy undertaking. Teachers do non hold to buy extra merchandises to implement the construct, since paper and pencils can be utilized to look into fractals. It is noted that â€Å" pupils can still larn about fractals utilizing common school supplies † ( Frost, 1999 ) . Teachers do non hold to research a batch of information about hair gold braid and hair weaving. African American pupils come with anterior cognition about hair gold braid and hair weaving, associating their anterior cognition to geometry and fractals can help in â€Å" building their ain individualities † ( Frost, 1999 ) . Besides instructors can be provided with pre-written activities about the connexion of hair gold braid and mathematics ( Frost, 1999 ) . An of import facet of utilizing hair lacing in the schoolroom is to help in the development of African American pupils and other minorities. It has been noted that Ethnomathematics such as forms in hair lacing â€Å" respond to the demands of increasing Numberss of pupils who feel like failures for non understanding † ( Gilmer, 2004 ) . African American pupils will see little success by lending information that they are familiar with. In the current educational systems mathematics is used to hike trial tonss, so pupil can accomplish a certain position ( Gilmer, 2004 ) . Often in this procedure minority pupils are left behind in mathematics. In other to level the playing field in mathematics, utilizing Ethnomathematics that involves cultural constructs such as hair gold braid and hair weaving will give the pupils the power to â€Å" spot and look into † which engages pupils ( Gilmer, 2004 ) . Student engagement aids with treating information into memory ( Woolfolk, 2004 ) . With battle, comes larning. African American pupils will hold the chance to larn mathematics and reassign the acquisition to trials and other acquisition activities ( Gilmer, 2004 ) .MethodologyParticipantsThis assignment provided an chance to detect an African American stylist with over 18 old ages of experience in the cosmetology concern. The stylist works in a little upscale salon with two other stylists. The ascertained stylist received her preparation from a local cosmetology school and a concern grade from Bowie State University in Maryland. The stylist stated her trade was mastered through on the occupation preparation and that school merely prepared her with the theory. The client is a professional pedagogue that receives hair weaves every six to eight hebdomads. The client has chemically damaged hair and receives hair weaves to alleviate the mundane emphasis on her hair. Permission was given to merely enter the dorsum of the caput.Study DesignSince hair is a portion of the African American civilization, an ethnographic attack was taken. Culture can non be examined with making a hypothesis, formal testing, and statistical analysis of informations.Data Collection Instruments:During the survey, a FLIP picture camera was used to enter snippings of the hair weaving procedure. In add-on, notes were written to enter the ambiance, the conversations, and the actions of the stylist. An informal interview was used to derive cognition about the client and the stylist techniques.Procedures:Initial Entry: In order to finish this survey, aid from the stylist was requested during a hebdomadal salon visit. During the solicitation, the stylist was given a transcript of the undertaking demands and a brief account about the videotaping. The stylist was concerned with the publication of the recorded techniques. She was assured that the technique was for a category undertaking with no public screenings. The stylist agreed and requested a transcript of the picture once the undertaking was completed. Data Collection: The research worker began the observation procedure around nine 30 a.m. The observation procedure consisted of notes, informal interviews and videotaping. The research worker became an active portion of the procedure by helping with the threading of the acerate leafs. In add-on, the research worker interacted with all the other stylists and clients by supplying information about the survey and take parting in the chitchat in the salon.Data Analysis & A ; SynthesisIn analyzing the informations received during the observation, several mathematical operations were revealed. The first mathematical construct that was revealed was fractals. Fractals are defined as the geometric forms that are repeated, which include dilations ( Frost, 1999 ) . In hair weaving, the first procedure is hair lacing. The stylist subdivisions off little parts of the hair, and so braid the hair. The plaits consist of repeated forms that resemble a â€Å" V † . The plait begins little towar ds the border of the hair and gets larger as the plait reaches the Crown of the heard. The following mathematical construct that was revealed is transmutations which include interlingual renditions and perpendicular contemplations. As mentioned before, the plaits resemble several little V ‘s. The interlingual rendition occurs when the form of the V travels towards the Crown of the caput. The form of the V ‘s is really close together so the plaits are tight. This tightness aids with the hair weave enduring eight hebdomads. Another transmutation that is present is a perpendicular contemplation. The stylist begins with a plait on the right side of the heard and terminals at the Crown of the caput. She so begins with the left side of the caput and ends at the same topographic point. The plaits on each side of the caput are exact opposite of each other. The contemplation line is in the centre of the caput. The perpendicular refection ends at the center of the ears. In add-on, the mathematical construct of numeration was revealed. In several cases, the stylist was observed numbering the figure of plaits on the client ‘s caput. She stated it was of import to hold the same measure of plaits on both sides of the caput. In add-on, the stylist the stylist was observed numbering the figure of weave paths as she connected the weave. Another mathematical construct that was observed during the hair weaving procedure involves measuring and appraisal. The stylist used appraisal to mensurate the length of the weaving yarn. She removed yarn from the bobbin and used the length of her forearm to find the length. This procedure continued until the hair weave was completed. In add-on, the stylist estimates the measure of hair and the monetary value of the service. It was revealed that a anterior conversation occurred between the client and the stylist. The client shows the stylist a image and the stylist determines the measure of hair that is needed. This appraisal is of import because they stylist do non desire the client to buy extra hair. The following mathematical construct observed is arc length. Since the measuring of the caput utilizes perimeter, which is the length of the outermost border of a circle. The plaits that travel from right to go forth could be considered to be single circles. The stylist is gauging the length of the weave paths to attach to the ‘arcs † of the fanciful circles, which is the formal mathematical term called arc length. Another mathematical construct that is utilised is ratios. The stylist discussed the procedure of adding colour to the hair weave. The client purchases a little package of coloured weave. Following, the stylist uses a razor to divide the weave path. Finally, the stylist combines the colour weave path to the black path. In add-on, the stylist utilised ratios in the procedure when she mixed the hair dye for another colour. The stylist did uncover that sometimes hair weave clients receive colour to dissemble the grey hairs. This peculiar client did non have hair colour. After all of the paths were attached to the caput, the stylist used angles to cut the hair. The stylist stated she was utilizing 45 grade angles. It was hard to find the exact measuring of the angles since the stylist cut the hair quickly. Using 40 five degree angles to cut hair is a construct that the stylist learned in beauty school. During the full procedure of attaching the weave path to the plaits, the stylist created knots to guarantee the yarn did non detached. Besides in the initial threading procedure, knots were tied at the terminal of the twine every bit good. The type of knot was non determined. The concluding mathematical construct that was revealed was add-on and minus. The stylist used mental add-on to calculate the cost of the hair weave service. Once the client paid for the service, the stylist provided alteration. There was non any grounds of numbering alteration to the client. Recommendations Listing the possibilities of mathematics being used in the universe is about impossible. Mathematics is used in many signifiers of life such as eating houses, building, auto franchises, and promenades. This use of mathematics supports systems in topographic point working. Since mathematics is apparent in the lives of pupils, it is recommended to associate practical experiences such as hair weaving to the course of study that pupils must larn. This relationship would do mathematics relevant to the universe of pupils. In add-on, supplying this experience will see pupils to possible callings that they may hold had small cognition about. Learning mathematics through practical experiences will give pupil the chance to larn why and how mathematics is used. This signifier of larning supports the constructivist theory, where acquisition is student centered and non teacher centered ( Woolfolk, 2004 ) . Another recommendation to utilizing practical experiences such as hair weaving will give th e chance for pupils to larn utilizing transverse curricular activities. Since hair weaving involves chemicals, designs, and hair, pupils will hold the chance to larn chemical science, art and biological science in context. Observing and questioning a stylist will give a pupil the chance to witness the consequences of chemical procedure on the hair, to incorporate art and manner, and to larn how the organic structure develops skin, and the proper nutrition to keep healthy tegument. Besides it is recommended to give the pupils the chance to larn by making. The custodies on larning experience will advance motive. Motivation amongst African American pupils in mathematics is worsening ( Gilmer, 2004 ) . Using a pattern that is familiar to pupils can supply a gateway to engagement in the category. The pupils will be a portion of the category, taking the phobic disorder of failure, ensuing in assurance in mathematics ( Woolfolk, 2004 ) . This assurance will actuate the pupil to go on to la rn mathematics since the fright of non cognizing is removed. It is besides recommended that instructors create job based acquisition instances utilizing the constructs that relates to civilization such as hair weaving. The instances would advance enquiry about the different civilization and give replies as to why a peculiar civilization patterns certain modus operandis. This window into the lives of others will assist the pupils to understand and appreciate the civilizations of others. The enquiry procedure in the job based acquisition will give the pupils picks about the methods of geting cognition and how of import the information is to their personal state of affairs. The acquisition is navigated by the pupils with instructor counsel, alternatively of driven by instructor input merely. In add-on, the pupils will hold the chance to research and take part in instructional preservations from the research about the different civilizations. The instructional conversations would advanc e integrity and aid in learning diverseness amongst the pupils and the instructors.

The New Jim Crow Mass Incarceration - 1477 Words

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness, by Michelle Alexander. The New Press, 2010. 290 pages. Reviewed by Ashlei G Cameron. Michelle alexander is a highly acclaimed civil rights lawyer, advocate and legal scholar. As an associate professor of law at Standford law school, she directed the Civil Rights Clinic and pursued a research agenda focused on the intersection of race and criminal justice. In 2005. Alexander won a Soros Justice Fellowship that supported the writing of The New Jim Crow and accepted a joint appointment at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity and the Mortiz College of Law at The Ohio State University, where she currently serves as an associate professor of law. Prior to†¦show more content†¦The New Jim Crow is her first book. The New Jim Crow has captivated many Americans’ attention since it was published in 2010. Michelle Alexander has become the poster woman for ending the drug war and mass incarceration, for policy reform and for mass movement organizing. She wrote this book for liberals like her to alert them that this system—in which people are being targeted, criminalized, stereotyped to support popular complacent consent for criminalization, incarcerated, and then denied full citizenship upon release—is a legacy to the racial caste system that was Jim Crow. While this I believe to be true, I also believe that there is more to unfold in the story than Alexander has presented in her book. Jim Crow was the name of the racial caste system, which operated primarily between 1877, and the mid-1960s. Jim Crow was more than just a series of rigid anti-Black laws. It was a way of life. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were relegated to the status of second-class citizens. Jim Crow represented the legitimization of anti-Black racism The New Jim Crow has become, to some, the seminal reading on the current state of American incarceration and how it got that way. It has been a ringing alarm for some who could have gone their whole lives and never known about the way that the war on drugs has disproportionately affected certain vulnerable segments of the population and made others vulnerable that may have not

Fate, Destiny, and Predestination in Beowulf Essays

Fate, Destiny, and Predestination in Beowulf An epic story is one that combines elements of supernatural powers and heroic deeds with plebeian troubles. In Beowulf , the unknown author paints a typical yet magnificent tale that is one of the great epic chronicles of the Middle Ages. Like the poems of Homer, Beowulf possesses terrible monsters, men with supernatural powers, the search for glory, and deadly defeats. However, this medieval account brings a new element into the folds: the association between established religious forces and personal choices. The concepts of predestination and fate intertwine in this work with the idea of free will. Throughout the poem, characters struggle to understand who and/or what is the guiding†¦show more content†¦Noticeably present, in fact, are references to each important characters ancestors and lineage. With each mention of a character, the father is also interjected (Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow or Wiglaf, son of Weohstan). Destiny initially comes into play when Beowulf arrives at the shores of Denmark and is unknown to the guards. King Hrothgar proclaims, â€Å"I used to know [Beowulf] when he was a young boy. / His father before him was called Ecgtheow† (lines 372-3). Clearly, family ties are necessary to succeed in the world of kings. Beowulf is immediately given leave to enter the country and to â€Å"follow up an old friendship† (line 376) because the King is certain that the young man is destined to be a great warrior in Denmark. Certainly, past conquests and victories play a part in Beowulfs renown, but ancestry is initially more impressive. Beowulfs destin y is, therefore, partly determined by his fathers feats and legacy. The opportunities given to the now famous warrior are a result of the powerful family that he comes from. Thus, destiny plays a prophetic part in shaping Beowulfs future. While destiny and fate are related, in Beowulf the two ideas play different roles. Destiny is the concept that allows sons to be marked for greatness before they have come of age, while fate is an independent guiding force that does not rely upon worldly interactions (knowledge of lineage,Show MoreRelatedFate Vs. Free Will2263 Words   |  10 Pagesone side on fate vs free will. They feel as though you have no ultimate choice and fate will always be your destiny. However, that does not mean everyone follows their destined path until death. In Homer’s The Iliad, fate and destiny as the final outcomes of a person’s life, however, at some points you wonder if a person’s destiny falls directly in the decisions made by someone. Hektor and Achilles both had choices, but ultimately believed they must follow their destiny. In Beowulf, fate generallyRead More Essay on Fate in Beowulf, Grendel, and Macbeth2188 Words   |  9 PagesFate in Beowulf, Grendel, and Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fate plays a significant role in the Old English epic poem Beowulf and William Shakespeares play Macbeth.. The major events of the poem, such as the three killings by Beowulf and his own death, are said to have been predestined. In Macbeth, fate is so significant that it is personified by the Weird Sisters, who drive the action of the play. But if predestination exists, then there must be an agent that determines destiny. In Beowulf, God plays