Crisis, Farming & Community

In 2001, the UK was hit by Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) precipitating one of the biggest crises ever to affect the UK farming system. The crisis unfolded as a series of information and communication problems, from government to farmers and from farmers to farmers, with consequences for action in a time of crisis, social support, and the maintenance of community. What happens to a farming community during such a crisis? When the countryside shuts down, and no one can enter or leave the farm, how can information be disseminated? As methods of dealing with the disease change rapidly, as happened in this crisis, how can information be delivered in a timely and coordinated manner? To explore these questions, data have been gathered from reports and writing about the crisis, and from interviews with Cumbrian farmers. Although we will address throughout the multiple information channels used by farmers, this paper focuses on the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) during the crisis, notably a community networking initiative known as Pentalk. We conclude with a look at the current role of Pentalk in the farming community, and with discussion of how networks such as these can help during crises involving major information and communication management

Crisis, farming and community

In 2001, the UK was hit by Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) precipitating one of the biggest crises ever to affect the UK farming system. The crisis unfolded as a series of information and communication problems, from government to farmers and from farmers to farmers, with consequences for action in a time of crisis, social support, and the maintenance of community. What happens to a farming community during such a crisis? When the countryside shuts down, and no one can enter or leave the farm, how can information be disseminated? As methods of dealing with the disease change rapidly, as happened in this crisis, how can information be delivered in a timely and coordinated manner? To explore these questions, data have been gathered from reports and writing about the crisis, and from interviews with Cumbrian farmers. Although we will address throughout the discussion the multiple information channels used by farmers, this paper focuses on the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) during the crisis, notably a community networking initiative known as Pentalk. We conclude with a look at the current role of Pentalk in the farming community, and with discussion of how networks such as these can help during crises in which there are significant needs for information and communication management

Family-Farm Therapy: An Urban Therapy Clinic to Address The Multifaceted Needs of Multi-Stressed Families and their Surrounding Communities

Family-Farm Therapy incorporates a therapeutic clinic within an urban farming community site, and focuses on multi-stressed family systems and the larger community system. The goal is for systemic change within the family and the community by creating positive relationships and personal acceptance. Farming has traditionally been a family endeavor which makes it a unique environment to be utilized as metaphors for family systems, their interactions, behaviors, and structure. Multi-stressed families have socioeconomic hurdles that complicate their ability to adjust to change and crisis in their family. Farming addresses such hurdles by offering economic sustenance, increased physical health, and community acceptance. Family-Farm Therapy incorporates the benefits of farming to directly address socioeconomic hurdles as part of the therapeutic plan. This literature review will explore other out-of-the-box therapeutic applications that have demonstrated clinical significance and/or research effectiveness, as a foundation for Family-Farm Therapy’s innovative contribution to the application of family therapy

Entwicklung des Ökologischen Landbaus in Deutschland von 1997 bis 2003

Looking at the degree of development of the German organic farming sector, one can assess an explicit headway from the year 1997 until 2003. As a “trigger event” and crucial for the advancement of the sector one can put on record the readjustment within the Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture in 2001, caused by the BSE crisis. A Consequence was the creation of an organic farming scheme (BÖL) and the state-aided promotion of “Biosiegel”, a new formed organic label. The politically encour-aged trend initiates a go-ahead spirit and a broad establishment of organic farming inside the German farming community

Extension\u27s Role in Responding to Community Crisis: Lessons from Klamath Falls, Oregon

Extension has a long history of support for communities, primarily through programs such as agriculture and 4-H. When an entire community faces a crisis, however, the needs of the community can expand beyond the goals of a specific program. In the summer of 2001, Klamath Falls, Oregon experienced a crisis when a federal decision eliminated irrigation water to over 1200 families farming more than 220,000 acres. The Klamath County Extension Office recognized the role they could play and organized and facilitated three countywide meetings to identify needs and strategies for action. The actions that evolved from the meetings were substantial, and the Extension office learned several key lessons about responding to crisis

Plant What You Eat: Politik Keseharian Komunitas Urban Farming Makassar dalam Merespon Permasalahan Global Terkait Krisis Pangan

The food crisis is a global issue that is increasingly concerning and requires more attention from various countries. One solution to this problem is to apply the concept of Urban Farming in urban areas. The food crisis that occurred was inseparable from the decreasing available agricultural land as a result of the conversion of land functions into residential areas. The city of Makassar is one of the cities with an agricultural area that continues to decrease so that to meet the food needs of the Makassar city population, it is necessary to distribute food from villages to cities which of course causes a decrease in food quality. Responding to this issue, the Urban Farming community in the city of Makassar is trying to invite the community to be involved in Urban Farming activities. The Makassar Gardening Community is one of the active communities in addressing this issue by implementing the Plant What You Eat concept. This study analyzes the activities carried out by the Makassar Gardening Community using the Daily Politics approach. This study found that the daily politics of the Makassar Gardening Community were implemented through forming collective action, encouraging public political participation and building local, national and international networks.   Krisis pangan merupakan isu global yang semakin memprihatinkan dan memerlukan perhatian lebih dari berbagai negara. Salah satu solusi dari masalah ini yaitu dengan menerapkan konsep Urban Farming di wilayah perkotaan. Krisis pangan yang terjadi tidak terlepas dari semakin berkurangnya lahan pertanian yang tersedia akibat dari peralihan fungsi lahan menjadi daerah pemukimanan. Kota Makassar merupakan salah satu kota dengan luas wilayah pertanian yang terus mengalami penurunan sehingga untuk memenuhi kebutuhan pangan penduduk kota Makassar, perlu dilakukan distribusi bahan pangan dari desa ke kota yang tentunya menyebabkan turunnya kualitas pangan. Menyikapi isu ini, komunitas Urban Farming yang ada di kota Makassar berupaya untuk mengajak masyarakat untuk terlibat dalam aktivitas Urban Farming. Komunitas Makassar Berkebun merupakan salah satu komunitas yang aktif dalam menyikapi isu ini dengan menerapkan konsep Plant What You Eat. Penelitian ini menganalisis aktivitas yang dilakukan oleh Komunitas Makassar Berkebun dengan menggunakan pendekatan Politik Keseharian. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa politik keseharian Komunitas Makassar Berkebun diimplementasikan melalui membentuk aksi kolektif, mendorong partisipasi politik public dan membangun jejaring lokal, nasional dan internasiona

Towards Sustainable Co-Management of Mekong River Inland Aquatic Resources, Including Fisheries, in Southern Lao PDR

This paper presents historical information regarding the development of the aquatic resource co-management system in Khong District, Champasak Province, Southern Lao PDF. Between 1993 and 1998, 63 villages in Khong District established co-management regulations to sustainably manage and conserve inland aquatic resources, including fisheries, in the Mekong River, streams, backwater wetlands, and rice paddy fields. Local government has endorsed these regulations, but villages have been given the mandate to choose what regulations to adopt based on local conditions and community consensus. Communities are also empowered to alter regulations in response to changing circumstances. Villagers have widely reported increased fish catches since the adoption of aquatic resource co-management regulations. Improved solidarity and coordination within and between rural fishing and farming villages has also been observed. While many of the lessons learned from the co-management experience in Khong are applicable to other parts of Laos and the region, unique conditions in different areas will require inventive approaches to meet local needs. Common property regimes can break down in crisis, but experience in Khong indicates that they can also be strengthened in response to resource management crisis

Farmers\u27 search for information during the UK foot-and-mouth disease crisis- what can we learn?

This paper reports on the findings of a study which explored the multiple information needs that faced the Cumbrian farming community in the north-west of England during the 2001 UK foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Findings highlighted the importance of: changes in information needs at different stages of the crisis, context in which information seeking took place, overlap of information and emotional needs, formal and informal channels of information seeking during the crisis, farmers as information providers as well as information seekers, sense-making approach to information seeking during the crisis, trusted information sources need for a mix of ICTs during the crisis, ICTs as a catalyst for innovation during the crisis, place and space and new venues and meeting places for communities in a crisis, and providing a local response to a national crisis