A compendium of Technologies, Practices, Services and Policies for Scaling Climate Smart Agriculture in Odisha (India)

Stakeholders engaged in agricultural research for development (AR4D) are increasingly tackling risks associated with climate change in smallholder systems. Accordingly, development and scaling of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) are one of the priorities for all the organizations, departments and ministries associated with the farm sector. Having a ‘one-stop-shop’ compiled in the format of a compendium for CSA technologies, practices and services would therefore serve a guide for all the stakeholders for scaling CSA in smallholder systems. Bringing out a Compendium on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for Odisha, India was therefore thought of during the workshop on ‘Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture in Odisha’ organized at Bhubaneswar on 18-19 July 2018 by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in collaboration with Department of Agriculture (DoA) & Farmers’ Empowerment, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Rice Research Institute (ICAR-NRRI), Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) & International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) under the aegis of CGIAR Research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The main objectives to bring forth this compendium are: to argue the case for agriculture policies and practices that are climate-smart; to raise awareness of what can be done to make agriculture policies and practices climatesmart; and to provide practical guidance and recommendations that are well referenced and, wherever possible, based on lessons learned from practical action. CSA programmes are unlikely to be effective unless their implementation is supported by sound policies and institutions. It is therefore important to enhance institutional capacities in order to implement and replicate CSA strategies. Institutions are vital to agricultural development as well as the realisation of resilient livelihoods.They are not only a tool for farmers and decision-makers, but are also the main conduit through which CSA practices can be scaled up and sustained. The focus in this compendium is on CSA and it’s relevant aspects, i.e., (i) technologies and practices, (ii) services, (iii) technology targeting, (iv) business models, (v) capacity building, and (vi) policies. The approaches and tools available in the compendium span from face-to-face technicianfarmer dialogues to more structured exchanges of online and offline e-learning. In every scenario it is clear that tailoring to local expectations and needs is key. In particular, the voice of farmers is essential to be captured as they are the key actors to promote sustainable agriculture, and their issues need to be prioritized. CSA practices are expected to sustainably increase productivity and resilience (adaptation), reduce Greenhouse Gases (mitigation), and enhance achievement of national food security along with sustainable development goals. CSA is widely expected to contribute towards achieving these objectives and enhance climate change adaptation. CSA practices have to be included in State’s Climate Policy as a priority intervention as the state steps up efforts to tackle climate change. Furthermore, emphasis shoud be laid on CSA training for a sustainable mode to enhance CSA adoption in the state hence the relevance of developing this document. The adaption of climate related knowledge, technologies and practices to local conditions, promoting joint learning by farmers, researchers, rural advisor and widely disseminating CSA practices, is critical. This compendium brings together a collection of experiences from different stakeholders with background of agricultural extension and rural advisory services in supporting CSA. The contributions are not intended to be state-of-the art academic articles but thought and discussion pieces of work in progress. The compendium itself is a ‘living‘ document which is intended to be revised periodically

Reflecting the real world?: How British TV portrayed developing countries in 2005

TV audiences are fed up with how the developing world is portrayed on the small screen, according to a new VSO report published today. Reflecting the real world? How British TV portrayed developing countries in 2005 reveals that television viewers have an overwhelmingly negative view of the developing world and that they hold TV responsible. The report shows that viewers have a real appetite for richer representations of the world outside the UK and calls on broadcasters to invest more money, creativity and talent in bringing the world to UK audiences. The report is based on interviews with TV viewers and leading broadcasters. It shows that despite the high level of developing world coverage on TV over the last year, there has been no sign of a positive shift in public attitude. TV viewers associated the developing world with famine, disaster and corruption and people's initial image was very often of starving babies with flies around their eyes. The research highlights that news coverage and charity campaigns have also contributed to a feeling that the developing world is a hopeless cause. News reporting of the Asian Tsunami and the Pakistan earthquake brought people's attention to poorer countries but reinforced a doom-laden view of them. Even the Make Poverty History campaign and the Live 8 concerts, which enthused millions of people, appear to have inadvertently contrived to confirm a stereotype of Africa as a continent on its knees and added to a sense that nothing has changed over the last 20 years. The research uncovered a very strong sentiment that TV coverage of developing countries is too negative. Viewers expressed a desire to see the positive side of life in the developing world and hear about any progress being made. Crucially, they wanted TV programmes that were positive and transforming, challenged their perceptions, and contained human interest stories, real-life issues and characters they can relate to. Their ideas for new developing world programming tended to reflect their favourite genres and included Jamie's African School Dinners, Life Swap, African Grand Designs, Spooks or 24 in Africa and Africa's Next Top Model

Thermodynamic assessment of raw material use in passenger vehicles

Conseguir una economía mundial libre de carbono es de vital importancia para evitar el aumento de las temperaturas del planeta y sus fatales consecuencias para la humanidad. Para lograr ese objetivo se están llevando a cabo grandes avances en el desarrollo tanto de energías renovables como de vehículos más limpios. En el caso de los vehículos esos avances se están centrando principalmente en mejorar la eficiencia de los motores combustión, reducir la emisión tanto de gases de efecto invernadero como de otros perjudiciales para la salud y en el desarrollo de vehículos libres de emisiones directas, como los vehículos eléctricos.Estos avances hacía la obtención de automóviles más limpios está provocando un cambio en la actual flota de vehículos y se espera que en las próximas décadas habrá una renovación total de la misma. La nueva generación de vehículos reducirá en gran parte su dependencia con relación a los combustibles fósiles, sin embargo a cambio demandará una gran cantidad de recursos naturales, tan valiosos e incluso más escasos en ocasiones que el petróleo. Algunos de estos recursos serán: Co, Ni, Mn o Li para fabricar baterías; Ga, Ge, Y para hacer sistemas de iluminación tipo LEDs; Nd, Dy, Pr para construir imanes permanentes de motores eléctricos; Pt, Pd, Zr para hacer catalizadores que reduzcan la contaminación; Au, Ag, Sn, Ta, Yb para fabricar unidades electrónica; Ce, Tb, Se, La para hacer sensores o Nb, Mo, Cr, Ti, V, Sc, W para hacer aleaciones de acero de alta resistencia. Lamentablemente, estos recursos son finitos y algunos de ellos incluso ya son considerados como críticos por la Comisión Europea y otras institucionesinternacionales.Una de las soluciones para mejorar la sostenibilidad en la fabricación de vehículos desde el puntode vista de los materiales que se emplean es el reciclaje. Sin embargo hay dos grandes problemas en torno al mismo. Por un lado los ratios de reciclaje no están avanzando tan rápidamente como la demanda de materiales y por otro lado las políticas de reciclaje no incentivan la recuperación de metales escasos. En la actualidad, los objetivos de reciclaje de vehículos se fijan en alcanzar un porcentaje de reciclabilidad sobre la masa total del vehículo. Para conseguir esas cuotas de reciclaje se llevan a cabo convencionalmente procesos mecánicos de separación de materiales.Estos procesos son de baja intensidad energética y a la vez muy eficaces para recuperar los metales que se emplean en mayores cantidades (acero, aluminio o cobre) pero resultan ineficaces para recuperar metales empleados en pequeñas proporciones (metales críticos o escasos). Como consecuencia, los metales críticos terminan subciclados en los procesos de fabricación de aleaciones de acero o aluminio y en el peor de los casos dispersos en un vertedero.Esta tesis se desarrolla con el objetivo principal de mejorar la eficiencia en el uso de los recursos necesarios para la fabricación de automóviles. Para conseguir dicho propósito se presenta una metodología que mide la eficiencia en el uso de los recursos e identifica posibles restricciones de suministro de metales.La metodología desarrollada se basa en la aplicación de la segunda ley termodinámica y el concepto de rareza termodinámica. Este enfoque cuantifica el valor real físico de todos los metales empleados y destaca en especial la aportación de aquellos cuya contribución al peso total del vehículo es pequeña, pero cuya escasez y por tanto su valor para el planeta es elevada. Este método evalúa la calidad de los materiales en función de su abundancia en la naturaleza y la energía útil (exergía) requerida tanto para extraerlos como para procesarlos y ponerlos a disposición de las industrias.Además del enfoque termodinámico, en esta Tesis se analizan las posibles restricciones de metales que puedan surgir en las próximas décadas. Para ello se aplica un modelo que considera la disponibilidad geológica de materiales (reservas y recursos), la capacidad de producción anual de los metales, la demanda anual estimada de cada metal, la demanda acumulada hasta 2050, la evolución de las cuotas de reciclaje y el impacto de la demanda de materiales de otros sectores.Los métodos desarrollados se aplican a diferentes tipos de vehículos (ICEV1, PHEV2 y BEV3) y han permitido alcanzar entre otros los siguientes resultados principales: (1) Desde el punto de vista del valor mineral de los recursos empleados, un vehículo eléctrico demanda 2.2 veces más recursos que un vehículo de combustión; (2) Hay 31componentes críticos en un vehículo convencional desde la perspectiva de los materiales que emplean; (3) Se han definido recomendaciones de ecodiseño para esos componentes basadas en reducir la demanda de metales escasos y mejorar tanto su reciclabilidad como su reusabilidad; (4) En los actuales procesos de reciclaje de vehículos un 27 % del valor mineral de los metales no se recicla funcionalmente; (5) Se han propuesto recomendaciones para la reducción de dichas pérdidas; (6) Se ha definido un ranking de los metales más estratégicos para el sector de la fabricación de vehículos siendo los 10 más estratégicos los siguientes: Ni, Li, Tb, Co, Dy, Sb, Nd, Pt, Au y Ag.Las contribuciones de esta Tesis son de gran valor para mejorar la sostenibilidad del sector de la fabricación de vehículos desde la perspectiva de los materiales que se emplean y están principalmente dirigidas a los siguientes grupos de interés: (1) Los diseñadores de vehículos, porque les ayudará a identificar propuestas de ecodiseño desde la perspectiva de los materiales; (2) Los responsables de desarrollar políticas en torno a la eficiencia en el uso de los recursos, ya que demuestra la debilidad de las políticas actuales basadas en el peso de los materiales y ofrece como alternativa un método que evalúa tanto la cantidad como la calidad de los materiales; (3)Los ejecutivos de las empresas, porque les presenta la dependencia y vulnerabilidad de la tecnología sobre ciertos materiales y les ayudará a planificar con antelación líneas de I+D+ibasadas en la eficiencia en el uso de los recursos.Decarbonizing world economies is necessary to avoid the continuous increase of global temperature and its negative consequences for humanity. To get this ambitious target new advances in the fields of power generation with renewables and mobility with cleaner vehicles are being made. In the case of vehicles, these advances are being mainly focused on improving the performance of combustion engines, to reduce greenhouse and polluting emissions and the development of free direct emission vehicles like the electric ones. Advances towards cleaner vehicles are encouraging the continuous renovation of vehicle fleet so it is expected that in the following decades a complete renovation will take place. This new generation of vehicles will significantly reduce its fossil dependency. But in contrast, it will demand a huge quantity of other kinds of natural resources being some of them even scarcer than oil. Some of these resources will be necessary to manufacture the following components: batteries (Co, Ni, Mn or Li); LEDs for lighting (Ga, Ge, Y); permanent magnets for motors (Nd, Dy, Pr); catalytic converters (Pt, Pd, Zr); electronic units (Au, Ag, Sn, Ta, Yb), different kinds of sensors (Ce, Tb, Se, La), infotainment screens (In); automotive high performance steel or aluminum alloys (Nb, Mo, Cr, Ti, V, Sc, W) or injectors (Tb). Unfortunately these resources are finite and some of them are very scarce being even considered as critical for the European Commission and other institutions from several perspectives such as vulnerability, economic importance, supply, or ecological risks. One of the solutions to improve resource efficiency in vehicles is to recycle these valuable metals. Nevertheless, there are two main problems around the recycling situation. On one hand, recycling rates are not growing up as faster as metal demand. On the other hand, current recycling policies define targets based on mass weight approaches, and even if they are ambitious, they fail in enhancing the recycling of minor but critical metals. The legislation compliance is achieved by means of applying mechanical separation techniques. These processes are effective to recycle those metals with the highest contribution in the vehicle weight (steel, aluminum and copper) but they are not effective for the recovery of minor metals like those that are scarce and/or critical. Consequently, minor metals end downcycled during steel or aluminum smelting or in the worst case they finish dispersed in landfills. This Thesis is presented with the main aim to improve the resource efficiency in the vehicle manufacturing sector. To accomplish with this aim, a novel method for measuring the resource efficiency and to identify possible shortages in the supply of metals is presented. The resource efficiency is analyzed through the second law of Thermodynamics through the concept of thermodynamic rarity. This method takes into account the quality of mineral commodities as a function of their relative abundance in Nature and the energy intensity required to extract and process them. The application of the thermodynamic approach allows not only to recognize the physical value of materials with a low weight contribution but also to identify those components that use them. As it has been mentioned before this Thesis also assesses possible metal shortages. This activity is made by means of an own method which combines geological data (reserves and resources), annual capacity production, annual expected demand, cumulative expected demand to 2050, recycling rates evolutions and future resource demand of other technologies. The methodology is applied to different types of vehicles (ICEV , PHEV and BEV ) and it has been useful to achieve the following main results: (1) From a thermodynamic point of view an electric vehicle demands 2.2 times more quality resources than a combustion one; (2) 31 critical components were identified in a conventional vehicle from the perspective of the materials used to manufacture them; (3) Eco-design recommendations for these components have been defined. These recommendations are based on: reducing the demand of scarce metals and to increase both the recyclability and the reusability; (4) In current End of Life Vehicle (ELV) processes 27 % of the mineral capital (measured in rarity terms) is not functionally recycled; (5) Recommendations to reduce these losses have been proposed; (6) A strategic metal ranking for the automobile sector has been produced, being the top 10 most strategic metals the following: Ni, Li, Tb, Co, Dy, Sb, Nd, Pt, Au and Ag. The contributions of this Thesis are valuable to improve the sustainability of the vehicle manufacturing sector from the raw materials point of view. These contributions are mainly valuable for the following stakeholders: (1) Designers because it helps them to apply eco-design proposals from a raw materials point of view; (2) Policy makers because it evidences the weakness of mass based approach recycling policies and it proposes an alternative method that takes into considerations not only quantity but also quality; (3) Company’s executives because it confronts them with the metal dependency and vulnerability of technology and it helps them to plan with enough time R+D+i lines based on resource efficiency.<br /

Case study : “Torino Mad Pride”: a cultural initiative developed by users/survivors of mental health services and the associate project “Lunatics at piecework”

RESUMO: “Torino Mad Pride” e “Lunatics at Piecework” são duas iniciativas organizadas, seguindo caminhos informais, por um grupo de consumidores/sobreviventes, independentes da Saúde Mental ou outras instituições. Isso os torna únicas no panorama dos movimentos de consumidores locais, ocupados por profissionais e familiares em importantes funções. O objetivo é dar suporte às pessoas afetadas por mal-estar psiquiátrico e organizar iniciativas para combater o estigma. O cerne da ideia de S., que durante uma fase de delírio maníaco viu uma multidão de pessoas reunir-se nas ruas da cidade, seguindo-o. Originalmente, ele apenas queria fazer um filme baseado nessa ideia, para apresentar em festivais de cinema. A partir desse núcleo, desenvolveu-se uma ideia mais complexa e a primeira parada “Torino Mad Pride” foi organizada. Foi em junho de 2011, muita gente envolvida (utentes dos serviços, trabalhadores da área da saúde mental, familiares, organização de utentes, etc.). A participação popular foi inesperada e até o prefeito da cidade participou. Com o tempo, a ideia evoluiu, o projeto “Lunatics at Piecework” (o embrião de uma cooperativa “informal” envolvendo cerca de trinta pessoas em trabalhos temporários) começou a tomar forma, a parada anual tem sido regularmente organizada, e uma revista dedicada a artigos sobre tópicos relacionados com Saúde Mental tem sido irregularmente publicada. Em novembro de 2014 alguns membros da “Lunatics at Piecework” contataram-me, como a Diretora da Unidade de Integração Profissional do Departamento de Saúde Mental do local onde eu trabalhava, para discutir uma parceria, em termos de suporte financeiro por intermédio da concessão de subsídios para dar vida a uma cooperativa social, e para apontar a “Lunatics at Piecework” para realização de trabalhos em favor dos pacientes sob a responsabilidade do Departamento de Saúde Mental (mudança de casa, pequenas remodelações, etc.). Este estudo revisita a história de tais projetos, coligida das vozes dos principais participantes e de importantes espectadores e analisa as razões dos seus altos e baixos e as dificuldades atuais, bem como o que deveria ser feito para dar a estes projetos novas energias.ABSTRACT: “Torino Mad Pride” and “Lunatics at Piecework” are two initiatives put in place following informal paths by a group of consumers/survivors, independent from the Mental Health or other institutions. This renders them unique in the panorama of the local consumers movements that see in prominent roles professionals or family members. They aim to give support to people affected by psychic “malaise” and organize initiatives to fight stigma. They stem from the idea of S., who during a manic delusional phase saw masses of people gathering in the streets of the city following him. Originally, he only wanted to make a movie out of this idea, to present to film festivals. Then a more complex idea took shape, and the first Torino Mad Pride parade was organized. It was June 2011, a lot of people were involved (service users, mental health workers, family members, users’ organizations, etc.). The participation was unexpected, and even the mayor of town paraded. With time the idea has evolved, the “Lunatics at Piecework” project (the embryo of an “informal” cooperative involving about thirty people in temporary jobs) has taken on legs, the annual parade has been regularly organised, a magazine dedicated to writings on topics related to mental health has been irregularly released. In November 2014 some members of LaP contacted me as the director of the Job Placement Unit of the Mental Health Department where I worked, to discuss a collaboration in terms of financial support through the assignment of grants to give life to a social cooperative, and of appointment of LaP to create jobs in favour of patients in charge of the Mental Health Department (house removals, minor refurbishments, etc.) This study revisits the history of these projects, collected from the voices of the key players and of some significant bystanders, and analyses the reasons behind the ups and downs and the present difficulties, and what should be done to give the projects new energies

Legal Doctrine as a Scientific-Theoretical System of the State of Law

The article considers the formation of the doctrinal legal though of the state of law from the antiquity to the present day; various ideas and views of thinkers (international, domestic) influencing the formation of legal statehood. At the same time, it is noted that the state of law as a special doctrinal and legal, theoretical and practical system of knowledge and concepts of the rule of law, equality before the law, separation of state authorities, freedom, etc. s an evolutionary and historical, constituted, highly developed state. It is separately given the essence-content characteristic of the legal doctrine as a system of rationalistic ideas about the structure of the processes of law and state, which carry out a multilevel influence on the formation and improvement of state institutions. in particular, it is noted the key role of legal doctrine in the formation of those principles and concepts that are the essence and vector of the development of the state of law. It is conside

Psychosocial interventions for older adults with serious mental illness.

The guide provides considerations and strategies for interdisciplinary teams, peer specialists, clinicians, registered nurses, behavioral health organizations, and policy makers in understanding, selecting, and implementing evidence-based interventions that support older adults with serious mental illness

Case Study: Galina Rymbu, "Moia vagina," June 2020

On 27 June 2020, the prominent feminist poet Galina Rymbu published the poem «Моя вагина» (“My Vagina”) on her Facebook feed. «Моя вагина» is a solidarity poem, written in support of artist and LGBTQ activist Iuliia Tsvetkova, who is facing a charge of distributing pornography for her abstract paintings of vaginas in a group on the social media platform VKontakte. Rymbu’s poem created huge resonance: it was shared, translated and republished on various platforms on the web and in print, examined by researchers, and debated as both a work of literature and a political statement. The present article charts the story of this remarkable poem, from its origins to its formal properties, its place within contemporary feminist poetry and its close links to feminist activism, and the reactions it has triggered. It also analyses the follow-up poem Rymbu wrote in reply to her detractors, «Великая русская литература» (“Great Russian Literature”), with a focus on Rymbu’s ingenious play on personal pronouns. Finally, it will briefly look at the role of social media for the literary process in Russia, specifically the field of poetry