Japan 2011 Disaster: CRS Experts

The following table provides access to names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns relating to the nuclear and humanitarian disaster unfolding in Japan. Specific policy areas are identified

Navnerenessanse i Larvik og Brunlanes? Sammenligning av navnemateriale fra 1865 og 1925

I denne oppgaven har jeg fokusert på den nordiske navnerenessansen i Larvik og Brunlanes, i åra 1865 og 1925. Formålet mitt har vært å undersøke om en kan finne utslag etter den nordiske navnerenessansen, og i den forbindelse har jeg brukt noen forskningsspørsmål. Jeg har derfor sett på a) om det er forskjell mellom 1865 og 1925, b) om det er forskjell mellom Larvik og Brunlanes, og c) om det er forskjell mellom gutter og jenter. I tillegg har jeg forsøkt å formidle hvordan en kan bruke navn og den nordiske navnerenessansen i skolen, blant annet for å finne nye aspekter ved nasjonalromantikken og nasjonsbygging. Navnematerialet består av navn på døpte og fødte barn, som er henta fra kirkebøker i Larvik prestegjeld og Brunlanes prestegjeld, i åra 1865 og 1925. Jeg har sett på tidligere forskning på den nordiske navnerenessansen, samt hvordan en kan klassifisere navn, som er en sentral del av oppgaven. Navnematerialet er delt inn i hovedgruppene nordiske navn og innlånte navn, og videre inn i undergrupper. Konklusjonen er at en kan finne utslag i Larvik og Brunlanes, begge år, men i varierende grad, og at det er forskjeller mellom år, sted og kjønn

Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

This report looks at the relationship between the U.S. and Thailand, in particular, recent rivalries between populist political forces, nepotism in government, and Thai relationships with neighboring countries

Beyond intensification: landscapes and livelihoods in Mali’s Guinea Savannah

For more than a decade, sub-Saharan Africa has been the focus of calls for a new Green Revolution. Like its predecessor, the African Green Revolution aims to increase the productivity of smallholder farmers, improving their own food security and income as well as that of the continent as a whole. This is to be done with minimum environmental damage, through “sustainable intensification.” While sustainable intensification has shown potential in places where high population density precludes cropland expansion, evidence of its effectiveness in land-abundant, labor-limited areas is limited. One such land-abundant, labor-limited area is the Guinea Savannah region of West Africa, which the World Bank called a “Sleeping Giant” where agricultural development could drive economic growth both locally and at the national level. Within the Guinea Savannah region, we use southern Mali’s Bougouni district as a case study to explore potential futures for smallholder agriculture in the area. We explored the history of the area’s agriculture using a panel data set for three villages, as well as remote sensing analysis and census data. Over the period of the panel data (1994-2012), agricultural change was minor. Cultivated area per household was highly correlated with household size and the number of draft animals a household owned. This relationship remained constant over the full period, suggesting little change in labor productivity. Yields of major crops remained stagnant, even as fertilizer input increased. Cropland expansion occurred in parallel with population growth, but up to the present, over half the arable land in the study villages was not cultivated. Because uncultivated rangeland made up such a large percentage of the land, we characterized the productivity, management and use of these rangelands (Chapter 3). In two villages, we assessed biomass quantity and species composition at 2-month intervals, tracked a sample of village herds, and used remote sensing combined with regression analysis to map the productivity of herbaceous biomass in a woody savannah landscape. We found that rangelands produced a seasonal peak of 2-2.5 t/ha of herbaceous biomass, from a diverse mix of annual and perennial species, notably Andropogon gayanus and A. pseudapricus. Herds covered distances of 10-18 km each day, with distance and location variable based on the season. During most of the year, the forage supply far exceeded the demands of grazing herds, but in the late dry season forage becomes scarce and herders supplement grazing with cut tree fodders, or send herds on transhumance to the south. While rangelands are exploited for a variety of uses, local management has thus far maintained high levels of productivity and biodiversity. In order to evaluate the potential of sustainable intensification to meet its goals of reducing poverty and improving food security, we explored the solution space of possible gains from intensification for farm households in three villages. With yields equivalent to the best farmers yields in the area, over 90% of households can achieve food self-sufficiency, and most can raise income levels above the threshold for extreme poverty. Reaching attainable yield levels, equal to those obtained in on-station trials, improved the picture further. However, agriculture must compete with other income generating options, which can be considerably more profitable. The average annual income for a gold miner in the area was $1225. Even at attainable yield levels, only 25$1600 per capita. Scenarios where tractor rental was available but tree planting was minimal resulted in somewhat lower rates of land conversion, but converted land was planted to annual staple crops, while tractor rental without the introduction of cashew increased annual incomes to $400 per capita, still twice the initial value. It seems clear that cropland expansion is highly likely to occur in this area, and preventing expansion comes at a real cost to local farmers. Tractor availability and cashew planting both led to land conversion, but the environmental impacts of cashew, as a perennial tree crop, are likely to be lower than the impacts of annual staples. A holistic evaluation of sustainability that considers farmer livelihoods might therefore conclude that expansion is as sustainable as intensification. The process of developing agricultural technology innovations in sub-Saharan Africa is generally led by scientists, but has many commonalities with engineering and product design methodologies. Increased attention to the steps in this process, from problem definition to developing design specifications to testing possible solutions, could help research for development projects develop more relevant technical solutions for farmers.</p

Chinese Land Reclamation in the South China Sea: Implications and Policy Options

This report assesses legal, military/operational, and diplomatic implications of the reclamation and construction activity. It surveys U.S. and Chinese statements on the situation, provides a history of reclamation activity by other nations including the United States and other South China Sea claimants, and discusses U.S. strategy and potential options for U.S. policymakers

United States Relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

This report provides an overview of U.S. interests towards the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The report discusses the U.S. policy developments toward the region and policy issues