Increasing forest loss worldwide from invasive pests requires new trade regulations

Loss of forests due to non-native invasive pests (including insects, nematodes, and pathogens) is a global phenomenon with profound population, community, ecosystem, and economic impacts. We review the magnitude of pest-associated forest loss worldwide and discuss the major ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences of these invasions. After compiling and analyzing a dataset of pest invasions from 21 countries, we show that the number of forest pest invasions recorded for a given country has a significant positive relationship with trade (as indicated by gross domestic product) and is not associated with the amount of forested land within that country. We recommend revisions to existing international protocols for preventing pest entry and proliferation, including prohibiting shipments of non-essential plants and plant products unless quarantined. Because invasions often originate from taxa that are scientifically described only after their introduction, current phytosanitary regulations – which target specific, already named organisms – are ineffective

Analysis of Some Mineral Elements in Major Coconut Cultivars in Nigeria

The mineral content of different cultivars of the endosperm tissues of coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn) samples commonly available in some parts of Nigeria were collected and analyzed for Fe, Zn, Ca and Mg by atomic absorption spectrophotometric techniques, while Na and K were determined by Flame photometric techniques. The mineral content of the coconut water ranged from 0.09 0.06µg/g Zn to 959.52 52.65µg/g Na while the mineral levels of the coconut meat ranged from 6.14  1.52µg/g Zn to 7809.53 436.41µg/g Na. The concentrations of the minerals were generally higher in the coconut meat than in the coconut water samples.  However, hybrid samples from Badagry, especially the larger nuts contained the highest levels of the minerals. The levels of Na, K and Ca suggest that health and nutritional benefits can be derived from consuming coconut water and coconut meat. Keywords: coconut meat, coconut water, mineral, nutritional benefit

Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea

In the Yellow Sea region of East Asia, tidal wetlands are the frontline ecosystem protecting a coastal population of more than 60 million people from storms and sea-level rise. However, unprecedented coastal development has led to growing concern about the status of these ecosystems. We developed a remote-sensing method to assess change over ∼4000 km of the Yellow Sea coastline and discovered extensive losses of the region's principal coastal ecosystem - tidal flats - associated with urban, industrial, and agricultural land reclamations. Our analysis revealed that 28% of tidal flats existing in the 1980s had disappeared by the late 2000s (1.2% annually). Moreover, reference to historical maps suggests that up to 65% of tidal flats were lost over the past five decades. With the region forecast to be a global hotspot of urban expansion, development of the Yellow Sea coastline should pursue a course that minimizes the loss of remaining coastal ecosystems

African Postharvest Losses Information System – a network for the estimation of cereal weight losses

Soaring food prices during 2007/2008, and the realisation that sporadic food shortages are likely to continue long into the future, has reawakened interest in the benefits of reducing food losses. As a means of making more accurate estimates of how much food is lost, the Joint Research Centre (European Commission) proposed the development of the African Postharvest Losses Information System (APhLIS) (http://www.phlosses.net). APhLIS estimates postharvest losses (PHLs) by cereal crop, by country and by province in East and Southern Africa. The system went live in March 2009 and combines a loss calculator, a free access database of key information, and a network of local experts who contribute the latest data and verify loss estimates. The loss calculator works of loss figures contributed from the literature and by local experts but also takes account of the prevailing climate, scale of farming (small/large), damp weather at harvest, larger grain borer (in the case of maize), proportion of grain held in farm sorage or marketed, and multiple harvests. Before the introduction of APhLIS, the origin and justification of PHL estimates were not well founded. Now PHL estimates are available that are • Transparent in the way they are calculated• Based on a complete screening of available research and literature• Contributed (in part) and verified by local experts• Based on the primary national unit (i.e. province not just country level, so estimates are more relevant)• Upgradeable as more (reliable) data become available, so that there is the opportunity for increasing accuracy in loss estimation over time.• Supported by a downloadable loss calculator that can be used to make loss calculations at ageographical scale below primary national unit.In the future, APhLIS may be expanded in technical scope (crops) and geographical range (countries) and used to help prioritize and justify loss reduction strategies including those for grain storage.Keywords: Weight loss, Loss calculator, Postharvest operations, Cereal suppl

The Sustainable Development Goals: a plan for building a better world?

Despite some clear positives, the draft text of the Sustainable Development Goals does not fulfill its self-proclaimed purpose of inspiring and guiding a concerted international effort to eradicate severe poverty everywhere in all of its forms. We offer some critical comments on the proposed agreement and suggest 10 ways to embolden the goals and amplify their appeal and moral power. While it may well be true that the world’s poor are better off today than their predecessors were decades or centuries ago, to judge whether this is moral progress, we must bring into view what was possible then and what is possible now. We may well find that there have never been so many people avoidably subjected to life threatening deprivations as there are today, and if this is the case, we should insist that our governments end this oppression immediately through appropriate institutional reforms to be prominently outlined in their post-2015 agenda

Australia’s response to the Horn of Africa humanitarian crisis, 2011

An evaluation by the Office of Development Effectiveness of Australia’s response to the Horn of Africa humanitarian crisis, 2011. Foreword This report identifies many strengths of the Australian response to the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa in 2011. At the time, humanitarian operations in severely affected areas were fraught with danger and were extremely difficult. Australia was a new player compared to other donors with years of experience in the region and a much larger presence on the ground. The Australian aid program responded quickly, despite limited capacity and experience in the region. The speed and flexibility of operations were notable strengths of the Australian response. Australian funds clearly saved lives; however, the results depended on more than funds alone. Effective coordination of response efforts is a persistent challenge for the global humanitarian system. Australia’s role in influencing implementing partners and coordinating important aspects of the overall system increased the effectiveness of Australian assistance, and the overall international response. Another clear finding is the need for funded agencies to improve reporting on activities and results. The reporting is essential for learning and to ensure informed decisions are made. The evaluation recommendations in areas such as these are designed to improve the effectiveness of Australian humanitarian assistance in the future. Finally, the evaluation highlights the complexity of disaster situations, which are growing in number and severity and will continue to pose a challenge for Australia in their commitment to supporting humanitarian work in the Indo-Pacific

An Examination of the Nature of Sand Harvesting Conflicts and their Influence on Poverty Alleviation Initiatives in Makueni County, Kenya

Though natural resources play an important role in the economies of many countries, conflicts associated with their access continue to contribute to poverty in many African countries. While studies confirm conflict-poverty nexus for high value natural resources, scanty information is available on the low value resources. This study, therefore, examined one such low value resource – sand. The objective was to examine the nature of sand harvesting conflicts and their influence on poverty alleviation initiatives in Makueni County. The study employed descriptive and historical designs. The study was guided by the Resource Curse and Poverty Theories. The study sample comprised of 420 sand harvesters and several key informants. Data collection was done using questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and observation. Presentation of data was done using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study findings established that sand harvesting in Makueni County has been linked to violent conflicts which left many people either maimed, killed or without their property. These had increased poverty levels in the County. The study therefore recommends for establishment of appropriate institutions to mitigate on the conflicts in order to ensure that sand harvesting provides contributes to poverty alleviation in Makueni County. Keywords: sand harvesting, resource use conflicts, nature of conflicts, poverty alleviatio

No. 10: Gender and Food Insecurity in Southern African Cities

This gender analysis of the findings of AFSUN’s baseline survey of poor urban households in eleven cities in Southern Africa in 2008 and 2009 has implications for urban, national and regional policy interventions aimed at reducing urban food insecurity. By comparing female-centred and other households, light is shed both on the determinants of urban food insecurity – which relate fundamentally to income, employment and education – and on the manifest gender inequalities in access to the largely income-based entitlements to food in the city. These insights can be used to design and implement practical and strategic interventions that could simultaneously and synergistically address both gender inequality and food insecurity. Practically, and in the immediate term, interventions such as social grants and food aid, if targeted at the poorest households, will automatically capture a greater proportion of female-centred households. Enhancing food security for the urban poor requires education and training, job creation, and income generation strategies, ensuring equitable access to such opportunities for women and girls. Supporting and enabling women’s engagement in such activities and enterprises – including in food production and marketing – has the potential to strengthen food security at the same time as reducing gender inequality, in a form of virtuous cycle