Palm oil production in Peruvian Amazon Basin. A case study of current effects and emerging localized alternatives in Loreto district

An analysis of palm oil production in the Peruvian Amazon basin was carried out in a systemic way, as part of a whole, with its complexities. With an agroecological perspective, the social, ecological and economic effects of this production are discussed. Additionally, alternatives that could better fulfil the necessities of farmers were explored. The oil palm, Elaeis guineensis, originally from West Africa, is a common plant in an enormous industry that is extensive in South East Asia, mainly in Indonesia and Malaysia. The monoculture production has become massive in several parts of the world and is expanding rapidly in Latin America, along with the global demand. The Peruvian State and foreign agencies, such as the UN and USAID, promote oil palm production as a means to replace illegal drug activity in Peru, and articulates that it is a development project. A case study was conducted with participant observation and in-depth open-ended interviews, which were performed in five locations in the Peruvian Amazon. A total of 26 people related to palm oil production were interviewed. Some of the negative effects explored characterize palm oil production as socially problematic and ecologically disastrous; yet, it is often economically beneficial in the short run. Although palm oil production increased income for some households, the long-term consequences included instances where land of fertile soil was cheaply sold or encroached from local people. Furthermore, interviewees reported problems such as the disappearance of people, hidden cocaine production, corrupt decision-making and loss of safety in villages where palm oil workers arrive from other parts of the country. Ecological consequences of palm oil are also discussed. Among these the deforestation of enormous areas of primary forest are frequent. Consequently, other ecological problems appear as a result of these deforested areas, such as soil erosion, species migration, and fewer habitats and ecological services for people’s livelihoods. In contrast, experiences with local sustainable alternatives to palm oil were examined. These alternatives may compete against palm oil from an economic perspective, and exceed it in ecologic and social perspectives. Examples are found in cocoa and timber agroforestry. An essential need to foster alternative production is land entitlement. This condition would allow farmers to feel ownership and find it worthwhile to consider a longer time perspective in their projects. Even though former practices have worked well without a title of ownership, today private property and commercialisation of land make the situation a lot more vulnerable without proofs of ownership.M-A

Performance and diarrhoea in piglets following weaning at seven weeks of age: Challenge with E. coli O 149 and effect of dietary factors

Four dietary factors (ad libitum versus feed restriction, control versus protein restriction at ad libitum feeding, control versus inclusion of lupine as a protein source at ad libitum feeding, and control versus extra vitamin E at ad libitum feeding) were tested in four separate experiments for the effect on diarrhoea. To introduce a diarrhoea-like condition, half of the piglets were challenged with an inoculation of an E. coli O 149 dose of 1 x 108 colony forming units on day two and three after weaning (day of weaning = day one). All piglets were susceptible since the dams were tested mono-zygotic susceptible to the attachment site of E. coli O 149 in the intestines. Each of the four experiments included 32 piglets from 4 sows. The design was 2 x 2 factorial with dietary factor and E. coli O 149 challenge as the two factors, each at two levels. The piglets were housed individually during the experiment which lasted for 10 days from weaning at 7 weeks of age. The daily recordings included feed intake, weight and faeces score (from 1 = firm and solid to 6 = yellow and watery). Faeces from days 2 to 5 were tested for E. coli strains. In addition, blood was sampled and serum was analysed for E. coli antibodies, IgG and IgM. Generally the E. coli challenge had no effect on growth and feed intake whereas faeces score and number of faeces haemolytic bacteria increased and faeces dry matter decreased. Feed restriction decreased the weight gain while faeces characteristics were unaffected. An analysis including all four experiments revealed that a feed intake of less than 200 g day one after weaning seems to be associated with a relatively high incidence of a post-weaning diarrhoea-like condition. Protein restriction decreased faeces score and increased faeces dry matter while weight gain tended to decrease. Inclusion of lupine affected neither weight gain nor faeces characteristics. Extra vitamin E did not affect weight gain while faeces dry matter decreased, and faeces score and number of faecal haemolytic bacteria increased. The dietary treatments had no effect on the immunological responses. In conclusion, the studied dietary factors could not alleviate a diarrhoea-like condition and at the same time maintain the growth rate. Furthermore, the results indicate that performance can be improved if piglets achieve a daily feed intake of at least 200 g from day one after weaning

Preserving Grapes

This publication describes grapes, how to select, can, freeze and dry them. It gives storage and nutritional information