Surveillance for African Swine Fever in Nigeria, 2006-2009

African swine fever (ASF) has had significant economic and social impact in Nigeria since 1997. However, there has been no effective national response to bring it under control. In this report, we confirm that ASF is still prevalent and widespread in Nigeria. Results from both serosurveillance and virological analyses indicated that ASF is present in most of the agro-ecological zones of the country. Nine per cent (9%) of serum samples and 48% of tissue samples were positive for ASF virus antibody and genome, respectively. Areas with high pig-related activities (marketing, consumption and farming) have higher prevalences compared with areas with less pig activities. Farm-gate buyers, marketing systems and transport of untested pigs within the country assist with the circulation of the virus. Only by putting in place a comprehensive routine surveillance and testing system, reorganizing the market and transportation systems for pigs, implementing on-farm bio-security protocols and considering the option of compensation will it be possible to achieve a significant reduction in ASF prevalence in Nigeria. ©2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH

Surveillance for African swine fever in Nigeria, 2006-2009

African swine fever (ASF) has had significant economic and social impact in Nigeria since 1997. However, there has been no effective national response to bring it under control. In this report, we confirm that ASF is still prevalent and widespread in Nigeria. Results from both serosurveillance and virological analyses indicated that ASF is present in most of the agro-ecological zones of the country. Nine per cent (9%) of serum samples and 48% of tissue samples were positive for ASF virus antibody and genome, respectively. Areas with high pig-related activities (marketing, consumption and farming) have higher prevalences compared with areas with less pig activities. Farm-gate buyers, marketing systems and transport of untested pigs within the country assist with the circulation of the virus. Only by putting in place a comprehensive routine surveillance and testing system, reorganizing the market and transportation systems for pigs, implementing on-farm bio-security protocols and considering the option of compensation will it be possible to achieve a significant reduction in ASF prevalence in Nigeria. ©2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH

Competitividade internacional e tecnologia: uma análise da estrutura das exportações brasileiras International competitiveness and technology: an analysis of the structure of Brazilian exports

Neste trabalho, utiliza-se o comércio internacional como uma lente para captar a intensidade tecnológica da estrutura produtiva brasileira. Considera-se que produtos com maior conteúdo tecnológico vistos pelo lado das exportações indicam melhor qualificação da indústria local, contribuindo para uma inserção mais dinâmica nas relações de trocas internacionais. Há alguns indicadores sugeridos para avaliar a evolução da intensidade tecnológica do comércio brasileiro, inclusive a destinação das exportações e uma comparação com a estrutura comercial da Organização para a Cooperação e de Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE). Discute-se, dessa forma, em que medida a mudança estrutural no Brasil tem favorecido os setores dinâmicos na tecnologia e comércio. Finalmente, uma matriz de dinamismo comercial é sugerida, combinando indicadores de intensidade tecnológica com o índice de vantagem comparativa revelada.<br>In this work, international trade is used as a specific vantage point to analyze the technological intensity of Brazil´s productive structure. Exports with a higher technological intensity indicate greater local technological capabilities, this leading to a more dynamic international insertion regarding terms of trade. Several indicators are used to measure this intensity, among which are the destination of Brazilian exports and a comparison of Brazilian and OECD exports. These are used to assess the extent to which structural change in Brazil has favored sectors in which technical change and demand growth are higher. Lastly, a matrix of trade dynamism is constructed, crossing the indicators of technological intensity with the index of revealed comparative advantage

The Euro Area Crisis Five Years After the Original Sin

Why did Europe fail to manage the euro area crisis and what lessons can be drawn from this failure for Europe"s future? Studying the EU / IMF program that was imposed on Greece in May 2010 – the original sin of the crisis – highlights both the nature of the problem and the difficulty in resolving it. The mismanagement can be traced to the flawed political structure of the euro area that permitted governments of some member states to exploit problems in other member states that share the common currency. Undue influence of key euro area governments compromised the IMF"s role to the detriment of other member states and the euro area as a whole. Rather than help Greece, the May 2010 program was designed to protect specific political and financial interests in other member states. The ease with which the euro was exploited to shift losses from one member state to another and the absence of a corrective mechanism render the current framework unsustainable. In its current form, the euro poses a threat to the European project