#Agricultural Reforms

[insightfultake]

India’s Union Budget 2025: A Vision for Growth, Healing, and Prosperity

The Union Budget 2025, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is more than just a financial statement; it is a compassionate and forward-looking roadmap designed to heal the wounds of the past and pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future. At a time when the global economy faces uncertainty and India continues to recover from the lingering effects of the pandemic, this budget emerges as a beacon of hope, resilience, and progress. It is a testament to the government’s commitment to addressing the needs of its citizens, fostering innovation, and building a robust economy that leaves no one behind. Expand to read more

[farmerstrend]

Food shortage and rising cost of living are caused by the failure of large-scale agricultural projects and poor governance.

Discover the causes of Kenya’s food shortage crisis, from failed agricultural projects to corruption in subsidy programs, and explore solutions for achieving food security through better trade policies, irrigation expansion, and climate adaptation. Kenya faces a severe food shortage and rising costs. Learn how mismanaged irrigation schemes, corruption, and poor governance have exacerbated the…

[empirearchives]

Napoleon and Sugar Production and Trade

A little bit about how the sugar industry was transformed during the Napoleonic Wars. Specifically, how sugar beet substituted and replaced sugar cane.

From Robert M. Harveson, History of sugarbeets, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (source)

“Sugar was only obtained from the tropical sugar cane and was prohibitively expensive for most Europeans. During the early 1800’s most sugar was obtained from the West Indies. After supplies were cut off by the English blockade of continental Europe during the Napoleonic Wars, the demand for sugar grew throughout Europe. Napoleon encouraged new research with sugar beets, and between 1810 and 1815, over 79,000 acres were put into production with more than 300 small factories being built in France.”

From R. N. Dowling, Sugar Beet and Beet Sugar:

“Napoleon I, brought real life into the new industry. As a farsighted statesman, he recognized the great advantages connected with a future beet sugar industry that would produce at home all the sugar needed by his people. For this reason he at once, by a decree of 1812, appropriated 100,000 hectares, or 247,100 acres, exclusively for the cultivation of sugar beets and 1,000,000 francs for experiments in connection with beet raising and sugar extraction.”

The trade war:

“The interest of Napoleon was due to the continental blockade that excluded all products manufactured in England and her colonies from the European markets. As a consequence the price of cane sugar rose to an extraordinary height: it was more than 30 cents per pound in the period from 1807 to 1815. Under such circumstances the erection of beet sugar factories was a very profitable investment of capital and it is, therefore, not to be wondered at that in France, as early as 1812 some 40 factories were in operation, working up 98,813 tons of beets obtained from 16,758 acres, and yielding a total output of 3,300,000 Ibs. of sugar. For the first time in the history beet sugar came to compete with the tropical product. From very modest beginnings in the first quarter of the nineteenth century the beet sugar industry grew to the enormous dimensions of today, crowding out cane sugar from the markets of the European continent and successfully competing with the tropical product in many other countries.”

(From R. N. Dowling)

Long-term impact—Sugar beet today:

“Of the current world production of more than 130 million metric tons of sugar, about 35% comes from sugar beet and 65% from sugar cane. In the USA, about 50-55% of the domestic production of about 8.4 million metric tons derives from sugar beet.”

(From Robert M. Harveson)

[exopelagic]

this election feels so hollow even though it’s likely ostensibly gonna be a good outcome. labour really just sucks fucking ass rn huh

[pannaginip]

Umani Productions and Bulatlat have released a 10-min. documentary titled "Buhay lukad" [lukad = process of extracting coconut meat from the shell, sometimes used interchangeably with copra/kopra]. Has Tagalog subs.

Copra farmers in Bicol have endured decades of misery due to feudal conditions.

2024 Jan. 7

Like most agriculture in the Philippines, the production of copra remains small-scale and limited to individual farmers, most of them paying rent to landlords. A dearth of infrastructure and development forces coconut farmers to sell their products to exporters at drop-dead wholesale prices, who in turn profit off an industry making upwards of £750 million (US$ 1 billion) annually.

The grave disparity between the farmer and the exporter can be traced directly to the Philippines’ status as an agricultural nation plagued by old feudalism. Agricultural land is concentrated in the hands of a small crop of dynasties, corporations, and foreign plantations - making it impossible for farmers to rise above their status as “the poorest of the poor.”

2021 Oct. 16

[builtlikeastickofcelery]

its raining so much. this should be a blizzard!!!!!! enough precipitation not enough cold!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[buzzofnews234]

Farmers’ Agitation in Delhi Intensifies Amid Agitation Fast

Delhi’s current state underscores the deep-seated challenges facing India’s agricultural sector. The farmers’ agitation and Dallewal’s fast are stark reminders of the urgent need for comprehensive reforms and empathetic governance. As the nation watches, the onus is on both the government and the farmers to find common ground and ensure a peaceful, sustainable resolution to this crisis.

[justsaying4041]

Project 2025: Implications for U.S. Farming & Small Farmers

Project 2025 has presented a bold vision for reforming U.S. farm policies, particularly through the operations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). While the proposal promises a more streamlined and market-oriented approach to farming and agricultural support, there are valid concerns about its potential impact on small farmers, environmental sustainability, and food security. A critical…

[mariamagdalenaposting]

Thinking about that Skyrim meme that was like "Siding with the Imperials in the Skyrim Civil War because there is no way this agrarian society will industrialize under feudalism"

[imsobadatnicknames2]

What does the "banana republic is a fucked up name for a store" post you reblogged mean? I'm afraid of looking dumb.

The term "banana republic" was originally coined to describe countries in Central and South America (mainly Honduras and Guatemala) whose economies were rendered dependent on the production and export of bananas (among other agricultural goods, but mainly bananas) by American fruit corporations leveraging the power of the U.S. government, the U.S. military and the CIA.

Throughout most of the of the 20th century, American corporations such as United Fruit, Cuyamel, and the Standard Fruit Company owned large portions of these countries' lands, to the point that in some cases they controlled their railway, road, and port infrastructure, and they engaged in a variety of imperialist actions to lower production costs, such as violence against labor activists and anti wage reform lobbying.

The pinnacle of this phenomenon was the 1954 Guatemalan coup, when United Fruit convinced the goverment of US president Dwight D. Eisenhower that the elected president of Guatemala, Jacobo Árbenz (who had expropriated some of the company's unused land and given it to Guatemalan peasants) was secretly working with the Soviet Union, resulting in a CIA coup which deposed the Árbenz government and replaced it with a thirty-year right-wing military dictatorship which effectively acted as a puppet government to protect the interests of United Fruit and the U.S. government.

Nowadays the term has broadened to refer to any small, economically unstable country with an economy which has been rendered dependent on the export of a particular natural resource due to economic exploitation by a more powerful country.

[insightfultake]

India’s Ambitious Agricultural Overhaul: Can the PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana Transform Rural India?

In a bold move to revitalise India’s struggling agricultural sector, the government has unveiled the PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana, a sweeping initiative aimed at boosting productivity and rural prosperity in 100 underperforming districts. Announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Union Budget 2025-26, the scheme seeks to address long-standing challenges such as inadequate irrigation, limited access to credit, and stagnating crop yields. But can this ambitious plan deliver on its promise to transform India’s rural economy? Expand to read more

[farmerstrend]

Agricultural Extension Services: The Missing Link in Kenya’s Economic Transformation

Discover how investing in agricultural extension services can drive sustainable economic growth in Kenya, enhance food security, and empower small-scale farmers to thrive. Learn why strengthening agricultural extension services is crucial for revitalizing Kenya’s farming sector and achieving the goals of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. Explore the role of agricultural extension…

[humanlifehereandnow]

Introduction

Welcome to this video on significant paradigm shifts that have changed society. Historically, there have been pivotal moments where people's beliefs, values, and ways of life were radically transformed, leading to significant social, political, economic, and cultural changes. These paradigm shifts often respond to social, environmental, or technological changes that challenge the prevailing order. They pave the way for new ways of thinking and acting that can shape human history for generations to come. In this video, we will explore 16 major paradigm shifts that have transformed our world, looking at the fundamental problems they addressed, the leaders who spearheaded them, the timing and triggers of these shifts, and the social changes that resulted from them. By the end of this video, you will have a deeper appreciation of how these paradigm shifts have shaped our societies and contributed to our current way of life.

1. The Agricultural Revolution

Previous Problems: Limited food resources and instability in the food supply, nomadic lifestyle Leaders: Unknown Timing: 10,000 BCE A Major Trigger: The development of agriculture, which allowed for a more stable food supply and the ability to settle in one place Social Changes Resulting from Them: The rise of civilization and the establishment of communities and cities, the development of trade and specialization of labor, and the foundation for later technological innovations.

2. The Neolithic Revolution

Previous Problems: Limited food resources and instability in the food supply, nomadic lifestyle Leaders: Unknown Timing: 10,000 BCE A Major Trigger: The development of agriculture, which allowed for a more stable food supply and the ability to settle in one place Social Changes Resulting from Them: The rise of civilization and the establishment of communities and cities, the development of trade and specialization of labor, and the foundation for latest technological innovations.

3. The Renaissance

Previous Problems: Limited access to education, artistic expression, and scientific knowledge Leaders: Various artists, scientists, and intellectuals, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Timing: 14th to 17th century A Major Trigger: The revival of classical learning and the emphasis on humanistic values led to a flourishing of art, science, and philosophy Social Changes Resulting from Them: The rise of scientific inquiry and experimentation, the development of new artistic styles and techniques, and a shift towards human-centered thinking and values.

4. The Reformation

Previous Problems: Corruption and abuse within the Catholic Church, limited religious freedom and tolerance Leaders: Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other Protestant reformers Timing: 16th century A Major Trigger: The rise of new ideas about religious doctrine and practice, leading to the formation of Protestantism and the challenging of the Catholic Church's authority Social Changes Resulting from Them: The rise of religious freedom and tolerance, the fragmentation of Christianity into different denominations, and the foundation for later social and political movements for religious liberty.

5. The Scientific Revolution

Previous Problems: Limited scientific knowledge and understanding, a reliance on traditional authority and dogma Leaders: Various scientists and philosophers, such as Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton Timing: 16th to 18th century A Major Trigger: The development of new scientific methods and theories leading to a revolution in scientific thinking and knowledge Social Changes Resulting from Them: The rise of scientific inquiry and experimentation, the development of new scientific disciplines and fields, and a shift towards evidence-based thinking and knowledge.

6. The Age of Enlightenment

Previous Problems: Limited access to education and knowledge, a reliance on traditional authority and dogma Leaders: Various philosophers and intellectuals, such as John Locke and Voltaire Timing: 18th century A Major Trigger: The emphasis on reason, knowledge, and individual liberty, leads to a transformation of political, social, and cultural values. Social Changes Resulting from Them: The rise of democratic values and principles, the establishment of individual rights and freedoms, and the foundation for later social and political movements for equality and justice.

7. The Copernican Revolution

Previous Problems: Ptolemaic view of geocentrism and a limited understanding of the universe Leaders: Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei Timing: 16th and 17th centuries Major Trigger: Publication of Copernicus' "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres" and Galileo's observations of the cosmos through his telescope Social Changes Resulting from Them: A new understanding of the universe and the solar system, a challenge to the authority of the church, and the beginning of modern astronomy.

8. The Industrial Revolution

Previous Problems: Limited economic growth and productivity, reliance on manual labor Leaders: James Watt, Eli Whitney, Henry Ford Timing: 18th and 19th centuries Major Trigger: Technological advancements in machinery and manufacturing, the growth of the steam engine, and the factory system Social Changes Resulting from Them: Increased productivity and efficiency, urbanization and population growth, new working conditions and labor laws, and the development of capitalism.

9. The Darwinian Revolution

Previous Problems: Limited understanding of biological diversity and evolution Leaders: Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace Timing: 19th century Major Trigger: Publication of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" and the growing awareness of the diversity of species on Earth Social Changes Resulting from Them: A new understanding of evolution and natural selection, a challenge to traditional religious beliefs, and the beginning of modern biology.

10. The Age of Exploration

Previous Problems: Limited global connectivity and understanding of the world beyond one's local region Leaders: Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan Timing: 15th to 17th centuries Major Trigger: Technological advancements in navigation, the desire for new trade routes and resources, and the competition between European empires Social Changes Resulting from Them: Increased global connectivity and exchange of ideas and goods, the spread of disease and cultural exchange, and the growth of colonialism.

11. The Civil Rights Movement

Previous Problems: Systemic racial discrimination and segregation Leaders: Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X Timing: 1950s and 1960s Major Trigger: The growing awareness of racial inequality and the desire for social justice Social Changes Resulting from Them: The end of legal segregation and discrimination increased opportunities for people of color in education and employment and the continued fight for social justice and equality.

12. The Age of Democracy

Previous Problems: Limited representation and power for the general population, monarchies, and authoritarian regimes Leaders: Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, Mahatma Gandhi Timing: 18th to 20th centuries Major Trigger: The desire for increased representation and individual rights, the spread of Enlightenment ideals, and the impact of revolutionary movements Social Changes Resulting from Them: The growth of democratic systems of government and individual rights, the spread of democratic ideals and values, and the continued fight for social and political equality.

13. The Environmental Movement

Previous Problems: Unregulated pollution and destruction of natural habitats Leaders: Rachel Carson, Al Gore, Greta Thunberg Timing: 1960s to present day Major Trigger: The publication of "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson in 1962 increased awareness of climate change and the impact of human activity on the environment Social Changes Resulting from Them: Increased focus on conservation, recycling, and sustainability; push for government regulations on pollution and environmental impact; greater public awareness and activism surrounding ecological issues.

14. The Age of Globalization

Previous Problems: Nationalism and limited global connectivity Leaders: Bill Clinton, George Soros, Thomas Friedman Timing: Late 20th century to present day Major Trigger: Technological advancements in communication and transportation, the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, and the rise of multinational corporations Social Changes Resulting from Them: Increased cultural exchange and diversity, growth of international trade and economic interdependence, the rise of global governance institutions, and greater awareness of global issues.

15. The Information Age

Previous Problems: Limited access to information and slow dissemination of knowledge Leaders: Tim Berners-Lee, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates Timing: Late 20th century to present day Major Trigger: Technological advancements in computing and the internet Social Changes Resulting from Them: Increased access to information and knowledge, the democratization of information sharing, growth of e-commerce and online communication, and greater interconnectedness of the world.

16. The Artificial Intelligence Age

Previous Problems: Limited ability to automate complex tasks and analyze large amounts of data Leaders: Alan Mathison Turing, Andrew Ng, Elon Musk, Demis Hassabis Timing: 21st century Major Trigger: Advancements in machine learning and computing power and the increasing need for automated decision-making in various industries Social Changes Resulting from Them: Increased efficiency and productivity in various fields, the potential for job displacement and the need for retraining, and ethical concerns surrounding the development and use of AI.

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed this video on significant paradigm shifts that have changed society. As we have seen, these paradigm shifts have profoundly impacted how we understand ourselves, our world, and our place in it. They have challenged prevailing beliefs and values, opened up new possibilities for human thought and action, and paved the way for a more just, equitable, and sustainable society. While we cannot predict what the future will bring, we can be confident that there will be more paradigm shifts as we grapple with new challenges and opportunities. It is up to us to learn from past lessons and embrace the possibilities of the future as we work towards a better world for all.

[pannaginip]

The latest incident happened on June 18 in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan where soldiers ransacked the house of Tanggol Magsasaka Secretary-General and Spokesperson Ronnie Manalo.

Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of Karapatan, said in a statement that these incidents may be a “prelude to a major crackdown against peasant leaders, activists and farmers’ rights advocates.”

According to KMP, soldiers forcibly entered Manalo’s unoccupied house at around 7:00 am on June 18. The group said that the soldiers, reportedly belonging to the 80th Infantry Battalion, illegally searched Manalo’s house and claimed to have found a firearm. Just like in previous raids of activists’ houses and offices, KMP stressed that the evidence was fabricated.

On the same day at around 10:30 am, soldiers went to the house of 63-year old Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan (AMB) Chairperson, Cecilia Rapiz in barangay Paradise 3, San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan asking for her whereabouts.

According to KMP, farmers have observed an increased presence of soldiers in civilian communities over the weekend. [...]

Farmers are defending their rights in San Jose Del Monte as their land is reportedly being grabbed by the Aranetas.

Meanwhile, Karapatan also documented a case of harassment against a farmer in Negros Occidental. Human Rights Alliance of Negros (HRAN) reported that on June 13, Evelyn Manait, a member of the Ituman-Bukidnon tribe, was harassed in her house in Barangay Amontay, Binalbagan. Eight men in civilian clothes interrogated her on the whereabouts of her husband and brother-in-law. The said men accused them of being members of the New People’s Army.

Meanwhile, on June 19 in Batangas, a man who identified himself as a police officer asked barangay officials in Bauan, Batangas for the whereabouts of Tanggol Batangan paralegal Juvie Ann Biding.

“These forms of harassment and threats are committed with impunity by State security forces, as sanctioned by the Marcos administration through its counterinsurgency program. Karapatan calls on human rights advocates and the public to strongly denounce these rights violations which are a prelude to worse forms of violations as military operations continue in rural areas,” Palabay said.

2024 Jun. 20

[reasonsforhope]

"This week was a big win for animals across Mexico.

On December 2, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum signed a set of constitutional reforms that will pave the way for a comprehensive federal animal welfare law. The changes represent the first-ever mention of nonhuman animals in the Mexican Constitution, marking a milestone achievement for Mexico’s animal rights movement, which has for years been drawing attention to pervasive animal cruelty and extreme confinement in the country’s growing meat industry.

“This is huge,” says Dulce Ramirez, executive director of Animal Equality Mexico and the vice president of Animal Equality’s Latin American operations. These constitutional changes come after two years of campaigning by animal advocacy organizations, including Igualdad Animal Mexico, Humane Society International/Mexico (HSI/Mexico), and Movimiento Consciencia.

These reforms are internationally unique. While national animal protection laws aren’t uncommon, most countries have no mention of animals in their Constitutions. Constitutions are “a reflection of socially where we are,” Angela Fernandez, a law professor at the University of Toronto, told Vox, making any constitutional reform symbolically a big deal.

Beyond Mexico, nine countries include references to animals in their Constitutions, but those mentions have generally been brief and open to interpretation. “Mexico is different,” Kristen Stilt, faculty director at Harvard Law School’s Animal Law and Policy Program, told Vox. “It’s longer, it’s more specific. It’s in several provisions. It’s not just a general statement.”

Plenty of countries have laws against animal mistreatment, including the US, where all 50 states have an anti-cruelty law, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been particularly effective at stopping violence against animals. Part of the problem is that these laws very often exempt farmed animals such as cows, pigs, and chickens, thereby excluding from protection the overwhelming majority of animals that suffer at human hands. That’s where Mexico’s reforms stand out: They’re intended to protect all animals, including farmed animals and other exploited species.

The reforms in Mexico, the world’s largest Spanish-speaking country, represent a major advancement in the status of animals globally. It could set a precedent for other countries in Latin America, where a vibrant animal rights movement has emerged in recent years, said Macarena Montes Franceschini, a fellow at Harvard Law School’s Animal Law and Policy Program.

Still, as one of the world’s top producers of beef, chicken, pork, dairy, and eggs, Mexico has an intensive animal agriculture industry much like the US, says Antón Aguilar, HSI/Mexico’s executive director. Business interests will undoubtedly want to influence the writing of animal welfare laws that could impact their bottom lines, as they have in the US and elsewhere. The question now is what changes the constitutional reforms will really bring to animal law in Mexico, and how effective they will be.

What will these reforms do?

The reforms comprise changes to three separate articles of Mexico’s Constitution. The most foundational change amends the Constitution’s Article 73, which dictates what Congress has the authority to legislate on. The article now gives the federal government the power to issue laws on animal welfare and protection.

Previously, animal welfare was largely left up to local and state authorities, and the result has been uneven laws and enforcement across the country. While all states in Mexico have animal protection legislation, just three include farmed animals: Hidalgo, Colima, and as of last month, Oaxaca, following pressure from animal advocates. And though Mexico does have a federal law on animal health that focuses on farmed animals and includes some broad mentions of animal welfare, it was created to protect human health rather than animals. The same goes for Mexico’s federal wildlife law, which was written with a focus on sustainability and conservation, rather than on protecting individual animals from cruelty.

Perhaps the most significant part of the reforms is an amendment to Article 4 of Mexico’s Constitution prohibiting the mistreatment of animals and directing the Mexican state to guarantee the protection, adequate treatment, and conservation and care of animals. The language is broad, Ramirez says, but she sees it as a substantial improvement over existing animal welfare laws. She and other advocates worked to ensure that no animals were excluded, particularly given that farmed animals have historically been left out of animal protection.

“It’s really, really important in Mexico to start with this first step — but a big one — because now it’s all animals” that are covered, Ramirez said.

The changes to Articles 4 and 73 tee up the creation of federal legislation on animal welfare. Under these reforms, Mexico’s Congress has been directed to write a first-of-its-kind General Law of Animal Welfare, Care, and Protection, a comprehensive bill that would address and develop regulations preventing the mistreatment of all types of animals, including farmed animals, wildlife, animals in laboratories, and companion animals, Aguilar said.

This general animal welfare law will need to consider animals’“nature, characteristics and links with people,” according to the reform decree released last week. What does this actually mean? Ramirez gave the example of chickens: Part of the natural behavior of these animals is to be able to spread their wings and move around. But if chickens are stuck in cages, as is standard practice on egg factory farms, they can’t do either of those things. Now, the idea is to develop legal criteria that would consider the ability to express these natural behaviors as part of their welfare. (The language could also be interpreted to prioritize human needs, however — particularly the reference to animals’ “links with people.” Animal Equality said it would interpret this through an animal welfare lens, and with the word “link” invoking what humans owe animals.)

Finally, Article 3 of Mexico’s Constitution, which pertains to the education system, was also amended to require that animal welfare be included in school curricula for grade school and high school students. Aguilar said this change could help “attitudes shift and change in a very enduring, long-term way” for future generations. But the new constitutional language is unspecific, and the devil is in the details.

What’s next for animal welfare in Mexico

Advocates in Mexico have two focuses going forward, Ramirez and Aguilar said: shaping the general animal welfare bill into a strong piece of legislation, and working with the Ministry of Education to get meaningful implementation of animal welfare into the national curriculum."

[worfsbarmitzvah]

there’s such an attitude among ex-christian atheists that religions just spring up out of the void with no cultural context behind them. like ive heard people say shit like “those (((zionists))) think they own a piece of land bc their book of fairy tales told them so!!!” and they refuse to understand that no, we don’t belong there because of the torah, it’s in the torah because we belong there. because we’re from there. the torah (from a reform perspective) was written by ancient jews in and about the land that they were actively living on at the time. the torah contains instructions for agriculture because the people who lived in the land needed a way to teach their children how to care for it. it contains laws of jurisprudence because those are pretty important to have when you’re trying to run a society. same for the parts that talk about city planning. it contains our national origin story for the same reason that american schools teach kids about the boston tea party. it’s an extremely complex and fascinating text that is the furthest thing from just a “book of fairy tales”