Agricultural Innovations In the year 2013

Witness the innovations in agriculture in the last 10 years. In 1993, who used a cell phone with ease practically anywhere? Or used the Internet? Or electronic mail? Or who sprayed one herbicide on a crop to control all weeds without crop damage? Or pushed a single button to shift gears or launch a sequence of implement movements? Or steered straight with hands-free steering or reduced field application overlap without foam markers? Or stopped bugs with plants? Or grew corn to make plastic? Anyone? You get the picture.

Whew. Will the speed of innovation slow down? Not likely. Innovation not only will continue in agriculture, but will trickle down into it from highly advanced industries, such as the medical, defense, aerospace and computer industries, where new technologies deliver profit. As the latest technology advances within these industries become mass produced and less expensive, bright agricultural minds will watch, research and adapt these technologies to aid on-farm efficiency, produce new crops and animals, and much more.

Simple and profound

What technologies changed agriculture most in the past 10 years? New Mexico State University ag economist and futurist Lowell Catlett says five simple but profound technologies came to be important over the past decade.

“The first was the release and improvement of GPS, which is leading to a whole new wave of accuracy in precision farming tools. This is a major coup for agriculture and the whole U.S. as we begin to more fully utilize this technology,” Catlett says.

Second was biotechnology. “This technology came into full glory and hatred in the last 10 years, and really probably defined the decade more than anything,” he says.

The third most influential technology was the growth of the Internet. “While it was invented a long time ago, it wasn't until the past decade that it came into play,” Catlett explains. “Now we're just starting to redefine how we're going to procure inputs and how we can potentially sell them using this technology tool.”

Fourth was the improvement in weather satellite accuracy. “Surprisingly, I think this technology has probably done as much for agriculture in the last decade as anything,” Catlett states. “We've started getting a new level of forecasting, especially on potential freeze dates and higher levels of forecasting accuracy.”

Number five was the cell phone. “It may seem small and insignificant, but this mobile technology has really redefined who we are, especially in the past five years,” Catlett says. “It is truly saving us precious time and has really changed how we obtain service and work with local farm suppliers. You can make that call to a supplier from the field, so they either have it ready by the time you get to town or they called their regional warehouse, which ships it to the dealer maybe even yet that day.”

The next 10 years

What technological advances can we expect to see by 2013?

Within the hallowed halls of academia, one of the best futurists is Mike Boehlje at Purdue's Center for Food and Agricultural Business. He sees three types of technology at the farm level that are in the process of coming to market: technology to manipulate growth processes of plants and animals, technology for monitoring and measuring systems, and automated process control technology. On its own, each area is significant, he says, but it's their coming commercial convergence that will bring the most significant change.

“The first area, manipulating the growth processes of plants and animals, is a continuation of biotechnology efforts that developed the successful input-side traits such as Roundup Ready soybeans, Bt corn and cotton,” Boehlje explains. Roundup Ready technology simplified the soybean production process for growers. It not only improved and lengthened weed control, it required less management and reduced labor, allowing farmers to oversee larger acreages.

“Going forward, where we have the most potential advances for the future is on the output side, whether its protein content, amino acid levels, healthier oils and more,” Boehlje continues. “We're gaining in this area because we have a better understanding of biology, of what we need to do and what we can do to manipulate plants and animals.”

Profound change, he predicts, will occur during the next 10 years as farmers move out of commodity production and into differentiated production of specific crops with higher value.

The second group of technologies, systems that monitor and measure, will improve and see wider application. “Numerous tools using this technology — such as GPS, yield monitoring, remote sensing, smart machinery — have allowed us to real-time figure out where we are, what we're doing, and how we're doing it,” Boehlje says. “Coming soon, we'll begin applying improved tools to a broader set of agricultural production practices.”

Monitoring everything

Boehlje likens such change to that occurring in the greenhouse industry and high-tech livestock facilities, where practically everything is monitored (air, soil, plants and animals). “Improvements in sensor technology will take us to a completely new level of measuring the growth process, the surrounding environment, the operation of machinery and much more,” he says. “It will automate the processes that used to require human intervention. So rather than adjust the power levers on our tractor, the environment is sensed and implements adjust automatically. In some cases, reduced skills will be needed to accomplish certain tasks.”

The third area of technology, automated process control technology, may provide the most significant advances in agriculture production. “This technology will actually alter the production process as it senses it to help plants, animals and machines produce at an optimum level,” Boehlje states.

Take irrigation, for instance. “Instead of simply irrigating the ground if no rain occurs, automated process control will link the irrigation system to plant sensors, soil sensors and a weather station so it can apply more water or less water to specific areas of a field, driven by software and GPS,” Boehlje says. “Think about the greenhouse example where sensors are changing the angle of windows, humidity levels, water and fertility amounts and more automatically. We're starting to think along these same lines on how to grow crops in fields and animals in buildings.”

Big Bang stuff

In Boehlje's observations, these three technology areas change agriculture from “an industry that grows stuff to one of biological manufacturing. We're in the process of the biological manufacturing of specific-attribute raw materials for the nutritional, industrial and pharmaceutical industries,” he says.

He believes the simultaneous evolution of all three processes, or convergence of them, will have profound implications for agriculture. “When you combine biotechnology with information technology with process control technology, you'll get some truly Big Bang stuff,” Boehlje states.

Because of this convergence of the technologies, in many cases the human managerial process will be altered or substituted, he adds, which results in “simplification technology.” “What we used to do manually will become automated, enabling each manager to expand what he or she oversees,” Boehlje says. “As a manufacturing plant becomes more automated, it allows the plant manager to expand control and manage more units.”

Think about soybean production before Roundup Ready soybeans, Boehlje says. You had to spend more management time to know your weeds and match the right herbicide mixture. You had to scout more for proper application timing of each field. You may have cultivated. “Now, without too much thinking, you simply plant, spray once, maybe twice, and forget about it. This technology has substituted for oversight of the operation, allowing growers to manage larger soybean acreages,” he says.

How close are we to this technology convergence? “In animal production, we're already quite away along the curve to converting livestock production units into manufacturing facilities,” Boehlje says. “With confined livestock like poultry and pork, we're expecting to see more sensors and software driving more automation, helping sense levels of infection which triggers dispersal of proper medication into the water to prevent a disease outbreak.”

In crop production, Boehlje says, we'll see technology convergence sooner in more high-value crops where critical monitoring and automated processes will achieve a quicker payback. “But there is a whole set of technologies such as GPS, yield and quality monitors, lightbars, steering guidance that is already there, so one doesn't have to go too far before we start seeing more convergence in crop production,” he says.

Wireless and nano rule

In Lowell Catlett's list of five technologies that will most change the nature of agriculture in the next 10 years, first is the wireless digital technology. “This, without question, will definitely be the most pronounced tool of the decade,” he states. “We're seeing PDAs merged with cell phones and laptops being shrunk down to PDA size. But wireless technology, either 802.11 [Wi-Fi] or Bluetooth platforms, will totally redefine absolutely everything.”

The next two technologies, DNA sensing chips and nano lasers, will be directly connected to the wireless technology.

“Sensing chips have been around during the last decade, but they're becoming more mainstream and commercial,” Catlett says. “The first phase of this DNA sensing technology is currently performing medical diagnostic work, and it's absolutely overwhelming what they are doing for human medicine right now. And it's this work that will set the stage to totally redefine plant and animal agriculture. It will totally revolutionize diagnostic work on animals for vet care, followed by plant and soil diagnostics to detect nutritional deficiencies or soil characteristics and more.”

The science-fiction fantasy of nanotechnology — building novel structures, devices, and materials at the atomic or molecular scale — is becoming a reality. According to research at the University of California — Berkeley, a bio-nano breakthrough may someday lead to devices that diagnose disease, detect evidence of bioterrorism and aid in the discovery of new drugs. Most impressive, though, is that these devices, based on a DNA-sensing chip in development at Berkeley, will fit in your pocket. Already available DNA “gene chips” enable the analyses of DNA samples to identify biological substances. The silicon or glass chips are embedded with tens of thousands of different fragments of DNA. Each bit of reference DNA consists of a specific sequence of bases — the four letters that spell out the genetic code — that are unique to the disease or pathogen, for instance, that the user is attempting to identify.

Catlett explains that the nano laser or vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser takes information from DNA chips and transfers the data via wireless protocols. “This will provide truly phenomenal capabilities to measure and get information from fields and animals and will ratchet up management like you've never seen before,” he predicts.

Biotech speeds onward

The fourth technology, biotech, will continue as one of the top technologies of the next decade, Catlett says. “It will reform itself, so the next round of products will deliver ecological and medicinal benefits for the environment, humans and animals.”

Finally, software programs called “intelligent default” will combine with wireless, DNA chip and nano laser technologies to revolutionize everything that is connected to agribusiness, according to Catlett. “The idea is there are parameters in such software that, when given information from remote-sensing devices that is outside set parameters, the software will either notify a manager via a coded message to a wireless device or cell phone or it will mitigate, enhance or change what's there to resolve the challenge itself,” he explains.

Catlett says the trucking industry already has put this technology into play. “Cummins engines have technology that monitors engine revolutions and shifting points in combination, because when these conditions get out of whack, trucks can jackknife. When this occurs, a signal is sent to a fleet manager with exact GPS location and time, and a phone call can be placed immediately to the driver to determine if everything is okay,” he says. “And a fleet's safety factor jumps up immensely with this technology.

“The beauty of this technology, that will totally revolutionize management, is that it's fairly inexpensive,” Catlett continues. “And it will cause a whole new stream of agribusiness firms to enter the market offering intelligent default software that fits all kinds of farm-based applications, causing the wireless platform to explode. And for managers, it will be a phenomenal tool that will give them flexibility like they've never imagined.”

Catlett concludes that “the great thing about these technologies is that they'll truly be put into place by the savvy producer, and it will revolutionize agriculture. And most of it will be normal in 10 years or less.”

source- Kurt Lawton, Farm Industry News

Organic food production doubled

Organic food production in the country more than doubled to 3.8 million tonne in 2010-11, even as the area under the chemicals-free cultivation shrank. Area under organic farming declined 3% to 4.42 million hectares in last fiscal, official data showed.

In 2009-10, the output of organic products was 1.70 million tonnes, while the average was 4.55 million hectares, as per the data presented in the Rajya Sabha last week by minister of state for agriculture Harish Rawat.

He said that to determine the impact of organic farming on soil health and crop quality, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had conducted a study, Network Project on Organic Farming (NPOF), in 2004-05. “The limited study conducted under this project revealed that the organic system of plant nutrition helped in improving the organic carbon and microbial biomass in the soil,” Rawat said.

It also improved the bio-chemical properties of a few crops like ginger, turmeric, chillies, garlic, tomato, peas, cabbage, French beans and so on, he added. Besides, the content of micro-nutrients like iron, zinc, manganese and copper improved significantly, he said.

“Organic foods, in general are reportedly safe for human health as they are almost free from pesticide residues and heavy metals,” Rawat noted.

According to an agriculture ministry official, India exported 54,000 tonnes of organic food items that were worth Rs. 591 crore in 2008-09.

Indian organic exports include cereals, pulses, honey, tea, spices, oil seeds, fruits, vegetables, cotton fibre, cosmetics and body care products. Asia, Latin America and Australia are important producers and exporters of organic foods.

Global sales of organic produce touched $50.9 billion in 2008 from $25 billion in 2003. Consumer demand for organic products is mainly from North America and Europe.

source-livemint.com

India to reap bumper grains after normal monsoon

The monsoon rains are tapering off at the end of a normal four-month season, leaving behind farms full of rice, cane and cotton that could help the country curb high food prices and leave plenty of grain and sugar for exports in 2011-12.

India, the world’s second-biggest rice, cotton and sugar producer, is on track to cultivate a record 245 million tonnes of grains in the current crop year to June, up 1.4% from a year ago. The bumper crop will help reduce price volatility and bring relief to several Asian importers who are trying to combat food-led inflation.

After a fitful start, the rains picked up in the middle phase, watering vast stretches of the country that remain devoid of irrigation facilities despite the fact that about half of India’s 1.2 billion people depend on agriculture.

There were some concerns about heavy, late showers in western India’s cotton and cane growing areas, but those fears were banished by a dry spell that is poised to improve recovery rate from the cane crop.
A threat to rice from flooding has also ebbed.

“Rains have been fantastic, to an extent that they will help winter crops as well. We are still holding to our output target for the 2011-12 crop year,” said Gurbachan Singh, farm commissioner, a top government official.

Rains were 33% below average in the week to 28 September, the weather office said on Thursday. They have been 2% above average since the start of the June-September season, in line with the official forecast of a normal monsoon in 2011.

“Monsoon is expected to completely withdraw from the central parts (of the country) this week,” said a weather official, who did not wish to be named as he is not authorized to talk to the media.

Monsoon rains are crucial to farm output in the world’s second-most populous country because 60% of its farms do not have irrigation facilities.

Concerns short-lived

Floods and heavy rains in some parts of Maharashtra in the west and Uttar Pradesh in the north caused some anxiety, but the water receded quickly in the top two sugar producing states.

Heavy rains in some parts of the rice-growing eastern states of Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal led to initial fears of lower output, but officials said overall production targets will be met.

Fears of soybean yields being hit have also eased. “Yes, there were concerns about soybean yields due to late rainfall. But they were short-lived. Yields are good,” said Atul Chaturvedi, chief executive officer (CEO) of farm business Adani Wilmar.

Only production of guar seed, used to make guar gum which is used as a controlling agent in oil drilling, could be hit because of the delayed arrival of the monsoon. The United States (US) and Europe are the biggest importers of guar seed.

Overall higher farm output will keep a lid on food prices in Asia’s third largest economy, staving off imports and encouraging exports of sugar and grains.

India has allowed 2 million tonnes of rice exports this year, undercutting supplies from top producer Thailand. It also allowed for the export of 2 million tonnes of wheat.

Global food prices remained high in August, buoyed by a worrying outlook of low grain supplies and stocks. High prices gave little respite to policy makers, already battling stubborn inflation and faltering economic growth.

Last year’s normal monsoon, which came after the worst drought in nearly four decades, helped India become a sugar exporter and saw the benchmark London white sugar futures ease by a fifth since January.

Award for Malabar Botanical Garden

The award is instituted by Green World in memory of environmental activist John C. Jacob.

The Malabar Botanical Garden, an autonomous body under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, has been chosen for the maiden award instituted by the environmental agency, Green World, in memory of environmental activist John C. Jacob.

The John C. Jacob Award is given to institutions making outstanding contribution to create public awareness on environment-related matters and carries a cash prize of Rs.10,000 and a citation.

This year's winner was chosen by a committee comprising environmental activist Shobheendran, poet P.K. Gopi and Gandhian Thayattu Balan.

The Malabar Botanical Garden here has a rich collection of plants endemic to the Western Ghats and has been organising biodiversity conservation programmes. It has also conducted a series of programmes to train women and farmers in commercial cultivation of medicinal plants.

John C. Jacob, a native of Kottayam who taught zoology at St. Joseph's College , Devagiri, and later at a college in Payyannur, was the founder of Zoological Club, believed to be the first environmental agency in the State, and the Society for Environmental Education in Kerala (SEEK) and was in the frontline of environmental activities in the State until his demise on October 11 in 2008. He also had the distinction of being the Editor of ‘Mainah', the first environmental magazine in Malayalam, and ‘Soochimukhi' magazine. John C. Jacob was also instrumental in instilling in children interest in nature conservation activities and setting up Nature Clubs and organising nature study camps. He was also a recipient of State government's Vanamitra Award, and the Green Award of the Kerala Biodiversity Board.

source- thehindu

Over 200 fish species get Malayalam names

More than 200 varieties of fresh water fish in Kerala were Friday re-christened with vernacular names in an effort to maintain a data base of the fish.

At a daylong meeting held here Friday of scientists, naturalists and local fishermen, 50 of the 208 fresh water fish got new names, while the names of the remaining species of fish were standardised as they had different names across the state.

The popular fishes that were named include chenkuyil, velumpan kal nakki, iru pottan, chen kaniyan, kurudan mushi and aartu chempalli.

The meeting was called 'Meeninu Oru Peru' (A name for a fish) and it was organised by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) and Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala.

B. Madhusoodana Kurup, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, who inaugurated the meeting, said the re-christening would help the resurgence of taxonomy in Kerala.

"Finalising the local names would help conserving fish diversity of the state, especially in the context of the fact that 12 species of freshwater fish are endemic to Kerala, and most of them restricted to a narrow habitat," said Kurup.

K.P.Laladhas, member secretary of the KSBB, said finalising the local names would strengthen the ongoing fish monitoring programme initiated by KSBB in all the 44 rivers of the state.

"The proposed names will be kept in public domain for public inputs and the finalised list of Malayalam names will be given to State Institute of Languages and to the concerned government departments for absorbing the names," said Laladhas.

--IANS

source- newkerala

Desalination: The next sweetener

India is at an exciting stage as far as the market for water and wastewater treatment is concerned. What presents a conundrum for the government is that the remarkable economic growth has presented difficulties in sharing water resources among three key sectors: agricultural, domestic, and industrial, notes Frost & Sullivan. It is apparent that balancing available water resources to meet the requirements of all three sectors is recommended in the National Water Policy 2002, as well as in the newly-drafted National Water Mission.

Estimates by the Ministry of Water Resources indicate that by year 2050, India's overall water demand will double, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 1.5 per cent. The industry segment will clock the fastest rate of demand for water at a CAGR of 4.2 percent.

High demand for water brings forth the urgent need for effective management and development of water resources using methods like inter-basin water transfers, artificial recharge of aquifers, desalinisation of brackish water, traditional water conservation practices like rainwater harvesting, good maintenance of irrigation systems, and promoting efficiency through drip/sprinklers. It is categorical to emphasise that desalination can narrow the lacunae between water demand and supply.

Middle Eastern countries which are officially labeled as waterstressed with per capita renewable water resources much below the critical level of 1,000 cubic metres (Cu. M), have successfully applied the desalination technology. India's water issues are, to a large extent, manmade due to excessive withdrawal of ground and surface water without any regulatory policy, pollutants contaminating the available water resources, and inefficient irrigation mechanisms. Today, the Middle East, with about 30 million Cu. M/day, represents about half of the world's installed capacities for desalination. India's share in the world stands at mere 450,000-500,000 Cu. M/day, but the country has potential to garner a much larger share of the global desalination capacity in the next 10 years.

Growth of desalination plants in India is expected to gain pace, if the local and state governments implement appropriate action plans by leveraging funding from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Desalination should be a major plank if the objectives enshrined under India's National Water Mission are to be met in toto. To have maximum impact, the government has identified guidelines to develop robust public-private partnerships and offered monetary incentives to states and urban local bodies. Another strategy on the table was to offer tax breaks to industrial users for saving water. A policy such as this is long overdue in India. It could boost the market for recycle and reuse technologies like membrane bioreactors and desalination, as the ultimate goal is to reduce dependence on fragile and dwindling ground water and surface water resources.

The government can also contemplate issuing tradable certificates, akin to carbon emission reduction credits, so that industries saving water can sell their certificates to industries consuming more water

source-projectsmonitor.com

Recharge of Groundwater in Punjab

‘Water’ is a State subject, therefore, State Governments are primarily responsible for taking necessary measures for ground water management. As per information received from the State Government, following measures have been taken by Government of Punjab

* Roof top rain water harvesting has been made mandatory in all buildings above 200 sq. yards by amending building by-laws.

* A total of 22 recharge structures have been constructed by the Department of Soil Conservation in Patiala, Sangrur, Moga and Mohali districts.

* The State Government has taken steps to encourage crop diversification, artificial recharge of ground water, controlled and regulated electricity supply in critical area, micro-irrigation and alteration of crop calendar – encouraging late sowing of paddy after 16th June, etc.

Also Central Ground Water Board under Ministry of Water Resources has implemented ‘demonstrative projects’ on artificial recharge in the country since IX Plan period for replication by the respective State Governments under similar hydrogeological environments. In Punjab, under the Central Sector Scheme of Artificial Recharge to Ground Water implemented during IX Plan, 21 projects were implemented in the districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala, Ludhiana, Moga, Ropar and Fatehgarh Sahib. During XI Plan, 3 demonstrative projects costing Rs. 2.60 crore have been approved in Moga, Amritsar and TaranTaaran districts under the Central Sector Scheme of Ground Water Management & Regulation. Other measures undertaken by the Central Ground Water Board are as follows:

* Central Ground Water Authority has notified 6 blocks in the State for regulation of ground water development and management.

* CGWA has issued directions to the Chief Secretary for taking necessary measures to promote/ adopt artificial recharge to ground water/ rain water harvesting.

* Mass awareness programmes, Jal Yatra and Water management Training Programmes have been conducted under Information, Education and Communication activities.

Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation is implementing the centrally sponsored scheme of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) to provide access to safe drinking water to the rural areas including Punjab. Under one of the component of the scheme namely NRDWP(Sustainability), Central Government provides 100% grant to the States which is to be utilized by them on creation of sustainability structures which promotes recharge and conservation of water.

The Minister of State in the Ministry Of Water Resources and Minority Affairs Shri Vincent H. Pala gave this information in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. YSK/RS
(Release ID :75857)

Develop low-cost technology for weeds: farmers

Worried over suffering financial losses due to reduced crop yield, the cotton cultivators in the district today demanded to develop a low-cost technology to permanently eradicate the problem of weeds without destroying the crop.

Briefing about their problems to reporters in a news conference here, the farmers said despite using the high yielding cotton varieties like Bollgard II BT Cotton, which has given them high productivity over the years, they are facing the severe problem of weeds for the past few months.

The weeds especially, the parthorium widely known as the (Gajar grass), are spread rapidly in the crop while the farmers have to spend huge money on its weeding. The existing technologies used for weeding are expensive and harmful to the human beings. Hence, there is a need that the scientists should develop a technology which would permanently eradicate the weed without destroying the crop, they said.

They further said in addition, they are severely facing the problem of unavailability of labour and its rising cost, water stress and heavy incessant rainfall and insects.

Assistant Professor Dinesh Lomte said that the research in regard to eradication of the weeds was going on and they would tentatively get a permanent solution on it.

Although permanent control of the weed is not possible at present, the losses can be reduced with the efficient weed management, he added.

Farmers Babasaheb Gore, Ganesh Chaudhari, Mangoo Chavan, Pandurang Iname, Santosh Dahihande, the officials of the Mahyco-Monsento company and villagers were present on the occasion.

source-newkerala.com

Monsanto bets on biotech to feed growing demand

With increasing population, rising purchasing power, growing food consumption and changing dietary habits, how would the world feed itself, say, 20 years from now? Monsanto Company believes it has the answer.

The route to feeding the world is through innovations in technology today for tomorrow's crops, according to the global life-sciences major.

Unveiling a research-and-development pipeline filled with products that are designed to protect against significant crop-production challenges and increase yield potential, Dr Robb Fraley, Monsanto's Chief Technology Officer, said the company was already working on new products and new technologies targeted at doubling grain production.

Talking specifically about two of the US's largest crops, corn and soyabean, Dr Farley pointed out that compared with a decade ago, the US corn growers are currently using 14 per cent less land.

In case of soya, growers currently use 9 per cent less land, 21 per cent less water and 24 per cent less energy than 2000.

On way towards 2030, there will be more efforts to conserve natural resources and protect the environment, he said.

While transgenic corn today has as many as eight genes for herbicide resistance and insect protection, by 2030, the US corn yields are targeted to almost double to 300 bushels an acre from 155 bushels an acre currently with the use of technology. Then, modified seeds may carry more than 20 genes to ward off pests and diseases. Currently, as much as 85 per cent of acreage under corn in the US is biotech.

Around the World on Solar Power Alone

Almost a year ago, the Turanor PlanetSolar, a sleek catamaran that bears a resemblance to a giant water beetle, set off from Monaco on a voyage around the globe. Later this month it will arrive in Singapore, having amassed proof that it is possible to traverse the world’s oceans on solar power alone.

The PlanetSolaris a pioneering experiment. Rather than trying to reproduce the vessel for commercial use, said Raphael Domjan, a Swiss national who set up the project in 2004, the point of the project is to prove that solar technology can do far more than it currently does.

“We want to show to the world what can be done, that modern solar technology has huge economic potential,” Mr. Domjan said recently in a telephone interview. “The idea is to provide an impulse to the industry to consider alternatives, to think about innovative ways to reduce their energy needs.”

Solar panels are, of course, widely used on yachts and powerboats to power on-board appliances, for example. But the PlanetSolar goes much further: It is 100 percent solar-powered and is the first such vessel to attempt a circumnavigation of the globe.

Mr. Domjan — a former ambulance driver, mountain guide and rescue specialist — spent years raising funds before the PlanetSolar finally became a reality last year.

Designed in New Zealand, built in Germany and flying a Swiss flag, the spaceship-like craft is 31 meters, or 102 feet, long and cost $15 million to build. Its top is covered with solar panels — about 500 square meters, or more than 5,300 square feet, of them.

Lithium-ion batteries store energy collected by the panels, allowing the vessel to sail even when there is no sun. Software specifically designed for the craft allows the team to work out the most energy-efficient route and speed, factoring in sunlight, waves and wind.

“What they are doing is brilliant — it gets people to think,” said Arthur Bowring, managing director of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, one of the largest associations of its kind.

To be sure, for solar technology to have a major effect on marine emissions, it would need to be widely adopted by the tens of thousands of tankers, container ships and bulk carriers that ply the world’s oceans every day. These behemoths, however, are simply too large to be powered exclusively by solar power.

What is more, unlike the PlanetSolar on its current mission, they cannot simply stick to the sunnier parts of the world.

Still, the PlanetSolar’s voyage coincides with a major, and relatively recent, rethinking of the shipping industry about fuel efficiency and the environment.

Global shipping has expanded dramatically in recent decades. Ships now carry 90 percent of the world’s trade and account for about 3 percent of global carbon emissions — equivalent to those of a major national economy, according to the International Chamber of Shipping.

Moreover, the low-grade bunker fuel used on most sea journeys contains sulfur and other pollutants. So any efficiency improvements and moves toward cleaner fuel sources could have a significant bearing on global emissions. And they could be especially welcome in coastal Asian cities like Hong Kong where millions of people live close to some of the busiest ports in the world.

Tighter regulations have helped to kick the industry into action. But the main driver on the fuel front has probably been cost.        “The price of bunker fuel has tripled in the past three years,” said Luis Benito, a marine industry expert and South Korea country manager for Lloyd’s Register, which provides companies in the energy and transport sectors with advice on safety and performance. “For large container ships, fuel can make up more than 50 percent of operating costs, so the maritime industry has been looking very actively at ways to reduce consumption, especially since the global financial crisis.”

In fact, the industry is playing catch-up with the automotive and aircraft sectors, which have spent decades optimizing their efficiency.

“Car engines are far more advanced in terms of technology than ship engines,” said Robert Swan, a British polar explorer and environmental campaigner, who has been taking a solar panel-equipped yacht around the world and also testing biofuels in its engine. “They are well behind — but they are starting to get their act together.”

Much work is being done in improving the design of propellers and hulls and in research on alternative fuels like natural gas, biofuels and nuclear power. Waste-heat recovery systems (in which heat generated by the engines is channeled back into a vessel’s energy supply network, rather than being vented into the atmosphere) are becoming standard.

And some shipping companies, like Maersk Line, have embraced slower speeds as a way of reducing fuel bills and emissions.

“If we slow a ship’s speed by 20 percent, from, say, 23 knots to about 19 knots, you can save up to 40 percent of the fuel cost,” said Tim Smith, who heads Maersk Line’s North Asia operations.

True, customers may balk at longer delivery times. And retrofitting vessels with better technology is expensive. But ships that operate a range of such improvements can be 10 percent more fuel-efficient, Mr. Benito said — perhaps much more.

“People now are far more likely to look at anything — what will get economic payback over the life span of a ship, which can be 25 or 30 years,” Mr. Bowring of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association said. “The priorities have changed with the higher fuel price.”

The use of solar and wind power, through kites that could help propel ships on the open seas, is still the preserve of especially innovative shipbuilders and remains experimental at the moment, Mr. Benito said.

Mr. Domjan of PlanetSolar believes that even if big container ships never end up working entirely on solar power, the technology could be much more actively deployed as part of hybrid solutions, complementing conventional engines.

“The technology is improving very rapidly, and is getting much cheaper. Someone has to be the first to show it works — that’s what we are doing,” he said.

From Singapore, the PlanetSolar will continue its voyage, via Mumbai, Djibouti, Abu Dhabi and the Suez Canal, arriving back in Monaco next May. After that, Mr. Domjan is planning a party, a vacation — and fresh efforts to help promote solar technology.

source; The New York Times

Plants, Herbs, Shrubs etc. on the Verge of Extinction

As per the survey/assessment conducted by Botanical Survey of India (BSI), about 1236 plants, herbs, shrubs are threatened and are prone to extinction. Out of these, 53 plants, herbs, shrubs in the country including those in Uttarakhand, have medicinal properties.

To conserve plant diversity in general and protect the threatened species in particular, habitat improvement is the primary measure. For this purpose, about 76.9 million ha. of country’s geographical area has been notified as forests and receives protection under Indian Forests Act, 1927, Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and various State Acts. Out of these recorded forests about 16 million ha. has been brought under the Protected Area Network that include 100 National Parks, 514 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 43 Conservation Reserves and 4 Community Reserves. These areas receive additional protection under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA). Plants listed as threatened receive special attention under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Biological Diversity Act, 2002. While exploitation of plants, herbs in the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries is completely banned under WLPA, 1972 and orders of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, the threatened plants, herbs outside these areas including those which are on the verge of extinction are accorded protection under the Chapter IIIA of WLPA, 1972. Implementation of these Acts is the mandate of the State Governments who take action against violation of provisions of the Act including illegal collection of plants by any person/agency.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan in a written reply to a question by Shri Satpal Maharaj, Prof. (Dr.) Ranjan Prasad Yadav And Shri K. C. Singh ‘Baba’ooooooooo in Lok Sabha today

Rising sea level greatest climate change threat: Pachauri

The rise of the sea level would be the greatest threat to the world in the days to come unless efforts are made to contain and mitigate the consequences of climate changes, according to 2007 Nobel laureate Rajendra K Pachauri.


Pachauri, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an intergovernmental body that researches climate change and its potential consequences, is here to talk about climate change in the Himalayan region and ways to adapt and mitigate the adverse effects.

He has been invited by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, a regional centre with eight countries as members: India, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Bhutan.

The fourth IPCC assessment report in 2007 predicted that the global average sea level would rise between 0.6 and 2 feet (0.18 to 0.59 meters) in the next century.

Calling it the direst "irreversible and abrupt change", Pachauri said it would lead to the extinction of 20 to 30 percent of plant and animal species.

Saying that he had been to Rameshwaram, the coastal strip in southern India, last week, Pachauri said he had seen signs of people leaving the area.

Besides coastal regions, the rising sea level would impact other countries of South Asia in different ways, he said, triggering floods and droughts that would in turn impact agriculture.

The changes would affect a quarter billion people in China alone, he said.

An immediate change in lifestyle was needed to tackle the climate changes, which didn't necessarily mean dire sacrifices.

Pachauri said it entailed simple things like switching off the lights in a room while going to another.

All About Agriculture: All Metro Ph-III stations to have rainwater harves...

All About Agriculture: All Metro Ph-III stations to have rainwater harves...: In a bid to decrease its carbon footprint and to conserve groundwater, Delhi Metro plans to have rainwater harvesting system in every stati...

Government Implementing R&D Scheme for Stringent Quality and Hygiene Norms in Food Processing Sector

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing Scheme of Research and Development and Quality Control to enable adherence to stringent quality and hygiene norms to face global competition and export. The Ministry is also providing financial assistance to support research and experiment and adoption of food safety and quality assurance mechanism to keep the Indian food processing industry, technologically abreast of international best practices.

The food processing sector is presently growing at an average rate of 13.5% per annum. The level of processing has gone up by about 4% from existing 6% in 2005 to 10% in 2009 and value addition by 6% from 20% to 26% in the same period both at domestic and international level. The Vision Document 2015 envisages increasing the value addition from 20% to 35% by 2015.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Dr. Charan Das Mahant in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

MP: SB:CP: norms (Lok) 6.9.2011

(Release ID :75649)