Biotech benifits drought and salinity resistant crops

Biotech benifits drought and salinity resistant crops A study released March 14 concluded that more than 500,000 people could die due to the effects of climate change on food production. And it isn’t the first warning. This headline comes after a 2013 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture saying that climate change could devastate agriculture. The warming climate, the report explained, could lead to dramatic increases in weeds, pests, and diseases. Other scientists have said the change in frequency and severity of extreme weather events (like heat waves, droughts, and floods) could lead to lower yields.â€Å"we’re going to end up in a situation where we have a multitude of things happening that are going to negatively impact crop production†, said Jerry Hatfield, a USDA plant physiologist. At the same time our climate is changing, our population is growing quickly: We’ll need to feed an estimated 9.7 billion people by 2050.Biotech crops, designed to withstand the effects of climate change, are one tool that could help us meet the challenge of feeding more people in a changing world. Here’s how: Drought-tolerant corn: This corn variety, available in the United States, was specifically designed for dry, drought-like conditions. These plants still need water, but they have been engineered to protect farmer’s yields in moderate drought years. A public-private partnership in Africa is now working to develop a drought-tolerant variety specifically designed for the continent. It’s estimated that better corn varieties could increase yields by 20 to 35 percent in food-insecure communities. Hyper-efficient, drought-resistant rice: Scientists in the UK are using genetic engineering to change the photosynthesis process in rice. The new variety could double water efficiency and increase tolerance to warmer temperatures. It could increase productivity up to 50 percent, and it has been called â€Å"one of humanity’s best chances for ending world hunger.†Salinity-tolerant crops: Climate change is expected to make river water (which is used for irrigation) saltie r. Scientists are experimenting with genetically modified wheat and barley that will be able to withstand higher levels of salt in water. In addition to allowing farmers to grow food in changing conditions, these varieties would free up more fresh water for drinking. Biotech crops won’t just help with climate change adaptation in the future; they’re also helping to mitigate climate change right now. Biotech crops make it easier for farmers to practice no-till farming. It’s a way of farming without plowing the soil. This means carbon stays in the soil and is not released into the atmosphere. Insect-resistant crops need fewer pesticide sprays, leading to less use of tractors and the fuel they need. In 2010, the use of biotech crops helped remove 19.4 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, almost the same as taking 8.6 million cars off the road for a year. So while climate change certainly poses a threat to agriculture, we have an important tool to mitigate and adapt. Biotech is part of the solution. Specially designed crops will be one more tool in the toolkit for feeding a hungry, growing population in warming world.

Analysis and evidence-based findings on the Alex Color Studio Essay

Analysis and evidence-based findings on the Alex Color Studio employee's motivation - Essay Example Moderately motivated employees will just satisfy the client but will not leave a remarkable mark which will trigger the client to spread the good reputation of the salon. However, demotivated employees never inspire any clients to come back for their services. For these reasons, Jackie Williams and Alex Williams recognize the need to motivate their employees and through interviews by Shannon and Janelle, we discover various ways about how they motivate their employees and this analysis presents the details. Setting and monitoring goals; according to Alex and Jackie employees are largely motivated by setting goals through holding frequent staff meetings. In these meetings, they evaluate the performance of the employees and their achievements against the set goals. During review meetings, they discuss the challenges they are facing and consequently deliberate on ways of improving their performance. This motivates employees because they are able to share their progress and receive positive reinforce. At the same time, the employees who are having trouble are motivated by an assurance that they are capable of improving. Alex and Jackie hold that during the meetings, employees are given feedback. Positive feedback motivates the employees by instilling in them a sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, positive criticism is also effective in motivating employees to achieve their set objectives by assuring them that there is room for their improvements. Setting performance standards associated with career path and pay rise; Alex and Jackie indicated that the performance standards of the stylists are based on four indicators; client count, pre-booking rate, retail sales, and average ticket price. The indicators are used to set individualized goals for the stylists to mark their progress and identify areas of progress. Setting performance standards gives the stylists

International Business Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Business - Term Paper Example Toy industry is one of the growing industries of the world. It encompasses both electronic and non electronic toys and games. The global toy industry is not just associated with games and fun, rather it is dubbed as one of the hypercompetitive industries. The sector is characterized by secret product development practices and occasional indictment of corporate surveillance. Some of the major players in this industry are Hasbro, MGA Entertainment, Matteland, LEGO, Namco Bandai, Sanrio, Barbie and Steiff among others. In addition, the gaming hardware division sometime also comes under the toy industry. In this segment, Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are the major players. The industry is driven by product innovation and strategic licensing. The reason behind strategic licensing acting as one of the key drivers of the industry is because most of the revenue of the toy industry generates from exporting or overseas marketing activities. On the other hand, product innovation is the only tool through which thousands of toy manufacturing companies differentiates themselves from the others. The surge in the population of children of below 12 years of age is playing a decisive role in increasing the demand for toys across the globe. As a result of that, the industry is growing at a steady pace. According to reports, in the year 2012 the toy industry was estimated to be at a value of 84 billion U.S. dollars. Out of the total industry value, around 20 billion is attributed to the US market only. Hence, it is obvious that in terms of total turnover USA is the leader of global toy industry. However, majority of the toys being used in the country is imported. Apart from the US, another major player in the toy industry is China. Some of the cheaper plastic toys that are found in stores, restaurants, daycares centers, fairs, homes and cereal boxes that are found across the globe are mostly manufactured in China. In terms of production, the Chinese toy industry is the largest in t he world. The industry generates billions of dollars and also employs millions of people across the globe. Hence, from the points made above it is believed that the scenario of the global toy industry is clear to the reader. (Source: Pierstransportation, 2012) In this report, a comparison of the South African toy industry and Seychelles toy industry will be carried out and do to the same, the study will make use of the different strategies and frameworks proposed by Michael E. Porter. Once a comparison between the two countries is drawn, the report seeks to provide a summative conclusion and recommendations pertaining to the caveats of investment and the business activity required to operate efficiently in that market place. South African Toy Industry Overview The overall scenario of the toy industry in South Africa is pleasant for the business owners as well as the government. The high turnover of the industry is playing effective roles in strengthening the national economy of Sout h Africa. The toys and games section witnessed a strong growth in terms of the value achieved. However, during the year 2009 when the country suffered a major economic downturn, the toy industry was negatively impacted. As per reports, the sales of traditional toys reached US$72.4 in the year 2009, thereby reflecting a decline of 3% from the previous year. One of the reasons for this is the shifting trends of consumers. The construction toys and activity toys accounted for the largest share of 18.5%. On the other hand, the sales figure of dolls and figure toys declined by 5%. In the similar way, the sale of indoor games also declined by 3% (Euromonitor, 2009). Furthermore, the recovery rate was also extremely slow due low spending of consumers in such products. As a result of that the industry is still in the process of recovery. The secondary research about the South African toy industry has shown that the country has been a major toy exporter (Hill and Jones, 2012). Furthermore, r eports have also suggested that the