Ahmedabad: History, Culture and Growth

Ahmedabad: History, Culture and Growth Ahmedabad is the largest city in the state of Gujarat. It is located in western India on the banks of the River Sabarmati. The city has been under different rulers since its creation and thus had a rich history. The city has been a former capital of Gujarat and has been the home to most important leaders of India like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel during the Indian independence movement. Ahmedabad is also the cultural and economical centre of Gujarat and the seventh largest city of India. (Wikipedia) Origin of Name Although fondly called Amdavad by the locals here, there is a very interesting legend associated with the city of Ahmedabad. Towards the beginning of the fifteenth century, the state of Gujarat was ruled by the Muslim Muzaffarid dynasty. Legend has it that once when the Sultan, Ahmed Shah was standing on the banks of river Sabarmati and he noticed a tiny hare chasing a strong ferocious dog. He kept pondering over it. He approached his spiritual advisor and asked for an explanation. The wise man said that, it was the uniqueness of the land that cultivated such rare qualities in people. After having heard this, the Sultan got so impressed that he decided to set his capital in that same location and called it Ahmedabad after himself. Early History Archaeological evidence also points to the occupation of the site from a much earlier period than that of Sultan Ahmed Shah. It was known in ancient times as Ashapalli or Ashaval. In the eleventh century the Solanki King Karandev I, ruler of Anhilwara (modern Patan), waged a war against the Bhil king of Ashaval. After his victory he established a city called Karnavati on the banks Sabarmati at the site of modern Ahmedabad. Solanki rule lasted until the thirteenth century, when Gujarat came under the control of the Vaghela dynasty of Dwarka. (Wikipedia) Muzaffarid Dynasty On founding the city in 1411, Ahmed Shah invited merchants and traders to the new city, which became a prosperous commercial, trading and industrial city, with textiles as its most important products. Wealthy Hindu and Jain merchants made up the commercial class dominating the community, eventually as the oldest and most established families, while Muslims were the skilled weavers working for them and (until Maratha rule) the government officials ultimately ruling them. (Joshi, 2004). Ahmed Shah built some of the still existing monuments that are spread across the city. JAMA MASJID, TEEN DARWAZA It is the largest mosque in Ahmedabad and stands in the heart of the city. Made by using yellow sandstones in 1423 AD, the architecture of this mosque is a blend of Hindu and Muslim styling. This edifice was built using items rescued from the demolished Hindu and Jain temples. Supported by 260 pillars, the Jama Masjid of Ahmedabad consists of 15 domes. There are different entrances to the mosque. Near the eastern entrance, stands the tomb of the Sultan Ahmed Shah, which houses the graveyard of three great rulers, namely Ahmed Shah I, his son, Mohammed Shah and his grandson, Qutub-Ud-Din Ahmed Shah II. The strong structure of this mosque has been able to withstand the pressure exerted by heat and rough weather. TEEN DARWAZA Teen Darwaza is an architectural marvel, the beauty of which is surely going to leave you awestruck. Consisting of gorgeous arched gates, Teen Darwaza is one of the longest as well as the oldest gateways of the Ahmedabad city. It was established in the year 1411 A.D. by Sultan Ahmed Shah, who founded the city of Ahmedabad. Lying adjacent to the famous Bhadra fort, Teen Darwaza has been intricately carved. Initially, it served as an entrance to Royal Square at Bhadra Fort. The great Mughal emperor Jahangir used to come here along with his beloved wife Noorjahan, to take a look at the procession that started from this grand gateway and went nonstop till Jama Masjid. The walls and pillars of Teen Darwaza are beautifully designed. Teen Darwaza of Ahmedabad, India is truly an epitome of the fine Islamic architecture. The windows of this fabulous monument are semi circular and adorned using mesh work. The central window depicts the tree of life. Five palm trees are shown that are covered with snakes. This portrayal also serves as the symbol of the Gujarat Government. This regal citadel is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Ahmedabad. (http://www.ahmedabad.org.uk/monuments/teen-darwaza.html) BADSHAHS TOMB, MANEKCHOWK In the middle of the busy street market and the popular food bazaar of Manekchowk, sleeps Sultan Ahmed Shah at the Badshah no Hajiro. The tomb( Badshah-no Hajiro) of Ahmed Shah; the founder of the city, situated just outside the east gate of the Jama Masjid, is square in shape with porticos on each side and has perforated stone windows. Women are not allowed into the central chamber. Opposite the Hajiro, across the main road is the Rani-no Hajiro where the queens of subsequent Sultans were buried. (http://www.chhotikarbala.org/siteseeingplace.htm) Descendants of royal musicians still play the shehnai here. Around this monument is the citys traditional block prints bazaar. Sultanate Rule After Ahmed Shahs reign, Gujarat was conquered by the Sultanate of Delhi at the end of the thirteenth century. In 1487 Mahmud Begada, the grandson of Ahmed Shah, fortified the city with an outer city wall six miles in circumference and consisting of 12 gates, 189 bastions and over 6,000 battlements to protect it from outside invaders. The last Sultan of Ahmedabad was Muzaffar II. (Wikipedia) Even the Sultans built impressive structure and contributed to the culture of the place. Since, Ahmed Shah had already taken the initiative of making Ahmedabad a prosperous city, groups of skilled artisans, merchants etc. were formed. Social institutions to safeguard various economic interests included the mahajans, guilds of merchants, and panches, guilds for artisans. The leader of the community, who came from the Jain business elites, was known as the nagarsheth, who would resolve disputes between mahajans and individuals and who interceded with royal officials. Under the nagarsheth, the city remained free from interference from the state or other powers. (Joshi, 2004) The society in itself was multi-cultural ranging from a strong Jain group to Hindus and Muslims. SIDI SYED MOSQUE, LAL DARWAZA Located near Lal Darwaza in Ahmedabad, the mosque of Sidi Sayed is one of the most prominent mosques in the Ahmedabad city. Constructed in the year 1573, the mosque was established by Sidi Sayed, a slave of Sultan Ahmed Shah. Sidi Sayed mosque in Ahmedabad, India consists of ten semi circular windows, the appeal of which is accentuated by the splendid mesh covering them, which is more popularly known as Jali. AZAM KHAN-MUAZZAM KHAN KA ROZA According to experts, the Azam Khan-Muazzam Khan ka Roza is also known to be one of the earliest massive brick mausoleums of Ahmedabad, like Darya Khan Ghummat in Shahibaug and is known to be built around 1457. This is more or less the only structure of its type in Ahmedabad and often compared to Mughal architecture with its double corridors, which are often compared to Humayuns tomb. ROZA, SARKHEJ Lying at a stretch of 8 kms on the south western side of Ahmedabad, Sarkhej Roza was the home of the spiritual leader of Sultan Ahmed Shah named Ahmed Kattu Gang Baksh, who was a Muslim religious leader. It contains a cluster of monuments, the origin of which can be dated back to the times of Mughal rule in Ahmedabad. (http://www.ahmedabad.org.uk/monuments/sarkhej-roza.html) KANKARIA LAKE A circular lake built in 1451 by Sultan Qutub-ud-Din. In the centre of the lake is an island garden with a summer palace known as Nagina Wadi. It has a very beautiful Musical Fountain show (although the music isnt too good, the lights and fountain are worth a trip). The lake is a popular recreation centre surrounded by parks, Bal Vatika an aquarium, a boat club, a natural history museum and a zoo. Mughal Rule After the power of the Delhi Sultans faded, Gujarat was conquered by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1573. During the Mughal reign, Ahmedabad became one of the empires thriving centres of trade, especially in textiles, which were exported as far as Europe. Jehangir, son of Akbar, visited Ahmedabad in 1617 but did not like it and called it Gardabad, the city of dust. Shahjahan spent the prime of his life in the city, and also built the Moti Shahi Mahal in Shahibaug. (Joshi, 2004) For centuries, the city existed without depending on feudal lords or patronage from a single court. An efficient system of lending, banking, credit and accounting developed, and Ahmedabad financiers developed a sophisticated banking network across the country. They were influential in the Mughal Court and loaned money to the ruling classes through the 16th and 17th centuries. (Joshi, 2004) The people of the city prospered and they were quite self-sufficient by all means. Because of this economic strength of the city, when the British came to Ahmedabad, there was no particular involvement from their side towards the social fabric and they just kept themselves to administering the region. SHAHIBAUG PALACE Shahibaug Palace was built during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who as prince Khurram spent the early years of his marriage in Ahmedabad as victory of Gujarat. SHAKING MINARETS, SARANGPUR At the Sidi Bashir mosque, if you shake one minaret, the other also shakes. Scientists say, the acid in the atmosphere dissolves the feldspar in the sandstone, creating space which shakes the minarets. Feudal lord Malik Sarang built this mosque. More commonly known as Jhulta Minar. A classic example of superb craftsmanship, Jhulta Minar is actually a part of the mosque Siddi Bashir. Maratha Rule In the year 1753, the rule of Mughals came to an end and the city came under the rule of Maratha generals Raghunath Rao and Damaji Gaekwad. The power struggle between them eventually led to the destruction of the city. British Rule The city was taken over by the British East India Company in the year 1818. The year 1824 led to the setting up of a military cantonment. A major development took place in the year 1864, when railway line was laid that connected Ahmedabad with Bombay. These developments brought Ahmedabad in the map of leading centers of trade and manufacturing. The textile Industry flourished and Ahmedabad was soon referred to as the Manchester of the East. It is interesting to note that inspite of their reign in the region, one does not find too many of remenants of colonialism. SWAMINARAYAN TEMPLE, KALUPUR The British gave land to the Swaminarayan sect to build a temple in 1800. The 12 pillars of this colourful temple disguise carvings of the first war of independence of 1857. HATHISINGH TEMPLE, SHAHIBAUG Sheth Hathisingh, Ahmedabads nagarsheth (city head) in 19th century planned this temple in 1840. His wife Harkuvar Shethani got it completed after his death. It combines Solanki, Islamic and Jain styles. An impressive white structure, the Jain temple built of white marble and elaborately carved is dedicated to Dharmanath the 15th Jina or Jain Apostle. Similar to all Jain temples, this temple to is rich in intricate carvings displaying, among other things, musicians. MAGANBHAIS HAVELI, KHADIA This was the home of famous mill owner Ambalal Sarabhais grandfather, Maganbhai Karamchand. This wood-carved 19th century haveli used to have Belgian chandeliers and German glass artifacts. Maganbhai had no son so he adopted his daughters son Sarabhai. GANDHI ASHRAM, SABARMATI Mahatma Gandhis nephew Maganlal Gandhi built this Satyagraha Ashram in 1917. The memorial and library were built by famous architect Charles Correa. Gandhis Dandi March to protest against British salt laws in 1930 began here. Post Independence The post independence period saw the declaration of Ahmedabad as a provincial town of Bombay. On the 1st of May in the year 1960, Ahmedabad became the capital city of Gujarat. SCIENCE CITY Located off the Sarkhej Gandhinagar Highway, Science City is an ambitious initiative of the government of Gujarat to trigger an inquiry of science in the mind of a common citizen with the aid of entertainment and experiential knowledge. Covering an area of more than 107 hectares, the idea is to create imaginative exhibits, virtual reality activity corners, and live demonstrations in an easily understandable manner. Currently the 3D Imax theater, musical dancing fountain, energy park and simulation rides interest visitors. It is hoped that as this place develops, the investment helps to create awareness and sensitivity to better care for our ecology and people through the appropriate use of science and technology. HUSSAIN-DOSHIS GUFFA A quiet refuge in the midst of this bustling city, which is surrounded by trees, art and fantasy, than a visit to this underground cave gallery will do you good. Also popularly known as Amdavad ni Gufa on Kasturbhai Lalbhai campus. It is a creative union of two of Indias most imaginative minds, the celebrated architect B. V. Doshi and painter M F Hussain. It is a lively whimsical fusion of modern art and natural design with undulating interconnected domes inlaid with mosaic tiles. This space also houses an art gallery by the same name and becomes a nourishing hub of creative exchange. Although the above mentioned is just a capsule of the history of the city, it gives one an idea of the various factors that influence the culture of Ahmedabad. During our talks with the people of the SCR, we figured out that the history of the city was very much alive. Some of the structures near the Teen Darwaza area of the old city are still used for living and business purposes. The Teen Darwaza area is pretty much the heart of the city with its bazaar of yore still very much alive even today. A lot of these monuments have spawned areas with shops and small stalls to buy almost anything and everything these days. The Sunday Jhumri on the banks of River Sabarmati is another feature of historical relevance A bazaar that happens once a week on a holiday where tradesmen get together and sell their wares. The co-existance of this with the latest shopping malls amongst other things is what makes Ahmedabad unique. People are very proud of their heritage and lineage. One will find the old existing side by side the new. The influence of History on the culture of the city from business to behaviour (like taking ownership), food (like the Bhatiyaar galli meat markets) to traditional clothing (like at law garden) and so on can clearly be seen. It is a fascinating and vibrant city with an even more interesting sub-culture. Change Drivers Nothing endures but change. (Heraclitus) The culture of the city of Ahmedabad has also grown with times and a lot of changes have happened over the years as well. During our research and interaction with people, we found that although certain aspects continue to remain the same, some others have resulted in a change or have influenced change in some way or the other. There have been changes in the past 2 decades since liberalization. Some of them are as follows : Mall culture Increased standard of education Higher standard of living Growing middle-class Entrepreneurial success Media exposure and awareness NRI factor Infrastructure development Progressive governance etc. The above mentioned factors have changed a lot of things from empowering woman to changing of consumption pattern which will be discussed in detail further in the report. Current trends There have been plenty of changes in the city for the past couple of decades. With the advent of mall culture, higher education institutes and better infrastructure, Ahmedabad has caught up with the pace of modernisation and forged its way ahead to become one of the most important cities of India. With globalisation, Ahmedabad has also taken steps to keep up with global standards. The Science city, ISRO and educational institutes like IIM-A, NID, CEPT and the likes have firmly placed Ahmedabad as not just a destination for culture but for quality higher education as well. Developments in the field of education and IT have been taking place on one hand and one the other infrastructure developments like construction of better roads, highways and the government initiatives to make Ahmedabad a city with a high standard of living have all ushered in a new era. Even with a lot of urban culture and western culture coming in, Amdavadis are still very much rooted to their culture and heritage. They have conveniently adopted the new without losing essence of their true identity and what makes them different.

History of Rwanda Essay -- Genocide in Rwanda, Politics

Colonial rule in Rwanda began in 1895. It was used as the primary force for governing during that time and led to the emergence of Rwanda’s national identity. During the colonial era German and Belgian officials regarded the Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa as three distinct national groups. The colonial authorities helped the Rwandan monarchy to centralize its control and expand their social system throughout the Rwandan territory. This eliminated the local social and political variations that had been established earlier in the pre-colonial period. By creating new state institutions in Rwanda, colonial officials were able to import the ideas of nationality associated with the modern nation-state. Ensuing social and political issues surround the idea of how Rwandan nationality should be defined. In other words, which ethnic groups should be considered â€Å"true† citizens of Rwanda? This concern is overshadowing the validity of Rwandan as a national identity. The three ethnic groups found within Rwanda come from a combination of a vast amount of immigration and several economic and social differences. Traditionally it is known that the Twa groups were the original inhabitants; the Hutu migrated from the west, and the Tutsi followed much later from the northeast. Each group naturally took on the language and most cultural practices found in Rwanda, although they implemented some of their own practices as well. The differentiation amongst the groups occurred only during the colonial period and stemmed mainly from European ideas about race and identity than from historic cultural patterns. Colonial administrators attempted to organize power in Rwanda along ethnic lines, and began instituting policies that made the Hutu pariahs and favored the Tuts... ...n support of the overall Government of Rwanda’s initiatives for development, the USAID aims to improve the health and living situations of Rwandans as well as increase the economic and political expansion. To achieve this, USAID tries to promote the improvement of maternal and child health, agriculture and tourism, a more democratic Rwanda, and providing food aid to those that suffer the most. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) (created by the Bush Administration in 2004) works toward granting foreign aid to countries in need. Currently the MCC has collaborated with the USAID to obtain approval of the Threshold Country Plan submitted by the Government of Rwanda in November 2007. Once approved, the plan will be put into use by USAID and will focus on amplifying the forms of justice found in Rwanda; along with civic participation, and human and civil rights. History of Rwanda Essay -- Genocide in Rwanda, Politics Colonial rule in Rwanda began in 1895. It was used as the primary force for governing during that time and led to the emergence of Rwanda’s national identity. During the colonial era German and Belgian officials regarded the Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa as three distinct national groups. The colonial authorities helped the Rwandan monarchy to centralize its control and expand their social system throughout the Rwandan territory. This eliminated the local social and political variations that had been established earlier in the pre-colonial period. By creating new state institutions in Rwanda, colonial officials were able to import the ideas of nationality associated with the modern nation-state. Ensuing social and political issues surround the idea of how Rwandan nationality should be defined. In other words, which ethnic groups should be considered â€Å"true† citizens of Rwanda? This concern is overshadowing the validity of Rwandan as a national identity. The three ethnic groups found within Rwanda come from a combination of a vast amount of immigration and several economic and social differences. Traditionally it is known that the Twa groups were the original inhabitants; the Hutu migrated from the west, and the Tutsi followed much later from the northeast. Each group naturally took on the language and most cultural practices found in Rwanda, although they implemented some of their own practices as well. The differentiation amongst the groups occurred only during the colonial period and stemmed mainly from European ideas about race and identity than from historic cultural patterns. Colonial administrators attempted to organize power in Rwanda along ethnic lines, and began instituting policies that made the Hutu pariahs and favored the Tuts... ...n support of the overall Government of Rwanda’s initiatives for development, the USAID aims to improve the health and living situations of Rwandans as well as increase the economic and political expansion. To achieve this, USAID tries to promote the improvement of maternal and child health, agriculture and tourism, a more democratic Rwanda, and providing food aid to those that suffer the most. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) (created by the Bush Administration in 2004) works toward granting foreign aid to countries in need. Currently the MCC has collaborated with the USAID to obtain approval of the Threshold Country Plan submitted by the Government of Rwanda in November 2007. Once approved, the plan will be put into use by USAID and will focus on amplifying the forms of justice found in Rwanda; along with civic participation, and human and civil rights.

The Relationships Between Human Health and Agriculture

Spedding (1988) defines agriculture as â€Å"an activity (of Man), carried out primarily to produce food and fibre (and fuel, as well as many other materials) by the deliberate and controlled use of (mainly terrestrial) plants and animals†1. Inherent in this definition is the importance of agriculture and its impact on the lives of virtually all human beings around the world. Through their ability to control and cultivate whole biological systems for their own purposes and survival, agriculture can be regarded as one of the most revolutionary and distinguishing aspects of mankind. Read also Six Dimensions of Health Worksheet In this way, it is also directly linked to human welfare, and one can explore the way advances in the two domains affect one another, building up to an almost symbiotic relationship between human health and agriculture. Even with a cursory thought, there is a significant link between agriculture and human health. Raeburn insists that the main contribution to human welfare is food, and that mankind depends on almost all supplies on agriculture2. Indeed, humans as heterotrophic organisms are dependent on the intake and digestion of organic substances as a source of energy, required for maintaining basic metabolic activities as well as providing chemical energy. These organic substances are what we normally refer to as food, but also essential are the various by-products of agriculture, the main ones being â€Å"food, fibre, and raw materials for industrial use†3 used in our everyday lives to increase our comfort (e. g. otton and wool used for the production of warm clothes). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†4. This definition allows us to tackle the impact of agriculture on human health from a number of different perspectives. Undoubtedly, the most significant agricultural products contributing to the ‘absence of infirmity or illness' in human beings are alimentary produc ts. Read this Ch. 22 Respiratory System The fruits, vegetables, cereals, nuts, meat, milk, produced by cultivation, contain vitamins and minerals as well as proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, which are indispensable to maintain a healthy, functioning organism. For example, Vitamin C and E (mainly found in fruits and vegetables) act as powerful antioxidants, protecting cells from foreign toxins and pollutants, as well as cancer-causing agents. Calcium, abundant in dairy products and some green leafy vegetables, is responsible for strong bones and teeth, as well as helping nerve conduction and muscle contraction. They provide a source of fibre as well, which lowers blood cholesterol levels and is believed to prevent certain forms of colon cancer. Of these micronutrients, a majority are not normally produced by our bodies, hence they must be acquired through diet. According to a recent report from the FAO/WHO Expert Report on Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases, most populations are still falling short of the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. An estimated 2. 7 million people die each year from the risks related to low fruit and vegetable intake5. Low fruit and vegetable intake also affects one's risks of being affected by Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), such as weakened immune systems, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and various cancers. The total world population has grown from just under 2 billion to about 6. 2 billion in a mere century6. Read also Intro to Public Relations Notes This is attributed in part to certain technological innovations in the agricultural domain during the 1950s, collectively referred to as â€Å"The Green Revolution†, Through utilization of high-yield crops, irrigation and controlled water supply, and fertilizers and pesticides, the world is producing more food than ever before, mainly by maximizing the output from every hectare of soil. Major arable crops such as rice, wheat, and corn have been experimented on, for they germinate earlier and grow quicker, allowing the harvest of two or three crops a year. New varieties are constantly being developed, which have led up to a 30% increase in maximum yield, as well as more resistant varieties of crops (e. g. wheat which has become resistant to rust and mildew). Chickens and pigs yield twice as much meat and dairy cows twice as much milk as they did 60 years ago, argues Lomborg. An increased interest in irrigation and water control has allowed drier areas to cultivate their fair share of crops, as well as increasing soil fertility in some areas of the world and increase the harvesting opportunities. Indeed, irrigated land makes up only 18% of the world's total agricultural landmass, but contributes to 40% of the Earth's food7. Fertilizers and pesticides have also proved indispensable for plant growth and warding off disease-causing insects. The Green Revolution is provides evidence of the positive contribution of agriculture to human health and welfare: food quantity and quality produced have increased, making it feasible for the agricultural domain to keep up with the nutritional needs of a rapidly increasing population. A more tragic example of human dependency on proper agricultural methods is the Irish Potato Blight of 1845 to1847. Whitlock (1965) describes how the popularity of potatoes as a farm crop, after having found their way to Ireland originally from South America through Spain, started to increase, for it was a cheap crop perfectly suited to the needs of a newly urbanized population. Consequently, the Irish population rose from 1 500 000 to 4 000 000 habitants in the course of the eighteenth century. However, the working class' over-dependency on a potato-based diet resulted in the severe famine that followed the widespread infection of the potato crops by the fungi Phytophthera infestans. The severe famine over the following years and caused a decline of about 1 622 739 Irish citizens between 1841 and 1851 due to the destruction of the staple food supply of the Irish. The physical and social well being of humans is affected by agriculture both at the consumer level, as well as that of the farmers themselves. Farmers and their families face numerous risks working at the farm, such as zoonoses, overexposure to chemical substances, hearing loss, as well as dangers on the farm. Consumers on the other hand, face more indirect risks of chemical residues and quality of food produced. Farmers may be exposed to zoonoses, diseases transferable from animals to humans. These diseases have captured society's attention often over the course of the past few years, mostly due to notorious examples such as the human variant of BSE (bovine spongioform encephalopathy), the Creutzfield-Jacob disease, even though in the period of 1981-85 they contributed to only 4% of all fatal accidents in agriculture8. Examples also include Farmer's Lung, a respiratory condition caused by inhalation of fungal spores from mouldy feed or litter, responsible for an allergic reaction in the alveoli and breathing difficulties. Other dangers of normal farm labour include risks of physical injury when working with complicated equipment, like tractors. In 1981-85, about 30% of fatal accidents in agriculture were caused by self-propelled machines, and a further 13% by other field machines9. In addition, hearing loss or permanent ‘ringing' may occur if working in a tractor for long periods of time without ear protection, for the normal noise level is about 95-105 dB. Possibly, labouring in the agricultural sector is much tougher than most careers in the service sector, contributing to a higher risk of physical exhaustion and stress, as well as technical risks from different machines. Farmers also risk suffering from depression and marginalization, as well as large differences in income. The number of farmers has decreased dramatically over the last century, and it in this way that social exclusion and depression may threaten farmers, especially in the developed countries where the proportion of working population employed in agriculture makes up only around 3%10, and decreasing constantly. Risks for the potential consumer include exposure to chemical residues, mostly from herbicides and pesticides used in the production. After the initial enthusiasm following the success of increased use of fertilizers and pesticides during the Green Revolution, internationally accepted quality standards have been set up in attempt to minimize health hazards of pesticide use, such as the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES). Some famous examples of potentially toxic chemicals are DDT and paraquat. DDT, a neurotoxic, has been associated with serious damage to the CNS, as well as reproductive abnormalities, in both humans and other organisms. An investigation carried out on a group of men in close contact with DDT at work showed that they appeared to have a decreased fertility rate; in addition, a higher rate of stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and congenital effects were prevalent amongst their offspring11. Indeed, the use of DDT was banned in 1972 in the USA, due to excessive use and its persistence in the environment and fatty tissues in humans and other animals. Paraquat, an organochlorine herbicide, is admitted to be generally safe provided certain precautions are taken, but at the same time it is considered to be highly toxic. Its effects can be quite hazardous, from lung scarring, kidney and heart failure, and carcinogenic risks in the long run, as well as skin irritation, nosebleeds, and eye injury resulting from non-lethal long term exposure. As is the case with many pesticide residues, when consumers are exposed to minute amounts of the substance over a long time period, the chronic effects may have quite a devastating impact on not only human health, but that of other organisms and the environment too. However, it seems reasonable to say that their use in the recent decades has greatly increased yields of the major crops like corn, wheat, and rice, contributing to an increase in the average daily calorie intake of populations, especially in developing countries12. It may be that usage of pesticides and herbicides proves to be more beneficial than harmful to the human population in the long run, for an increase in yield contributes to a decrease in price of fruit and vegetable produce, essential to our health as we have seen in the previous paragraphs. Lomborg (2001) points out that carsinogenic properties of various pesticides and chemicals have been greatly exaggerated by the press, given that in reality, deaths from pesticide-originating cancers have been found to be less than 1% of all cancer-derived deaths. The last century has seen mankind blessed with many inventions and technological advances which have allowed him to even further manipulate and control the world and mechanisms surrounding him. The agricultural domain has also had its fair share of innovations, which have allowed it to become more efficient, more intensive, and more productive. These advances, such as the development of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and machinery to improve crop yields, appear beneficial to agricultural production, promoting both quality and quantity of food produced. Worries over human health have also reached the point where agriculture is constantly being driven to more intense measures and inventions to increase yield and quality to the products. However, new as these techniques are, their thorough impacts on human health cannot yet be fully assessed. Most techniques affect us strictly through the food we choose to eat, but some may also involve by-products which are harmful to the environment, thus indirectly affecting our health, as well as that of other organisms and the environment. Thus, we can say that the impact of agriculture on human health is significant. The varied, and often direct relationships that exist between agriculture and our welfare demonstrate to what extent it is present in different areas our everyday lives. Each and every human being on the planet is somehow affected by agriculture, for its main contribution is food, indispensable for our health and survival (not to forget other important raw materials). Through the evolution of cultivating land into a wholly organized form of profit-making business, the 20th century has seen the development of agribusiness. We can even consider the relationship between human health and agriculture as being a symbiotic one, where human health works as a guiding force of agricultural innovations, while problems encountered with certain agricultural techniques, methods, and products result in a continuous quest for new solutions to improve the state of human health and agriculture overall. Albeit much progress into human welfare and how to further increase it through output of improved food materials, numerous controversies still exist as to whether too much importance is being attributed to purely human interests, in the place of more global and environmental ones. Humans must find a compromise between their own welfare interests and those of animal welfare and environmental problems if the expansion and popularity of agricultural innovations is to continue in the future.

The Case of Nike - 1035 Words

WEEK 1 – CASE STUDY: THE KEY MARKETING STRATEGY OF NIKE Nike is considered to be a leading athletic footwear manufacturer, which makes up over 30 percent and 50 percent of global and US market share respectively. In order to reach customers’ demands and get profits, Nike has executed/implemented a number of marketing strategies. This essay will examine Nike’s key strategies from1962 to 2009. The most essential marketing strategy called â€Å"Pyramid of influence† was expressed by Product, Place and Promotion strategies throughout targeting on athletes, sportsmen and sports loving consumers. Product (product variety, design, quality) Nike provided high quality running shoes designed for athletes by athletes with competitive prices in†¦show more content†¦It is showed that the growth of business depends much on customers and the replacement of new potential products which are more useful and convenient. Population of Myth: Manufactures could not reply on population growth because if the products which have automatically expanding market, this will lead you to not give much thought to expand it. The absence of problems might lead to the absence of thinking. He took petroleum industry as an example. Consequently, the current industries probably did not pay attention on improving their products and could not compete with their rivals with the galloping industries. There is no guarantee against product obsolescence. If a companys own research does not make a product obsolete, anothers will. Production pressures: Mass production was expected to reduce the unit cost of industry which could lead to a situation that companies tried to use all efforts to produce products and neglect marketing. Selling is preoccupied with the sellers need to convert the product into cash, marketing with the idea of satisfying the needs of the customer by means of the product and the whole cluster of things associated with creating, delivering, and, finally, consuming it. The evidence could be found in the case of Detroit, they did seem to be â€Å"customer – orientation† by spending money on customer research, especially in urgent situations.Show MoreRelatedNike Case696 Words   |  3 PagesNIKE INC. CASE 14 Philip Chen, Choco Huang, Ariel Chou, Matt Krieger In this report we analyzed Cohen’s approach in calculating WACC. After observing how Cohen derived his figures we came up with our own WACC, terminal value, and EPS. Cohen broke down his calculations into five parts 1) Single or Multiple Costs of Capital 2) Proportion of capital from debt and equity 3) Cost of Debt 4) Cost of Equity 5) WACC In part one; we disagreed with Cohen where he decided to value theRead MoreNike Case1172 Words   |  5 PagesNike Inc. Case 1. What is the WACC and why is it important to estimate a firm’s cost of capital? WACC is weighted average cost of capital, which is the expected rate of return on average from all the company’s existing debts and securities. It takes into account all different types of financing in the company’s capital structure. The reason it is important to estimate WACC is because it measures what it costs the firm to take on a project based on its current Debt and Equity mix. When theRead MoreNike Case2717 Words   |  11 PagesNIKE, INC.: COST OF CAPITAL On July 5, 2001, Kimi Ford, a portfolio manager at NorthPoint Group, a mutual-fund management firm, pored over analysts write-ups of Nike, Inc., the athletic-shoe manufacturer. Nike s share price had declined significantly from the beginning of the year. Ford was considering buying some shares for the fund she managed, the NorthPoint Large-Cap Fund, which invested mostly in Fortune 500 companies, with an emphasis on value investing. Its top holdingsRead MoreNike Case1074 Words   |  5 Pages5+855+418=$1,278 m Based on the new calculations, we will determine the new weights Wd=Dà ·D+E We=E à ·D+E Wd=1,278à ·12705=10.05% We=11,427à · 12705=89.95% Cost of Debt Cost of debt is calculated by finding the yield to maturity on a 20 year Nike Inc. bond with a 6.75% coupon rate. We used a single cost of capital, as Nike’s other business segments are not different and would probably carry similar risk and exposure. 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