Are you between the ages of 18-24 and looking for a way to serve? Then don't miss this awesome opportunity to become a member of FEMA Corps. The application deadline for the Summer 2014 class is April 1st. Visit www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/fema-corps for more information.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Africa is the World's Most Food Insecure Continent
Comment: Economic growth should go hand-in-hand with water, food, and agricultural growth. BEMA
http://www.voanews.com/content/africa-fao-24mar14/1878127.html
FAO Opens Africa Conference
Joe DeCapua
Last updated on: March 24, 2014 2:05 PM
The Food and Agriculture Organization says Africa is the world’s most food insecure continent. The U.N. agency is holding its 28th Regional Conference on Africa this week in Tunis.
The FAO gave the bleak description of Africa despite some strong economic growth in recent years – an average 4.8 percent increase in Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, between 2000 and 2010. It says the problem stems from low agricultural productivity, low incomes in rural areas and high rates of malnutrition.
There have been improvements, though. The FAO cites greater production of staple crops, the growing of better varieties of bananas in eastern and central Africa and the planting of higher yielding maize. There’s also greater production of cotton, teas and flowers. But the agency says it’s not enough to ensure food security for a growing population amid climate change.
FAO Assistant Director-General Bukar Tijani said the conference is focusing on greater investment in smallholder farmers. Women play the major role in such farms, but Tijani says there will now be an emphasis on attracting youth.
“The theme of the conference itself is really to support youth in different endeavors of agriculture. But then we have to be very precise. We have to also be pulling youth into agriculture because agriculture is seen as a traditional, historical culture and not as farming or as enterprise or as business.”
The FAO said agricultural production in African countries, on average, “has increased slightly less than one-percent per year, compared with about two-percent in other developing countries.”
Tijani said that Africa’s youth must see that agriculture is big business, not just a tradition. Entrepreneurship, he says, can be applied to agricultural products.
“That is crops, livestock, [fisheries], forest products and the value chain activities related to it, including technologies, communication, ICT – everything that could attract youth into it because it’s big monies,” he said.
Representatives of more than 50 countries are expected to attend the FAO regional meeting in Tunis. They’re being asked to build on the continent’s economic growth to provide “stable agriculture and fiscal policies that encourage investment.”
‘The future of Africa or any generation lies in the youth. And that is why I’m calling on youth to come into agribusiness so that you can have employment generation, wealth creation, incomes within agriculture across Africa,” said Tijani.
The meeting also addresses policies to end hunger on the continent by 2025. The FAO said, “Over the past decades, absolute levels of hunger and undernourishment remain worrying in sub-Saharan Africa.” It added the Sahel and the Horn of Africa are of “particular concern.”
The regional meeting in Tunis runs until March 28.
The FAO gave the bleak description of Africa despite some strong economic growth in recent years – an average 4.8 percent increase in Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, between 2000 and 2010. It says the problem stems from low agricultural productivity, low incomes in rural areas and high rates of malnutrition.
There have been improvements, though. The FAO cites greater production of staple crops, the growing of better varieties of bananas in eastern and central Africa and the planting of higher yielding maize. There’s also greater production of cotton, teas and flowers. But the agency says it’s not enough to ensure food security for a growing population amid climate change.
FAO Assistant Director-General Bukar Tijani said the conference is focusing on greater investment in smallholder farmers. Women play the major role in such farms, but Tijani says there will now be an emphasis on attracting youth.
“The theme of the conference itself is really to support youth in different endeavors of agriculture. But then we have to be very precise. We have to also be pulling youth into agriculture because agriculture is seen as a traditional, historical culture and not as farming or as enterprise or as business.”
The FAO said agricultural production in African countries, on average, “has increased slightly less than one-percent per year, compared with about two-percent in other developing countries.”
Tijani said that Africa’s youth must see that agriculture is big business, not just a tradition. Entrepreneurship, he says, can be applied to agricultural products.
“That is crops, livestock, [fisheries], forest products and the value chain activities related to it, including technologies, communication, ICT – everything that could attract youth into it because it’s big monies,” he said.
Representatives of more than 50 countries are expected to attend the FAO regional meeting in Tunis. They’re being asked to build on the continent’s economic growth to provide “stable agriculture and fiscal policies that encourage investment.”
‘The future of Africa or any generation lies in the youth. And that is why I’m calling on youth to come into agribusiness so that you can have employment generation, wealth creation, incomes within agriculture across Africa,” said Tijani.
The meeting also addresses policies to end hunger on the continent by 2025. The FAO said, “Over the past decades, absolute levels of hunger and undernourishment remain worrying in sub-Saharan Africa.” It added the Sahel and the Horn of Africa are of “particular concern.”
The regional meeting in Tunis runs until March 28.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
COMCAST Program for Low Income Familiies for Access
Comcast
Extends Program for Low – Income Families: Comcast recently
announced that it will extend its “Internet Essentials Program”
indefinitely. This program connects more than 1.2 million Americans to
the power of the internet at home. It will also sponsor over $1 million
in grants to non-profit organizations across the country to create Internet
Essentials Learning Zones. (Details)
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Event: March 26, 2014. Faith in Action Emergency Preparedness Summit. Washington, D.C.
Having
trouble viewing this invitation? Click
here for a webpage view.
When
Wednesday March 26, 2014 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM EDTAdd to Calendar
Where
Trinity Washington University125 Michigan Avenue, NE
O'Connell Auditorium
Washington, DC 200017
This event is free and open to the public, but faith leaders and official representatives will be given priority in registration. Lunch is included. For more information, please email Ericka Oliver or call (202) 727-7925.
In partnership with the Mayor's Office on Religious Affairs, DC Homeland and Security Management Agency (HSEMA) and DC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (DC VOAD), Serve DC invites District houses of worship and faith leaders to participate in this half-day summit to discuss how the faith community can support the city's official Emergency Response System and be better prepared to respond during emergencies and disasters.
More detailed information on sessions and speakers is forthcoming.
This event is free and open to the public, but faith leaders and official representatives will be given priority in registration. Lunch is included. For more information, please email Ericka Oliver or call (202) 727-7925.
Jeffrey
D. Richardson, MSW
Chief
Service Officer
Serve DC – The Mayor’s Office on
Volunteerism
Friday, March 14, 2014
“So You Want to Work for FEMA”. Webinar: March 27, 2014
Webinar
Session 1
“So
You Want to Work for FEMA”
March
27, 2014 11:00 am –
12:30 pm EDT
So you want to work for the world’s finest emergency management agency
but are not quite sure how to go about it.
You checked USAJobs.com but did not find what you were looking for or
even applied without success. How do you
go about getting your resume in front of the “right” person?
Join the Emergency Management Higher Education Program and Mr. Corey
J. Coleman, FEMA Chief Component Human Capital Officer, for a webinar on FEMA’s
recruiting activities. Mr. Coleman and
his staff will discuss:
·
FEMA locations,
·
Authorities available to hire students and
recent graduates,
·
The Student Volunteer Program,
·
Upcoming hiring needs, and
·
Tips for the Federal hiring process.
There will be time for questions and answers, so come ready to
participate and learn about FEMA’s recruiting authorities and activities.
Point your
browser to
Questions? Contact Dr. Houston Polson, Director FEMA
Emergency Management Higher Education Program at Houston.polson@fema.dhs.gov or call
301-447-1262.