REPOST: US vows continued support to agriculture

US continuous to resolve problems in the agricultural sector. Read more in this Tribune.com article.

Image Source: tribune.com.pk

ISLAMABAD: United States Ambassador Richard Olson has stressed that America has been a partner of Pakistan in the agricultural sector and will continue its cooperation to ensure food security in the country.

Speaking at a reception hosted in honour of renowned agricultural scientist and Nobel laureate Dr Norman E Borlaug late Wednesday evening, Olson said the US government had done a lot in the agricultural sector for the entire Pakistan to alleviate poverty.

“Norman did a lot and took pains to improve the agricultural sector. He is recognised and was awarded Nobel Prize for his services,” he said.

Borlaug reminded the audience that Pakistan and the US had a 50-year-long history of cooperation in the agricultural sector and the best scientists had worked to ensure food security in Pakistan.

“Malnutrition problems in under-developed countries have eased but we have to go a long way and there should be no complacency. Equitable food distribution is more important than mere efforts to enhance food production,” Borlaug said.

The US worked for food security in Pakistan and did a lot to resolve problems in the agricultural sector, but still much needed to be addressed, he said.

He also suggested this required ideas and the governments in this region needed to be involved more physically in agricultural projects. Highlighting that Pakistan was at number three after China and India in production of wheat and other cereals in the region, Borlaug stressed Islamabad could substantially enhance wheat output with application of modern technology to all important areas like soil, water and fertiliser.

Agricultural cooperation between the US and Pakistan has continued over the years.

In 1999, the US Department of Agriculture donated $23 million to set up a research endowment fund at the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (Parc) aimed at promoting and supporting research and development activities.

In 2002, it provided $25.35 million to alleviate poverty, reduce vulnerability and improve food security through sustainable development. It gave another $6.6 million to improve agriculture in Pakistan.

Parc Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said the government was moving forward in the area of agriculture with US cooperation in an effort to remove hurdles and alleviate poverty.

Learn more about Ourmilla Sharma and her work at AA Agri Industries by following this Twitter page.

REPOST: Getting into the groove of meditation

What are the benefits of meditation? Find out in this Baltimoresun.com article.

Meditation seems to be everywhere lately — on talk shows, in yoga studios, even on our smartphones. A recent Time magazine cover story announced that we're in the midst of "The Mindful Revolution." Celebrities including hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and Ellen DeGeneres promote the benefits of meditation, and how-to classes abound.

The ancient practice is gaining traction in the mainstream and in medicine. Studies show that regular meditators boast the ability to tune out distractions and even lower blood pressure and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

"A lot of people say their lives are really busy, and they need to take a moment to be with themselves and sit still for a period of quiet," says Chris Kreeger, director of the Baltimore Shambhala Meditation Center. "Some people talk about wanting to reduce stress. Others might feel that because of the pressures of everyday life, they're just going through the motions … [but] missing something important in their lives. I would say that all of those issues are related."

Baltimore resident Ruth Crystal has tried meditating periodically her entire adult life but began focusing more on meditation and yoga when she retired several years ago. Crystal swears by the guided meditations of Tara Brach, founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C. After attending a workshop, Crystal downloaded Brach's audio meditations, which she listens to when she's feeling stressed or can't sleep. "They help me turn off the background chatter that keeps me from being present," says Crystal.

But there can be confusion about what meditation is meant to be, and how to do it. To a lot of people, meditation looks like sitting around doing nothing. Practitioners say otherwise.

"It's a systematic process of increasing your awareness," says Dr. Madhav Goyal, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and leader of a recent meditation study published by JAMA Internal Medicine. "It's not daydreaming. It's not just relaxing. It's an active process of going deeper into your mind and body and becoming aware of it."

Goyal and his colleagues reviewed 47 clinical trials from the past 50 years and found that "mindfulness meditation" — often used as a catchall term for Buddhist-based techniques — appeared to provide as much relief from some anxiety and depression symptoms as antidepressants. Meditation also showed promise in alleviating some pain symptoms as well as stress.

Goyal notes, however, that in Eastern traditions, meditation is not meant to be a treatment for any health condition.

Some experts also say it's a misconception that you're supposed to erase or block all thoughts from your mind.

"Your thoughts don't have to be the enemy," says Susan Weis-Bohlen, owner of Hampden's Breathe Bookstore Cafe and longtime meditation teacher. "Meditation offers you tools to help you let go of the thoughts that cause stress and anxiety. It teaches you how to be in control of your mind rather than your mind being in control of you."

While books, apps and CDs can help new meditators, devotees believe it's important to learn from an experienced teacher, and note that "sangha" or practicing within a community, is one of the central tenets of Buddhist meditation. "Many people who come to our center are looking for a community of people who are on the same journey," says Kreeger.

Before you head off to your closest meditation class, here are a few pointers:

•Wear a comfortable outfit, but leave the workout clothes and yoga mat at home.

•You will probably be asked to remove your shoes. Depending on the class and your comfort, you might sit on a cushion on the floor or on a folding chair.

•Don't expect to dive into the deep breathing right away. Learning to meditate is harder than it seems. The instructor might start by discussing his or her particular brand of meditation — there are many.

•Don't get discouraged if meditation doesn't rock your world right off the bat. You may have to try a few different types before you find a fit, and like any new pursuit, you develop your skills over time.

"I really encourage people to go out and try it and see what works for them. And don't give up after one or two classes," says Weis-Bolen. But no matter what type of meditation you choose, the goal is the same, she says: "to be fully present and aware in the now — because the now is all we have. Meditation teaches you skills for engaging in life, not drifting through on autopilot."

Ourmilla Sharma is heavily involved in Radha Krishna Foundation, a charity which the
main purpose is to help the youth around the world to gain a sense of responsibility and to help them adhere to positive life principles. The foundation also offer classes on music, meditation,creative arts, and more. Follow this Twitter page for more updates.

The role of positive youth development initiatives in building a better world

Guiding young people toward a good path in life is not always an easy task for adults. There are many pressures in the world that could cause young people to go astray, and the adults in their lives may not always be available to provide guidance and support.

Image Source: westernhealthadvantage.wordpress.com

The role of positive interactions in the lives of youth is vital to ensure that they can withstand the pressures and lures of alcoholism, drugs, and negative influences. For this, they can be encouraged to join communities with a wide range of activities that allow them to turn their focus to things apart from themselves. These activities can be anything from volunteering to participating in sports or the arts.

Image Source: cbslocal.com

By motivating their sons and daughters to engage in these productive activities, parents can make a significant impact in the development of their child’s life. Studies have shown that young people who were involved in activities that promote healthy lifestyles were less likely to get over-interested in alcohol and drugs. Meanwhile, young people who participated in youth development activities were also found to be doing better in their studies.

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The adults in the lives of youth play a crucial role in their development. While they may sometimes be busy, it is important for parents to also show their willingness to communicate and sometimes compromise in order to understand what their children are going through. In many times, all that a young person needs is the knowledge that he or she has someone who is willing to listen without judgment and someone who will help in finding the motivation to do better in his or her endeavors.


Ourmilla Sharma is the treasurer of the Radha Krishna Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that seeks to instill a sense of responsibility in young people through community activities. For more information, visit this Facebook page.

Rice – More Than Just a Meal to Billions around the Globe

When you think of rice, you may immediately imagine a flavorful starch that makes an excellent accompaniment to any meal: Take, for instance, dirty rice with fried chicken or rice pilaf with pork chops.  If you enjoy an occasional beer with your dinner, then you are consuming rice as well, as about 10 percent of rice consumed in the United States is used in beer production.  However, while rice often is seen as a delectable addition to a meal in America, it is viewed as a source of utter survival in many other parts of the world.

That is why AA Agri Industries, led by individuals such as Vice President OurmillaSharma, focuses so heavily on the rice industry; it owns and cultivates a whopping 500 acres of rice farms in Guyana.  This South American country features lands that are ripe for growing rice in an effort to meet world demand for this vital crop.  After all, about three billion rely on rice each year for survival – which equates to about half of the world’s population. 

The demand for rice has actually skyrocketed within the past few years because rice production has dropped across the globe.  Thus, Guyana is striving to expand its exporting ability, having already taken advantage of contracts with Venezuela and European nations.  North America and Europe are especially in need of rice because they cannot produce much of the crop, compared with other nations.

The leaders of AA Agri Industries indeed have the experience required to tap into Guyana’s resources and to manage a successful enterprise in the world’s critical rice industry.  If rice production does not increase by 30 percent by the year 2025, many people will simply starve.  The work of Ourmilla Sharma and AA Agri Industries, however, is providing hope to billions by enabling this fast-growing crop to reach many mouths around the globe – mouths of those who will literally depend on it for their survival in the coming years.

Ourmilla Sharma and the Radha Krishna Foundation

Image Source: intelligenthq.com

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is important in any type of organization. Company leaders have to be socially responsible not only in terms of policies and ethical norms, but also of what they truly believe as individuals.

For Ourmilla Sharma, her success in business goes beyond her company’s CSR. As the vice president of AA Agri Industries—the leading rice producer and exporter in Guyana and the Caribbean—Sharma has been a part of a foundation that aids people worldwide.

Image Source: rkfglobal.org

The Radha Krishna Foundation isa privately funded, nonprofit organization established with the mission to serve humanity in the name of Shri Radha Krishna, the supreme being in Hinduism who represents both the feminine and masculine aspects of God. The primary goal of the organization is “to mobilize young people globally in an effort to revamp the purposefulness of Dharma by instilling a sense of responsibility, adherence and principles in each child while at the same time providing and creating pathways for personal development, enhance social structure, and improved socio-economic conditions.”

Among the activities that the Radha Krishna Foundation undertake in pursuit of is mission include granting scholarships to students in need, running community centers, and organizing programs that recognizes and awards excellent students.

Image Source: facebook.com/RadhaKrishnaFoundation

Visit this Facebook page to learn more about Ourmilla Sharma and her work in the global community.

Evoking Passion in Others for a Greater Cause

The ability to take proactive steps intended to make waves on a global scale is no longer a myth, considering a digital era in which progressive change can be attained from just about anywhere.  Humanitarian efforts once stalled by communication barriers are now opening up for entrepreneurs and philanthropists the world over.  If national policy change needs to be addressed, or the legitimacy and effectiveness of certain measures are in question, then information can be shared to establish and increase social awareness and foster relationships that improve upon ineffective initiatives, and/or examine alternative solutions yet to be explored.

Oftentimes we are consumed with injustices happening on a political, cultural, and social scale, whether it derives from social, print, television, radio, or web-based media outlets.  Regardless, we are continually updated and informed on world events that carry either fortunate reverberations or unfortunate repercussions.  Whichever the case may be, a number of pressing issues are taking shape in oft overlooked global conversations, including an underlying predicament that could have a lasting effect on the successful cultivation and exportation of rice.

Ourmilla Sharma, like many others who have taken it upon themselves to address and actively pursue organizational change, is working to raise awareness of a rice shortage that is inadvertently affecting nations outside of her home base, in Guyana.  By focusing on the rising shortage of rice on a worldwide scale, and the availability of a skilled labor force in Guyana, Mrs. Sharma and her team at AA Agri Industries have embarked on a mission to meet the increased need for a food source that sustains an estimated 3 billion people worldwide.

To say the efforts of Mrs. Sharma and her team are working on balancing the proportional scale of survival is about as precise as one can get.  To learn more about Ourmilla Sharma and the humanitarian goals her and her team wish to achieve in rice cultivation and agricultural change, visit their homepage for insight on how efforts underway may unknowingly be affecting you too. 

Fertilizing Progress for the Future

Fertilizing Progress for the Future

The rapid growth in population and ongoing expansion of metropolitan areas continues to climb and spread as our numbers increase on a daily basis.  As cities, towns, and villages become bigger and more populous, needs rise for adequate living conditions, safe drinking water, and a sustainable supply of food.  In order to ensure that people have the necessities they require, public initiatives must be put in place that address these issues and put proactive measures into action so that population growth does not overwhelm us.

The United Nations’ World Prospects Population report estimates that approximately 74 million people are added to the global population each year.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau and International Data Base, if population growth rates remain the same, the projected global population in 2040 could reach upwards of 9 to even 11 billion.  As of October 31, 2011, we just passed the 7 billion mark.  For some city dwellers, it can already feel like we have arrived at the 2040 mark.  Congestion, trash, bad living conditions, and rising crime can further magnify these sentiments, which is why proactive action should be implemented now to ensure that we anticipate the future smartly and prepare this world for others who will take the reins, and soon. 

Sustainable energy alternatives, environmentally-friendly consumer products, and high yielding crop rotation are some of the crucial steps that need to be made if we are to keep our planet healthy for the incoming populations.  There are already a number of different organizations and institutions working hand in hand to try and solve some of the projected issues we may face.  Luckily, there are a select few who have taken the time to start their own initiatives and to support the sustainability of our planet in more globally and socially-conscious ways.

To learn about one of the proactive initiatives currently underway, visit the homepage of OurmillaSharma, an advocate for faster and more sustainable rice cultivation whose organization is focused on achieving sustainable rice production in the country