Dadamac

Monitoring air and water quality Read now

Hi Vijay

I am so pleased you have started to come to the worknets chat room for our meetings on the first Thursdays of the month and that you are getting to know my friend and teacher Andrius Kulikauskas.

I noticed that you mentioned your project to him  - where you said  " right now i am working on a project monitoring air and water quality in Indian cities and towns:: the idea of this project is to empower citizens with crucial information about air and water quality (24x7)". (Andrius copied to the Holistic Helping group what you said in the chat room, and I am copying it later to add context.)

Issues ref Developing-Country Livestock Read now

Hi Vijay

Given your interest in food security and wider issues surrounding it you may like to see this video about Climate Food and Developing-Country Livestock Farmers ILRI film:

In my mind it connects with John's vision for a model farm development at Attachab Eco-village and why it is important to develop models of good practice and effective ways to share them.

Last Wednesday Meeting of 2009! Read now

Yesterday saw the last scheduled meeting of 2009 between the UK-Nigeria team.

The main item on the agenda was to thank everyone for their continued commitment to these meetings and for all their hard work during the past year.

We also wanted to reflect on the successes we had shared and explore together any aspects of our collaboration which might be improved upon in the coming year. We also hoped to clarify what should be our first objectives togeher for the New Year.

The Googlenet has you Read now

Hi Vijay

I think that anyone in 21st century who is interested in studying development (as you are) must also be interested in the development of ICT (as you obviously are, given your input to Dadamac.net)

You might like to read The Googlenet has you By Martin J Young published in the online Asia Times.

The Truth About Climate Change Read now

Hi Pam,

I don't know if the Copenhagen Summit will end in some kind of a climate deal. But even if it does mark the first decisive step to do something about saving the planet, there are some who think it will amount to nothing, even if nations reach an agreement.

The reason being that reducing carbon emissions by 80% from the 1990 levels - the target for 2050 for rich countries - depends on technological breakthroughs, not political pledges at Copenhagen. Without technological breakthroughs, reducing carbon emissions by 80% will erode living standards in the countries concerned, says leading Indian economics journalist Swaminathan Aiyar.

Visiting Fantsuam Read now

Hi Vijay

I'm delighted you are interested in visiting Africa. Somehow I had assumed that (as you live in India and you are interested in development) your main interest would be development in India.

It is much easier for me to support you as a Dadamac Learner and have discussions with you, and send you items to read etc, if I only need to think of relevance to Africa, or world-wide (rather than wondering if there is any relevance to India).

The Way Out of Undernutrition Read now

Hi Pam,

When I began discussing about a learning group on food security, I was only thinking of agriculture and farmers. But over this week, I began to realise that food security is a far bigger area than that: it also encompasses issues like availability and access, and most importantly, nutrition.

Now, I don't how many people will agree with me that nutrition also forms a part of food security. But to me, the circle of food security is incomplete if a huge chunk of a country's population continues to wallow in hunger, despite high agricultural productivity and foodgrain output.

Close Collaborations Read now

I’ve been struck by the high quality of collaboration demonstrated in the regular UK-Nigeria meetings, so thought I’d say a few words about this in this week’s blog.

I’m talking not just about the obvious collaboration of these weekly online meetings between the UK and Nigerian teams - but also the more subtle and equally important collaboration between Pam and her network.

The Urge to See and Know Africa Read now

Hi Pam,

Sometimes, I have the great urge to push off to the rural heartland of an African country and spend some months understanding people and development.

Although India itself offers a great variety of developmental challenges and learnings, I find Africa a more fascinating place to be in for understanding the interplay of development and anthropology in a cultural context different from mine.

By going there, I hope to get a closer feel of people belonging to ancient cultures and traditions, and a land rich in pristine biodiversity.

I would also like to see whether development is going to change the lives of these people-- for the better or worse.

Learning and resources Read now

Hi Vijay

I've been been thinking about my ongoing learning journey over the weekend, and wrote about the thinking behind Dadamac Learners