Proven approaches for empowering women smallholders and achieving food security

28 pages

The question of 'what changes do we need to empower women smallholders and achieve food security?' has been asked repeatedly. But transformational changes in both public policy and practice have been few and far between, although increasing access to resources and opportunities for women farmers could substantially reduce the number of hungry people in the world. In this context, nine international development agencies (ActionAid, Care, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Find Your Feet, Oxfam, Practical Action, Save the Children, and Self Help Africa) have produced a briefing to share the lessons learned based on their experience of promoting gender equality and working with women smallholders and rural women over many decades. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations for policy makers on measures to help close the gender gap in agriculture.

Read in detail about the document at :- http://www.cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23598

Thousands displaced in Assam flash floods

Thousands displaced in Assam flash floods

AUGUST 17TH, 2011

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Guwahati: At least seven people were swept away and thousands displaced by flash floods in Assam Monday, officials said, adding that army soldiers and Indian Air Force helicopters were being deployed to rescue trapped villagers, officials said.

A government spokesperson said heavy rains triggered massive flooding in the eastern Dhemaji district, about 500 km from Assam’s main city of Guwahati.

“According to preliminary reports, about 40 villages have been hit by floods with an estimated 25,000 people displaced. There are reports of at least seven people swept away by sudden burst of flooding,” Dhemaji District Magistrate M.S. Manivannan told journalists.

Television images beamed over local satellite channels showed a family of four – father, mother, and two sons – atop a tree trying to escape the surging floodwaters in village Tokobari of Dhemaji district and the tree collapsing and being washed away in front of the camera.

The four people were swept away by the swirling waters and locals managed to rescue the father and mother, but the two teenaged sons disappeared, literally swallowed by the raging flood waters.

Officials said a big stretch of a railway track and the National Highway was swept away by the floodwaters, snapping road and rail links between Dhemaji and the rest of Assam. (IANS)

Rain toll climbs to 29 in Bengal

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RAIN HAVOC: Villagers anxiously watching the erosion caused by the Damodar river in Burdwan district of West Bengal on Wednesday. – PHOTO: PTI

With two more deaths, the toll in rain-related mishaps across West Bengal rose to 29 on Wednesday even as some major rivers continued to flow above the danger mark. Altogether 26 lakh people in 14 districts have been affected by the heavy rain pounding the State for a week now and still continuing sporadically.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced after a Cabinet meeting that her government would give compensation to people who had lost their shelter in this calamity.

“While Rs.10,000 will be given for each house damaged totally, Rs.2,000 will be given for rebuilding partially damaged houses,” she said. Well over 166,200 houses have been damaged so far.

State Water Resources Minister Manas Bhunia alleged on Wednesday that lack of maintenance during the long years of Left Front rule had weakened the embankments and breaches were appearing regularly. He said his departmental engineers are monitoring the situation on an hourly basis.

Pointing that Ms. Banerjee had constituted a State Flood Commission to find out ways to control the devastation caused by floods, he said a meeting of the Commission had already been held where several ideas were discussed to limit the impact of the floods. Dr. Bhunia is the chairperson of the Commission.

District administrations have been asked to keep relief and rescue teams ready in case of breaches, Irrigation Secretary A. Chatterjee said, adding that District Magistrates have also been asked to move people from low-lying areas

He said discharge of water from different barrages was reducing gradually. The Damodar Valley Corporation had discharged 85,000 cusecs of water, the Durgapur barrage 90,000 cusecs and the Kangsabati barrage 15,000 cusecs.