Apples, Pears and Porridge: The Origins and Impact of the Search for 'Coherence' between Humanitarian and Political Responses to Chronic Political Emergencies

During the 1990s a consensus emerged within the international humanitarian system that there was a need to enhance the 'coherence' between humanitarian and political responses to complex political emergencies. Closer integration between aid and political responses was seen to be necessary in order to address the root causes of conflict-induced crises, and to ensure that aid did not exacerbate political tensions. This paper explores the theory and practice of coherence over the past decade. It argues that, by sleight of hand, the coherence agenda has been reinterpreted such that humanitarian action has become the primary form of political action, rather than merely a substitute for it. The coherence agenda has been driven by geopolitical events, domestic policy considerations in donor countries and the more parochial concerns of aid policy, and is reflected in a number of substantive changes in the humanitarian architecture. Many of the tenets of this 'new humanitarianism' have been embraced by the majority of relief agencies, and thus legitimised it. The paper concludes that political humanitarianism, as opposed to active engagement by political and military actors, is flawed ethically and technically. It will provide neither an effective palliative for the ill effects of war, nor address its causes.     

Factors affecting the quantitative uncertainty of the estimated short-term intake. Part I—Calculation methods

ABSTRACT

The calculation of the combined uncertainty of the international estimated short-term intake (IESTI) of ethephon residues in apples is shown as an example. The ethephon residues in apples were reported by the Joint FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)/WHO (World Health Organization) Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR). The apple consumption data were taken from the IESTI (international short-term intake) calculation template used by the JMPR. The IESTI was calculated with the currently used method (case 2a) and a proposed one recommended by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)/RIVM (Dutch National Institute for Public Health) Scientific Workshop co-sponsored by FAO and WHO. In this example, the ratio of IESTI_proposed/IESTI_current and their combined relative uncertainty are about 2.8, and 1.7, respectively. The larger IESTI and uncertainty obtained with the proposed equation are the consequence of calculation only with the large portion (LP) instead of its combination with unit mass, and the MRL instead of the highest residue (HR). The LP is the major contributor to the combined uncertainty. Both the calculated IESTI and its combined uncertainty depend on the actual food – pesticide residue combination, and should be calculated for each case.     

油脂对污泥和餐厨垃圾厌氧消化的影响

探究了油脂对污泥和餐厨垃圾厌氧消化性能的影响。结果表明,油脂对污泥和餐厨垃圾厌氧消化的影响与油脂的含量相关。当油脂质量分数由0提高至30%时,生物气的产量(以挥发性悬浮固体VSS计)也由385 m L/g提高至489 m L/g,然而继续升高油脂含量会抑制生物产气。机理分析表明,适当提高油脂含量能够提高有机物的溶出、VSS的减量以及挥发性脂肪酸(VFA)的积累,从而为微生物提供了良好的条件。过高含量的油脂会抑制有机物溶出和VFA的积累。     

Comprehensive estimate of the theoretical maximum daily intake of pesticide residues for chronic dietary risk assessment in Argentina

A chronic dietary risk assessment for pesticide residues was conducted for four age groups of the Argentinian population following the procedure recommended by the WHO. The National Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake (NTMDI) for 308 pesticides was calculated for the first time, using the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) from several Argentinean regulations and food consumption data from a comprehensive National Nutrition and Health Survey. The risk was estimated by comparing the TMDI with the Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADI) identified by various sources. Furthermore, for each of the compounds with a TMDI >65% of the ADI, a probabilistic analysis was conducted to quantify the probability of exceeding the ADI. In this study 27, 22, 10, and 6 active ingredients (a.i.) were estimated to exceed the 100% of the ADI for the different population groups: 6–23 month-old children, 2–5 year-old children, pregnant women, and 10–49 year-old women, respectively. Some of these ADI-exceeding compounds (carbofuran, diazinon, dichlorvos, dimethoate, oxydemeton-methyl and methyl bromide) were found in all four of these groups. Milk, apples, potatoes, and tomatoes were the foods that contributed most to the intake of these pesticides. The study is of primary importance for the improvement of risk assessment, regulations, and monitoring activities.     

Risk estimation to human health caused by the mercury content of Sushi and Sashimi sold in Japanese restaurants in Brazil

Although fish is a healthy alternative for meat, it can be a vehicle for mercury (Hg), including in its most toxic organic form, methylmercury (MeHg). The objective of the present study was to estimate the risk to human health caused by the consumption of sushi and sashimi as commercialized by Japanese food restaurants in the city of Campinas (SP, Brazil). The total Hg content was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with thermal decomposition and amalgamation, and the MeHg content calculated considering that 90% of the total Hg is in the organic form. The health risk was estimated from the values for the provisional tolerable weekly ingestion (PTWI) by both adults and children. The mean concentrations for total Hg were: 147.99, 6.13, and 3.42 µg kg^?1 in the tuna, kani, and salmon sushi samples, respectively, and 589.09, 85.09, and 11.38 µg kg^?1 in the tuna, octopus and salmon sashimi samples, respectively. The tuna samples showed the highest Hg concentrations. One portion of tuna sashimi exceeded the PTWI value for MeHg established for children and adults. The estimate of risk for human health indicated that the level of toxicity depended on the type of fish and size of the portion consumed.     

农作物病虫害专业化防治服务对农药施用强度的影响

农药过量施用已造成严重的负外部性。推行农作物病虫害专业化统防统治服务可以实现安全、科学、合理用药,有效缓解农业面源污染问题和提升食品的质量安全水平。为了探究病虫害专业化统防统治服务在缓解农业面源污染方面的效果,文章利用全国七省水稻病虫害专业化防治服务调查数据,基于倾向得分匹配方法(PSM),剔除样本自选择内生性问题的影响,分析农户将水稻病虫害防治环节外包给植保专业化服务组织("统防统治")与"自防自治"户相比使用农药的种类和施用次数的差异,即植保专业化防治是否取得了较好的环境效应。研究结果表明,植保专业化服务显著减少了农药施用强度,提高了无公害低毒农药的采用比例;并且其效果在小农户和规模种植大户之间存在明显差异,与采纳病虫害统防统治服务的规模种植大户相比,小规模种植户在采纳病虫害统防统治服务后在降低农药施用强度,提高无公害低毒农药的应用比例方面效果更显著。基于此,文章建议强化对植保专业化防治项目的财政扶持力度,提高病虫害专业化防治覆盖率;重点鼓励小规模种植户采纳病虫害统防统治服务;鼓励农户土地流转,促进农业生产规模化经营,加强对种植专业户的病虫害防治方面的培训和引导,并着力发挥专业大户的示范带头作用,提高统防统治的效率,从而促进食品质量安全水平的提升和农业生态环境的保护。     

Community gardening: cultivating subjectivities,space, and justice

Community gardens have been lauded for being inherently resistant to neoliberalism and criticised for underwriting it. To move beyond this either/or debate, we need to employ more focused lenses and specify both the processes of neoliberalisation at play and the outcomes they can produce. This paper explores the ways in which neoliberal processes of privatisation, state entrepreneurialism, and devolution intersect with community gardens, and the subjectivities that may be cultivated, the spaces that may be created and the types of justice that may be advanced as a result. It argues that certain characteristics and orientations of gardens are more conducive to resisting neoliberalism. These include the cultivation of producer, citizen, and activist subjectivities (over those of consumer, entrepreneur, and volunteer); the elevation of the use value of shared lived space (over a site’s potential exchange value) and the advancement of spatial justice through community access to non-privatised space; and food justice, through non-commodified means of obtaining food. Holding these ends in mind can help ensure that proponents of community gardening sow the seeds of the fruits they most wish to reap.     

Capacity building for food justice in England: the contribution of charity-led community food initiatives

This paper discusses the extent to which charity-led initiatives can contribute to capacity building for food justice in England. The paper draws on evaluations of two projects run by the charity Garden Organic: the Master Gardener Programme, operating a network of volunteers who mentor households, schools and community groups to support local food growing, and the Sowing New Seeds programme, which engages “Seed Stewards” to work with communities to encourage the growing and cooking of “exotic” crops. Based on qualitative data about peoples’ motivations for participation and the benefits that are experienced, we interpret these projects as examples of capacity building for food justice. We suggest that whilst currently depoliticised, the “quiet” process of reskilling and awareness raising that occurs through shared gardening projects could have transformative potential for people’s relationship with food. Finally, we use our findings to raise critical questions and propose future research about food justice concepts and practices.     

茅草添加与温度变化对餐厨垃圾厌氧水解产酸的影响

比较了茅草添加在温度变化条件下对餐厨垃圾厌氧水解过程小分子有机酸产量的影响,提出一种新型餐厨垃圾的资源化方式。研究结果显示,餐厨垃圾在55℃条件下厌氧水解主要产物为乳酸,达到25．7g／L,其干物质转化率可以达到32．1％（gTS）,而餐厨＋茅草处理在同样条件下的乳酸产量为20．1g／L,干物质转化率为25．1％。温度下降为37℃后继续进行的的厌氧水解,得到的主要产物是乙酸、丙酸和丁酸,餐厨处理和餐厨＋茅草处理这两者的峰值分别为6．5、2．8、8．0和6．1g／L、2．7g／L和5．9g／L。结果显示茅草添加可以在一定程度上调节水解产物的比例,而温度变化可以调控小分子有机酸的产量。本研究结果表明,厌氧水解是一种有潜力的小分子有机酸生产与餐厨垃圾资源化处理途径。     

餐厨垃圾高温厌氧消化产沼气的试验研究

探究了温度、含固率、pH及接种率对餐厨垃圾厌氧消化产沼量的影响,并设计L9(34)正交试验进行厌氧发酵工艺优化研究。结果表明,在温度为55℃、含固率为8%(质量分数)、pH为7.00、接种率为90%(质量分数)时,厌氧发酵累积产沼量为809.0mL/g(以挥发性固体计);各影响因素对产沼量的影响大小为温度pH接种率含固率。