NEW YORK/LONDON — Every study ranking nations by health or living standards invariably offers Scandinavian social democracies a chance to show their quiet dominance. A new analysis published this week — perhaps the most comprehensive ever — is no different. But what it does reveal are the broad shortcomings of sustainable development efforts, the new shorthand for not killing ourselves or the planet, as well as the specific afflictions of a certain North American country.
MANILA, Philippines – It is not enough that countries have sufficient food today; it is important to ensure that there will continue to be sufficient food tomorrow. This was stressed recently by leading European agriculture executive Martin Taylor before the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AMCHAM). According to Taylor, increasing food security “in an environmentally sustainable way” is an issue that must be addressed not just by the Philippines but by the international community as well. Taylor expressed concern that there are “seven billion people in the world who do not have enough to east despite significant growth in production over the past 50 years.” He said global food production needs to grow by 70 percent if countries are to meet the growing food requirement. The need is for global food security, not just food sufficiency, he added. This calls for a well planned strategy backed by both governments and the private sector, he underscored. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Concerning the Philippines, Taylor said the challenge to the business and agriculture sectors is “to give small farmers access to technology” to increase production and move closer to food security. He noted that most farmers in the country are considered small since they generally till one to three hectares of farmland. Taylor said technology does not only include the use of modern tools and equipment but also the development of seeds and farm inputs Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine suppliers and exporters to the United States may be charged with “unfair competition” once discovered using pirated software, an intellectual property firm said Wednesday. Open Computing Alliance (OCA), an international trade agency, urged the local export industry, particularly in Cebu, to adhere to software licensing rules as they can be subjected to US laws punishing patrons of piracy. OCA Asia Pacific secretary-general Michael Mudd said in a statement that Washington state, for one, passed a bill prohibiting even foreign businesses in touch with the US “while using stolen or misappropriated information technology.” “Although this is not a US Federal law, the principle is enshrined in the US Federal Trade Commission in preventing unfair competitive advantage and providing a level playing field,” Mudd added. He said that exporters charged with violations may affect the whole of the country’s trading ties with the US, which has been a significant market for Philippine products. Citing 2011 data alone, Mudd said that Philippine exports to the North American country reached $9.1 billion. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The intellectual property expert gave garments companies Ningbo Beyond Home Textile from China and Pratibha Syntex from India which are facing “unfair competition” lawsuits that may penalize them for over $100,000 for software copyright violations. “Software is a small fraction of total operating expenses but can be a high cost if it has not been properly paid for. IT piracy is an issue that must be dealt with immediately Read More …