Principles of Public International Law Essay

â€Å"Law will never really play an effective part in international relations until it can annex to its own sphere some of the matters which at present lie within the domestic jurisdiction of the several states. † Discuss ‘The principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether in the form of legislation or of custom and policies recognised’. The aforementioned is a definition of law as defined by the American Heritage dictionary of the English Language. If we apply this definition of community in its strictest sense it becomes increasingly difficult to subscribe to the view that there is an international community at large. If we begin to analyse statistics that show that there are over 7000 languages in the world, approximately 10,000 distinctly different religions, and a disputably infinite number of ethnic groups across just the 195 countries that comprise our global society, then it becomes patently clear that we would be better off highlighting our divisiveness rather than our prospects as a global community. Our collective history as human beings, however, tells a different story about our common interest and the way in which we have formally raised and torn down barriers to promote the same. We have, on the other hand, been separated on the basis of differing ideologies and the exercise of exclusive nationalism. Since the latter is a sentiment which resides in particular nations which have at their core a set legal framework validating their very existence and their interaction with other nations, it is essential to any study of law’s application to international relations. How does a sovereign nation reconcile its very sovereignty with its growing need to be integrated into a shrinking global society with its concomitant shrinking global economy? It is clear that some compromises must be made. Before we consider any specific cases in which states have decided to relinquish some of their sovereign power, we must consider the implications of the term sovereignty itself, the elements of sovereignty and its importance to a nation-state. Much has been written on the topic of sovereignty. Definitions vary slightly from one text to the other but they all have at their core, when specifically referring to the idea of state sovereignty, the idea of legitimate authority. In Sohail H. Hashmi’s discourse on sovereignty in the book ‘State Sovereignty, Change and Resistance in International Relations’, he asserts, referring to the concept of legitimate authority, that it is â€Å" a broad concept – not a definition but a wide category – that unites most of sovereignty’s tradition. He further notes that authority can be defined as â€Å"The right to command and correlatively, the right to be obeyed† and is only legitimate â€Å"when it is seen as right by those living under it. † It is to be noted that legitimate authority is not simply the idea of more power. R. P. Wolf, the twentieth century political philosopher and individual anarchist, illustrates the difference more sharply in a classical example in which he argues â€Å"if I am forced at gunpoint to hand over my money, I am subject to power; if I pay my taxes even though I think I can cheat I am recognizing legitimate authority. † We must recognize, however, that though legitimate authority is the overarching principle on any discourse on state sovereignty, there are specific elements of state sovereignty that are crucial, which every sovereign state holds dear to it and attempts to retain regardless of seemingly necessary or stipulated concessions of power, influence or authority to the international community. They include International Legal Validation (of a sovereign state), Interdependence Sovereignty and Domestic Sovereignty. International Legal Validation can be viewed as the right of the state to be a sovereign entity as prescribed by ‘international law’. It is legitimate authority as a legal construct or as Hashami puts it â€Å"legitimate authority† that is â€Å"prescribed by the law. † (Hashami, pg 18) The author Stephen D. Krasner in his book ‘Sovereignty, Organised Hypocrisy’ describes this element of sovereignty as international legal sovereignty. He states that it â€Å"refers to the practices associated with mutual recognition, usually between territorial entities that have formal juridical independence. † At its core international legal validation concerns issues of the recognition of states. If one were ignorant about the political climate on the global front, the natural answer to the question ‘how did a state become a state? ’ would be that ‘the would-be state must satisfy the defined stipulations (in international law) for becoming a state. Following this line of reasoning would inevitably lead one to the very first article of the Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States, which since 1933 set out that â€Å"The state, as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: (a) permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with other states. It does not take much political savvy, however, to understand that the legal criteria for statehood and the actual criteria for being recognized as a state by the international community at large is a de facto and de jure issue. As Krasner postulates â€Å"States have recognized other governments even when they did not h ave control over their claimed territory, such as the German and Italian recognition of the Franco regime in 1936, and the American recognition of the Lon Nol government in Cambodia in 1970. States have continued to recognize governments which have lost power, including Mexican recognition of the Spanish republican regime of 1977, and recognition of the Chinese Nationalist regime by all of the major Western powers until the 1970s. States have refused to recognize new governments even when they have established effective control, such as the British refusal to recognize the July monarch in France until 1832, the US refusal to recognise the Soviet regime until 1934. (Krasner, pg 15) The recognition of states is definitely an area in which the law (as prescribed by the Montevideo Convention and more recently the EU, which has almost identical tenets concerning the recognition of states) has proved ineffective in international relations precisely because of the political agendas and consequently domestic jurisdiction of the several states which reflect the political climate in which they operate. States attempt to hold on to this type of sovereignty because it affords them clout and validation in a global society in which interdependence is not just an ideal but a tool for survival, at the very least and a necessary aid to prosperity at the very most. The point here is not that nonrecognition brings with it a form of absolute isolation which renders the unrecognised state permanently barred from international commerce and diplomatic relations. What is of paramount importance, however, is the fact that nonrecognition brings with it an air of uncertainty concerning the unrecognised state, particularly in the eyes of multinational firms which as a result may be more reluctant to invest. Krasner notes that â€Å"by facilitating accords, international legal sovereignty offers the possibility for rulers to secure external resources that can enhance their ability to stay in power and promote the security, economic, and ideational interest of their constituents. (Krasner, pg 17) Interdependence sovereignty is the ability of a state to regulate the flow of information, goods, ideas and people into and out of its country. States try to hold on to this type of sovereignty because their ability to do this is directly related to their ability to effectively take control and organise their own polity, which in essence is domestic sovereignty which states must hold on to by definition i. e. in order to be a state in the first place. We shall consider reasons which prompt states to relinquish some of their sovereignty later in our discussion. We have thus far acknowledged, via several examples, based on the politics involved in the process of mutual recognition of states, that the issue of international legal sovereignty or international legal validation is a de facto versus de jure consideration. Is this, however, a trend in the legal procedures in international relations? The law, based on our previously defined definition, must be applicable to the actors in the community in hich it is operating. If, in the realm of international relations, the law can be voluntarily and regularly flouted by those who come under its subjection then serious questions arise about the very existence of ‘international law’. It must be duly noted though that states undeniably operate within the workings of a law order which to a large extent regulates their day to day interactions with one another and which is autonomo us in its operations. There are a countless number of international treatises that are steadfastly observed on a day to day basis. Examples include international agreements which facilitate the smooth to and fro transport of letters which are transported to all corners of the globe at fixed rates which are stipulated by the Universal postal union, the establishment of hundreds of football leagues worldwide- the individual countries who oversee them all subscribing to the specific rules and regulation set out by the world governing body in football, F. I. F. A. and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which afford diplomats exemption from prosecution within the courts of the country in which they are stationed. It is evident then that there is a legal framework that regulates the goings on of international relations. We have to probe a bit deeper into the workings of this system in order to ascertain whether or not it can accurately be characterised as international law. It can be argued that upon examination of our above examples of situations in which law plays an effective role in international relations, that the circumstances demand that such broad and far-reaching legal action be undertaken. The methods may vary but in order for letters to be transported globally there must be some standardisation procedure. This sort of necessary ‘self-coercion’ can be observed in a slightly different manner in the operations of international trade and commerce. Often times when two countries have a trade dispute they seek to resolve it in the World Trade Organisation (W. T. O. ), the foremost international authority on trade and trade disputes. The country that loses the dispute, in a legal case which is heard before a court of law under the auspices of the W. T. O. , more often that not abides by the decision. This, again, is not necessarily because the losing party has a great respect or reverence for ‘international law’ or the W. T. O. per se, but rather because it is within its interest to do so. As Harris explains, â€Å"The great majority of the rules of international law are generally observed by all nations without actual compulsion, for it is generally in the interest of all nations concerned to honour their obligations under international law. † (Harris pg 8) He further argues that a nation will be â€Å"reluctant to disregard its obligations under a commercial treaty, since the benefits that it expects from the execution of the treaty by the other contracting parties are complimentary to those anticipated by the latter. It may thus stand to loose more than it would gain by not fulfilling its part in the bargain. This is particularly so in the long run since a nation that has the reputation of reneging on its commercial obligations will find it hard to conclude commercial treaties beneficially to itself. † (Harris pg8) There is, evidently then, a law amongst nations, which is effective regardless of the reason for it being so. The problem of defining this law amongst nations as ‘international law’, however, lies in part because of those very cases in which it is flagrantly disregarded. For any legal system to functional optimally it must operate in a community in which there is a legislative system to make laws as it sees fit, a judiciary to implement the administration of justice and an executive body to enforce the law. Now grant it, generally speaking, there is no formal legislative system in international relations, when countries enter into agreements with each other the signing of treaties is usually undertaken and this serves as the source of law that is meant to dictate the terms of their agreement. However, unlike what is the case in municipal law, there is no definite enforceability method. There is no one authority that can guarantee the compliance of states to international treaties or conventions. We have already made the point that in most cases compliance has become second nature – but what of the cases (though they are scarce) in which it is not? Within the domestic law arena there are cases in which the law is glaringly broken. Once there is enough evidence to convict the wrongdoer, he is convicted and punished. The punitive measures that are undertaken would have been pre-determined by the legislative body and subsequently enforced by an executive body. There is no such arrangement in the international domain. As Harris puts forward â€Å"The problem of enforcement becomes acute, however, in that minority of important and generally spectacular cases, particularly important in the context of our discussion, in which compliance with international law and its enforcement have a direct bearing on the relative power of the nations concerned. In those cases†¦considerations of power rather than of law determine compliance and enforcement. † (Harris, pg 9) Therein lies the difficulty in saying that there is a law of nations. Having established the problematic nature of ‘international law’ or a ‘law of nations’, we shall henceforth temporarily ignore our challenges with nomenclature for the purposes of our remaining discussion. That being said, it is of critical importance to analyse the impact of international law on municipal law and vice versa. There is an ongoing dispute between theorist who believe that international law and municipal law are two separate legal orders and theorist who believe that they are part of the same legal order. The formative argument is known as dualism while the latter is known as monism. There is no one argument based on either monism or dualism that comprehensively settles the dispute. â€Å"On the international plane, international law is invoked and applied on a daily basis by states and intergovernmental organisations. With minor exceptions, it is the only law that applies to the conduct of states and international organisations in their relations with one another. Here international law is a distinct legal system, comparable in its scope and function to a national legal system. † (Buergenthal-Murphy, pg 3) The point mentioned above is very valid and gives credence to the dualism argument. Diplomatic relations, as discussed earlier, are dealt with strictly on the international plane. In order to see the appeal of the monism argument however we have to look no further than the argument establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice (C. C. J. ). Article XXIII of this agreement is as follows: 1)Each contracting party should, to the maximum extent possible, encourage and facilitate the use of arbitration and other means of alternative dispute resolution for the settlement of international commercial disputes. )To this end, each contracting party shall provide appropriate procedures to ensure observance of agreements to arbitrate and for the recognition and enforcement of arbitral award in such disputes. The C. C. J. is a court whose aim is to have a â€Å"determinative role in the further development of Caribbean jurisprudence through the juridical process† is thus an international lega l authority. In order for its smooth operation it must nevertheless depend on the domestic jurisdictions of its member states. Monism and dualism can hence be viewed as fluid concepts which exist in varying degrees.

Global Financing and Exchange Rate

Global Financing and Exchange Rate Mechanisms March 07, 2009 Global Financing and Exchange Rate Mechanisms Hard currencies are a currency, usually from a highly industrialized country, that is widely accepted around the world as a form of payment for goods and services. A hard currency is expected to remain relatively stable through a short period of time, and to be highly liquid in the forex market (Investopedia, 2009). The forex market is the largest, most liquid market in the world with an average traded value that exceeds $1. 9 trillion per day and includes all of the currencies in the world. There is no central marketplace for currency exchange; trade is conducted over the counter. The forex market is open 24 hours a day, five days a week, and currencies are traded worldwide among the major financial centers of London, New York, Tokyo, Zurich, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris and Sydney (Investopedia, 2009). Another criterion for a hard currency is that the currency must come from a politically and economically stable country. The U. S. dollar and the British pound are good examples of hard currencies (Investopedia, 2009). Soft currency is another name for â€Å"weak currency†. The values of soft currencies fluctuate often, and other countries do not want to hold these currencies due to political or economic uncertainty within the country with the soft currency. Currencies from most developing countries are considered to be soft currencies. Often, governments from these developing countries will set unrealistically high exchange rates, pegging their currency to a currency such as the U. S. dollar (Investopedia, 2009). Hard Currency is used in global financing operations by developed nations. Hard currency is easily traded and bartered throughout the world. Using hard currency ensures that there is an even playing field for all parties in the transaction. Hard currency is important in managing risks because â€Å"a company can counter an imminent devaluation by speeding up collections of receivables, postponing bill paying, and converting cash into hard currency† (Feist, Helly, & Lu, 1999) . Another way that hard currency manages risks is by utilizing or adopting it, it is least likely to be a factor in the loss of funds. World organizations which invest internationally face the prospect of uncertainty in the returns after they convert the foreign gains back to their own currency. Unlike the past when most U. S. investors ignored international investing alternatives, investors today must recognize and understand exchange rate risk, which can be defined as the variability in returns on securities caused by currency fluctuations. Exchange rate risk is sometimes called currency risk. This risk is true for the nations also. For example if a currency is free-floating, its exchange rate is allowed to vary against that of other currencies. Exchange rates for such currencies are likely to change almost constantly as quoted on financial markets, mainly by banks, around the world. This can lead to lot of speculation and also losses especially for weak economies. Moreover investors generally prefer hard currencies to soft currencies at times of increased inflation (or more precisely increased inflation differentials between countries), at times of heightened political or military risk, or when they feel that one or more government-imposed exchange rates are unrealistic. In some cases, an economy may choose to abandon local currency altogether and adopt a hard currency as legal tender. Examples include the adoption in Ecuador and Panama of the US dollar, and the adoption in Kosovo and Montenegro of first the German mark and later the euro. â€Å"Countries open to capital flows can adopt a wide range of arrangements, from free floating to a variety of crawling pegs with broad bands around them (under which the central exchange rate is frequently and marginally adjusted), as well as very hard pegs sustained by policy commitments such as currency boards, dollarization (or, more generally, the adoption of another foreign currency as legal tender), or membership in a currency union† (Finance & Development, 2001). Hard pegs are defined as â€Å"In economics, a policy in which the authorities insist on some permanent, precise guarantee of the value of the local currency to some other thing: a unit measure of gold, the US dollar, the euro, or the pound. Historically, the US dollar had a hard peg to gold from 1946 to 1971, while other currencies in the developed world had a hard peg to the US dollar. Since 1971, most of the world's money is in floating currency (whose relative value is set by the free market)† (Urban Dictionary). A floating currency is â€Å"A currency whose value is set by the currency markets; money whose exchange rate relative to other currencies is determined mainly or entirely by unrestricted trading in the currency. Most currencies are dirty float |dirty floats, which means that the government issuing them attempts to manage their traded value in some way; or else hard peg |hard pegs, in which the value is tied to something specific. When a currency is floating, then its value may rise because the county is running a trade surplus, or it is running a capital account surplus. Floating currencies are not fiat money, although they are often confused for each other† (Urban Dictionary). In some cases the US dollar is considered fiat money because it is deemed â€Å"money that (a) derives its value entirely from the mandate of the government, and (b) cannot be freely traded. Fiat money is not the same thing as floating currency, because if a floating currency is intrinsically worthless then its lack of worth will be reflected in the forex markets. Fiat money, on the other hand, does not require a disciplined monetary of fiscal policy on the part of the issuing authorities; exchange rates are fixed by decree, which means the state also controls supplies of hard (foreign) currency† (Urban Dictionary). â€Å"Times change, and a currency that is considered weak at one time may become stronger, and perceived as a hard currency later on. For example, the pound sterling was considered structurally weak and liable to depreciate (in real terms) for much of the post World War II period; now it is considered to have re-established fiscal and monetary soundness and to be strong. The U. S. dollar (USD) has been considered a strong currency in recent years, and importantly a safe-haven in times of international tension or war, but the USA has large fiscal and trade deficits and an unresolved problem that many Asian currencies are pegged to the dollar and therefore do not appreciate as their trade surpluses with the USA grow; some commentators believe that these considerations imply that the U. S. dollar will now enter a period of weakness, especially that there are signs that China may be relaxing the rate at which the yuan is pegged to the dollar† (Answers, 2007). Soft Currency is used in global operations by underdeveloped or unstable nations. Soft currency is also used as local currency like the Mexican peso. Soft currency is important in managing risks because it is a warning for companies to take proactive measures to reduce currency exchange losses. Soft pegs may lead speculation, which can be costly in industrialized countries, but are frequently harmful to emerging market countries, as in Latin America (Mexico and Ecuador), East Asia (Thailand, Korea, and Indonesia) and Turkey. The breakdown of soft pegs in emerging market countries is as damaging as it is because their debt structure is generally short term and is denominated in foreign currency. Thus a successful speculative attack leads to a sharp deterioration in balance sheets, which in turn leads to a financial crisis. Hard pegs may be desirable, particularly in countries whose political and monetary institutions are especially weak; they can used to stabilize the economy. However, hard pegs will not be successful in promoting a healthy economy unless government policies create the right institutional environment. Thus Pegging has typically been a way to substantiate the value of a local currency against the world's convertible currencies and to stabilize the exchange rate. References Investopedia, (http://www. investopedia. com/terms/s/softcurrency. asp) Feist, William R. , Heely, James A. , & Lu, Min H. (1999). Managing A Global Enterprise. , Greenwood Publishing Group. International Financial Management by Madhu vij Finance & Development, (http://www. imf. org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2001/06/fischer. htm) Urban Dictionary, (http://www. urbandictionary. com/define. php? term=hard%20peg)

A Timeline of India in the 1800s (British Raj)

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Organizational Behavior System in Jgtdsl, Bangladesh

Introduction: - Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. It does this by taking a system approach. That is, it interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, whole group, whole organization, and whole social system. Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving human objectives, organizational objectives, and social objectives Elements of Organizational Behavior:- The organizations base rests on managements philosophy, values, vision and goals. This in turn drives the organizational culture which is composed of the formal organization, informal organization, and the social environment. The culture†¦show more content†¦This process is known as Action Research. 5. Contingency Orientation: Actions are selected and adapted to fit the need. 6. Change Agent: Stimulate, facilitate, and coordinate change. 7. Levels of Interventions: Problems can occur at one or more level in the organization so the strategy will require one or more interventions. An organizational behavior system:- [pic] Figure – An organizational behavior system Elements of the system Philosophy- the philosophy of organizational behavior held by management cconsist of an integrated set of assumption and benefits about the way things are the purpose of these activities , and the way they should be. The philosophies are some times explicit and occationally amplict, in the mindes of managers. Five major organizational behavior philosophies- autocratic, custodial, supportive, collegial, and system-and their implication are bdiscussed later in this assignment. Values:- Values can be defined as those things that are important to or valued by someone. That someone can be an individual or, collectively, an organization. One place where values are important is in relation to vision. Values are the embodiment of what an organization stands for, and should be the basis for the behavior of its members. Vision- vision represents a challenging portrait of what the organization and its members

Defining and Measuring Crime free essay sample

Defining and Measuring Crime The Uniform Crime Report (ucr) is an annually (yearly) report compiled by the FBI to give an indication of criminal activity. They organize offenses known to the police. The I-JCR divides the criminal offenses into categories: part 1 offense and part II offense. Part 1 offenses are crimes that are recorded by the FBI to give a general idea of the crime picture. Part 1 offenses crimes can be covered by the media and consequently nspire the most fear if crime in population. The majority crimes that fall into the part 1 offenses are property crimes. There are several types of part 1 offenses: criminal homicide- murder and non-negligent, manslaughter (the willful killing of a human being), manslaughter by negligence (the killing of a human being), forcible rape (female forcibly and against her will), robbery (taking/attempted to take anything of value), aggravated assault (unlawful attack by one person on another), burglary breaking and entering), larceny/ theft (unlawful taking away of property from the possession of another), motor vehicle theft (theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle) and arson (malicious burning or attempted burning). We will write a custom essay sample on Defining and Measuring Crime or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Part 2 offenses are all crimes recorded by the FBI that do not fall into the category of part 1 offenses. The most common offenses are drug abuse violations, driving under the influence and assault that dont result in harm. Part 2 are measured by arrest data. Mala in se and ala prohibtia often express the social function of criminal law. Mala in se are inherently wrong, regardless of whether they are prohibited by law. The crimes go against natural, moral and public principles of a society. Some examples are murder, rape and theft. Mala prohibita are acts that are considered crimes because they have been codified as human made laws. Crime is only considered wrong if it has been prohibited. Having two spouses at once is considered a mala prohibita crime.

World Starvation

Introduction The issue of world starvation is real in this millennium. So many people are facing starvation. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) puts the figure to about one billion of the people facing starvation in 2010. The statistics for hunger are troubling with about 18, 000 children dying everyday of hunger related issues (FAO 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on World Starvation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In 2005, about 1.4 billion people were in extreme poverty. The World Bank estimated that food prices would shoot up in 2008 and following the recent global down turn the prices have escalated pushing more people into poverty and thus hunger. The challenge of hunger or food insecurity is enormous in areas within low incomes areas. Finding a solution to world starvation is not an easy one because the number of undernourished people is very high. Scientists and policy makers have been working i n the area of food technology to help overcome with the problem of world hunger. In 2010, the number of undernourished people declined due to a slight improved economy especially in the developing nations. Moreover, food prices have fallen from the high prices experienced in 2008. FAO puts the undernourished at 925 million this year compared to 1.023 billion in 2009 as shown in figure below. Source: FAO Most of the gains were made in Asia where there were 80 million less hungry. In sub-Saharan Africa the number reduced by 12 million. Nonetheless, the number of the hungry is still very high due to the current world economic situation, poverty, famine and conflict and a solution is needed to improve food security in the world and more so in areas with chronic food crises.Advertising Looking for essay on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Food technology Developments in food technology have enabled many people to acces s food. The life span of human beings has also increased in many parts of the world because the people have food that has improved their life quality. The developing nations have not been left behind and life span has risen in the recent decades. The advancement made in food technology has helped to feed the high world population due to high grain production. Scientists working in the food and technology field have come up with various ways of increasing food production. New ways of feeding the world population have been developed such as genetic engineering and biotechnology (Prakash and Conko 1). These methods are aimed at improving food security. Genetically modified foods Genetically modified foods have been introduced in a bid to curb world starvation. Through genetic modification, foods and animals are modified through the manipulation of genes to yields the best possible yields according to the needs of human beings. Moreover, crops can be modified to make them more resistant to pests and thus protect them to ensure good yields. Agricultural technologies in developed countries Farmers in the countries that have embraced food technology and in particular genetically modified foods are now able to produce double of the grains they were producing in the same size of land. The genetically modified foods ensure good produce and mature faster than the conventional crops. Countries especially the developed ones have embraced genetically modified crops and for example in the United Kingdom genetically modified crops such as soya, maize, tomatoes and cheese have been approved (Jones 1). The United States has approved a wheat has also embraced genetically engineered food and currently the debate on the approval of genetically modified salmon is ongoing. However, not everyone has embraced genetically modified foods due to healthy and safety concerns. Some people have fears about the safety of genetically modified foods because some are said to be harmful. Thus, pe ople have to be educated about the use of genetically modified foods to array the fears they have and to use them to supply their nutritional needs. Scientists have across the globe â€Å"have attested to the health and environmental safety of agricultural biotechnology† and they call for its use especially by countries that have major hunger problems (Prakash and Conko 1). Many health and scientific organizations have endorsed biotechnology for example, the American Medical Association and the United Kingdom Royal Society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on World Starvation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Agriculture technologies in Africa Agricultural technologies have helped to improve food security for many countries. Thus, efforts are being made to encourage African countries embrace agricultural technologies. There is need for African nations to embrace food technology because most of the poor people live in rural areas in the developing countries. Africa cannot afford to ignore agricultural technologies to improve its food production to feed its high population. The continent is a major importer of grains and its grain production has remained at the same level for over four decades (McPherson 5). The African leaders have taken a step towards reversing this trend. The first step they have taken is to pledge to increase the budget allocated to agriculture. The increased budget will help the farmers in the rural area produce adequate food for their consumption. The money allocated in the budget will go a long way in aid research to come up with food varieties that are suitable for the African climate. Use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers Fertilizer and pesticide use is crucial in agriculture. The cost of fertilizer is high and many African governments have taken a step in making fertilizers available to the farmers through subsidies. Other steps have been by working in conj unction with banks to provide farmers with loans to secure fertilizers for instance the Equity Bank in Kenya. Malawi is a success story in adapting food technologies to improve its food production, which has made it a breadbasket for South African region. The government gave farmers subsidy in buying fertilizers and many farmers attributed the 2007 bumper harvest to government’s effort (Dugger 2). Green revolution in the Caribbean and Latin America The green revolution in Latin American and Caribbean has led to increased food production. These two regions have been able to provide food for their population even though about 55% live in the rural area in poverty in a region that is richly endowed with natural resources (Izquierdo and De la Riva 1). The region has failed to produce adequate food to feed its population due to desertification, floods, soil erosion among other factors. Therefore, it is important for the region to embrace food technologies that will help the region to feed its population.Advertising Looking for essay on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The region has applied agricultural technologies more vigorously because earlier on only a few applications food technologies were utilized. The region has realized that it cannot continue to depend on the success of the green revolution to provide food because the method cannot bring in the success required to feed the whole region. Biotechnology methods must be adapted to reduce the dependence on imports for the provision of basic grain needs for the population. In this regard, FAO has come up with a program called the Special Program for Food Security (SPFS) to assist countries to increase their food productivity. The program will help the region to improve and develop their biotechnology because in the past the kind of agricultural technologies applied have not been successful because they failed to address the unique needs of the region (Izquierdo and De la Riva 1). Conclusion Food technology is important if the world is to overcome the current starvation problem. The technolog y will help to solve the problem of crop pest infestation and increase crop yields. The methods applied in biotechnology will help to come up with crops that can withstand the current environmental conditions such as drought resistant crops. So far, many people have benefited from genetically modified crops grown across sixteen nations in the world. Many farmers in the developed countries have benefited from the agricultural technologies in the less developed countries. The adaption of food technology in the developing countries shows that these technologies can be transferred and used in countries that are less industrialized just like in the developed countries (Prakash and Conko 1). Using agricultural technologies will enable the countries in many parts of the world to gain food security. A world with adequate food will give the people an opportunity to live full quality lives and improve their economic status. As long as people have adequate food supply they will be in a positio n to produce grains to ensure that, all year round they have food because hungry people cannot be in a position to produce food. Having adequate food to feed the undernourished and the people facing starvation will help to reduce the number of deaths that occur daily while a few millions are overfed. Works Cited Dugger, Celia. †Ending famine, simply by ignoring farmers. New York Times, 2 Dec. 2007. Food and Agriculture Organization. Addressing food insecurity in protracted crises.  fao.org. 2010. web 24 Nov. 2010. Izquierdo, Juan and De la Riva, Gustavo. â€Å"Plant biotechnology and food security in Latin America and the Caribbean.† Journal of Biotechnology 3.1 (2000): 1-2. Jones, Leighton. â€Å"Genetically modified foods.† British Medical Journal 318. 3 (1999): 581- 584. McPherson, Peter. The global food crisis: causes and solutions. usaid.gov .14 May. 2008. Web. Prakash, Sikh and Gregory Conko. â€Å"Saving billions with Technology.† Journal of  Te chnology, 3.1 (2007): 1-6. This essay on World Starvation was written and submitted by user Felix Mays to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.