Game Of Loans

The Background

Bayer's attempts to acquire Monsanto & Monsanto's efforts to either play hard-to-get or to scupper the acquisition altogether (it isn't clear which) is making headlines these days. Bayer is serious enough about the whole thing that it has taken the following convincing steps:

1. It has lawyered up with some of the leading names in the legal advisor industry.

2. It has taken on a huge debt burden & a share price drop to be in a position to offer Monsanto an impressive 37% premium on Monsanto's May 9, 2016 closing share price.

The convoluted explanation for Bayer's enthusiasm cited by some media analysts is that Bayer is a leading manufacturer of herbicides & pesticides, & Monsanto's GMO product line simultaneously sabotages Bayer's pesticide business & encourages its herbicide business. But what does that mean? Does Bayer intend acquiring Monsanto in order to shut down its GMO business? Or does it intend to transition into GMO itself & shutter its own pesticide & herbicide business? Considering that Monsanto manufactures pesticides & herbicides, too, wouldn't such a move against Bayer be the commercial equivalent of Monsanto shooting itself in the foot?

On the other hand, what exactly is Monsanto trying to achieve? Does it truly believe that it can go it alone? If that were so, what made Bayer see it as a potential acquisition target? A company as large & reputable as Bayer, isn't likely to mistake a company flush with cash as a bankrupt loser, is it? Or is Monsanto trying to drive up its price? If that were so, it is playing a very risky game because declaring a 37% premium unsatisfactory appears to be a sufficiently reckless strategy to put a huge question mark on the competence of the Monsanto decision makers.

Differing Perspectives

From Bayer's point-of-view, Monsanto does make an attractive acquisition target because, unlike Bayer, Monsanto's Y-O-Y revenue, operating income & net income have taken a dive. Also, unlike Bayer, Monsanto's reputation is seriously tarnished by a number of scandals all over the world, most notably in Argentina, Brazil, China & India, which revolved around dispossessing agricultural landowners & claiming that Monsanto seeds were more effective than they really were. Besides, in terms of being the driving force behind an important global cash cow, "HEROIN" was a Bayer trademark until after World War I.

Monsanto, despite its obvious cash flow issues, seems certain that it can squeeze more money out of Bayer - or continue to operate as an independent entity. Perhaps because it reportedly commands a position of great respect & importance with the leadership of the United States, the United Kingdom & Continental Europe, a status that was probably established way back in the 1940s, when Monsanto became a key player in the Manhattan Project & wound up assisting in the obliteration of 2 cities for the sake of world peace.

Admittedly, both companies make strong cases for their individual stances. That may be the reason behind the fact that Bayer-Monsanto negotiations have hit an increasingly-boring stalemate, & nobody can give outside investors & speculators the slightest idea what the result is most likely to be or what to do to profit from said result.

Agritech Limited (Haripur, Hazara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

The main aim of scientific research is to ascertain whether the link between two or more separate entities or events is causative or correlative; in short, does factor A trigger factor B, does factor B trigger factor A, or are factors A & B triggered by a third factor C? The media is so convinced that the only relevant factors in the Bayer-Monsanto negotiations can be found within the headquarters of either Bayer or Monsanto, they haven't stopped to wonder whether the answer could be found 12,376 km from the US & 5,310 km from Germany...in Pakistan.

Bayer, with the typical stoic way of doing business that Germany is adored for globally, maintains its offices in Pakistan openly under the Bayer brand name. Monsanto, however, exhibits the signature discretion of the American modus operandi: while it is unconfirmed whether Agritech is Monsanto's local subsidiary, it is crystal clear that the 2 companies share a special relationship. Agritech is a manufacturer of fertilizer in Haripur; in December last year, it won a case in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) where it claimed that it had received less than its fair share of the subsidies on offer in the Pakistani Prime Minister's "Kissan Package". The PHC ruling was challenged in the Supreme Court (SC), the latest on which is that the Bench has reserved its decision.

According to Wikipedia, the definition of "reserved decision" is as follows:

Reserved decision is a legal term. After the hearing of a trial or the argument of a motion a judge might not immediately deliver a decision, but instead take time to review evidence & the law & deliver a decision at a later time, usually in a written form.

Therefore the US$62 billion (& counting?) question would be: Is Monsanto waiting to see whether it will receive the required cash infusion as a subsidy from the Pakistan Government or will it need to eat humble pie & accept Bayer's offer?

The United Nations International Year Of Pulses

BON APPETIT!

The United Nations (UN) & its branch the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) have designated the year 2016 as "The International Year Of Pulses" (IYP). The purpose of this effort is to promote awareness of the nutritional benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production aimed towards food security & nutrition.

Considering that such a project falls squarely into the agricultural sector, this week's edition is designed as a primer to acquaint readers with the top 5 most popular pulses grown in Pakistan - &, more importantly, what are the health benefits of consuming them.

The 5 main types of pulses grown in Pakistan are:

1. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
2. Lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.)
3. Mung Bean (Vigna radiata [L.] Wilczek)
4. Black Gram or Mash (Vigna mungo L. Hepper)
5. Kidney Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Chickpeas

Chickpeas, are rich in both soluble & insoluble dietary fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that snares bile (which contains cholesterol) & ferries it out of the body. Soluble fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels. If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, beans like chickpeas can help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. They have a low GI value of 28 - 32, which means the carbohydrate in them is broken down & digested slowly. This is helpful for weight loss as it controls appetite. Insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk & prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders.

Chickpeas are a good source of protein. Combined with a whole grain such as whole-wheat protein, they provide protein levels comparable to meat or dairy foods without the high calories or saturated fats.

Chickpeas are an excellent source of the trace mineral manganese, which is an essential co-factor in a number of enzymes important in energy production & antioxidant defenses. Just one cup of chickpeas supplies 84.5% of the daily value for this mineral.

Chickpeas are high in iron. This is particularly important for menstruating women, pregnant or lactating women & growing children. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, & is part of key enzyme systems for energy production & metabolism.

Chickpeas can lower LDL (bad) & total cholesterol. Chickpeas contain significant amounts of folate & magnesium. Folate lowers amino acid & homo-cysteine levels, & strengthens the blood vessels. Studies have found chickpeas lower the risk of heart attack.

Chickpeas contain phytochemicals called saponins, which can act as antioxidants. It could lower the risk of breast cancer, protect against osteoporosis & minimize hot flushes in post-menopausal women.

Lentils

Lentils are rich in cholesterol-lowering fiber. Their fiber prevents blood sugar from rising rapidly after a meal, making them beneficial to blood-sugar disorder patients. Lentils are rich in dietary fiber, both the soluble & insoluble types. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that snares bile (which contains cholesterol) & ferries it out of the body. Insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk & prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) & diverticulosis.

Lentils provide good to excellent amounts of the B-vitamins & protein, with virtually no fat...just 230 calories per cup of cooked lentils.

Lentils contain significant amounts of folate & magnesium. Folate helps lower levels of homo-cysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. When folate (as well as vitamin B6) are around, homo-cysteine is immediately converted into cysteine or methionine, both of which are benign. When these B-vitamins are not available, levels of homo-cysteine increase in the bloodstream - a bad idea since homo-cysteine damages artery walls & is considered a serious risk factor for heart disease. Magnesium is Nature's own calcium channel blocker.

In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, lentils can increase your energy by replenishing your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with lentils is a good idea - especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, lentils are not rich in fat & calories.

Mung Beans

Mung beans are highly effective at inhibiting LDL oxidation due to their potent free-radical scavenging properties. They have also been shown to target another significant cardiovascular disease risk factor in high blood pressure.

Mung beans are ideal for people with type II diabetes, since they cause a small, slow rise in postprandial (after-meal) blood glucose levels. This prevents dangerously rapid spikes in blood sugar & insulin that impair vascular health & aggravate cardiovascular disease.

Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs) form as the result of the chemical reaction between glucose & proteins in the body. These dysfunctional molecules damage tissue in the kidneys & retina, which accelerates the diabetic complications of kidney dysfunction & blindness. When Chinese researchers analyzed the AGE inhibition activity of sixteen legumes, mung beans ranked second only to kidney beans.

Mung beans suppress the growth of human liver & highly aggressive cervical cancer lines through multiple mechanisms, including cytotoxicity, inducing anti-cancer cytokines, halting cancer cell cycles, & triggering apoptosis (programmed cell death). Mung beans contain a high amount of insoluble fiber & resistant starch, which undergo bacterial fermentation in the large intestine to produce butyrate. This short-chain fatty acid provides substantial protection against colon cancer by inhibiting DNA damage & cutting off the blood supply tumors require for growth.

The combination of fiber & protein makes mung beans one of the most effective dietary foods to combat obesity & enhance weight loss.

Black Gram

Black gram is a healthy pulse as it is rich in iron content. This helps boost the energy levels in the body & keeps you active.

It is a protein-rich pulse for vegetarians. For those who do not eat meat or fish, black gram is rich in protein which is required for strong bones & a healthy body.

Black gram benefits the health as it contains both soluble & insoluble fibre which is good for digestion & also prevents constipation.

Black gram also has various beauty benefits. Applying black gram face packs is good for the skin as it prevents the formation of fine lines. Moreover, black gram also helps get a fair & flawless skin. Having black gram helps increase hair growth as well. You can either have it in your diet or apply a hair mask made with black gram.

Kidney Beans

Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein.

Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulphite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulphites. Sulphites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads & salad bars. Persons who are sensitive to sulphites in these foods may experience rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation if sulphites are unwittingly consumed. If you have ever reacted to sulphites, it may be because your molybdenum stores are insufficient to detoxify them.

Kidney beans, like other beans, are rich in soluble & insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that binds with bile (which contains cholesterol) & ferries it out of the body. Insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk & prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) & diverticulosis.

Kidney beans' contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate & magnesium these beans supply. Folate helps lower levels of homo-cysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. Kidney beans are rich in magnesium, which is Nature's own calcium channel blocker.

In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, kidney beans can increase your energy by helping to replenish your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with kidney beans is a good idea - especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, kidney beans are low in calories & virtually fat-free.

Thiamine - another "ingredient" in kidney beans - participates in enzymatic reactions central to energy production & is also critical for brain cell/cognitive function. This is because thiamine is needed for the synthesis of acetylcholine, the important neurotransmitter essential for memory & whose lack has been found to be a significant contributing factor in age-related impairment in mental function (senility) & Alzheimer's disease.

Kidney beans are a good source of the trace mineral manganese which is an essential co-factor in a number of enzymes important in energy production & antioxidant defences. For example, the key oxidative enzyme superoxide dismutase, which disarms free radicals produced within the mitochondria (the energy production factories within our cells), requires manganese.

Kidney beans are a good source of protein, & when combined with a whole grain such as whole wheat pasta or brown rice provide protein comparable to that of meat or dairy foods without the high calories or saturated fat found in these foods. A cup of kidney beans provides over 15 grams of protein.

"In Heaven There Is Dragon Meat & On Earth There Is Donkey Meat" - Chinese Proverb

PROSPECTIVE CHINESE INVESTMENT IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

The latest statistics are in: Of all Pakistan's trade partners, China is the one that has invested the highest amount of money in the country, with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) & all the businesses that are springing up in anticipation of it. This is excellent news for the national economy as well as the local investor community, because the Chinese investment model is very clean & simple. A pure commercial transaction that truly is an offer of collaboration & doesn't carry hidden provisos & strings. That's the way it must be if a deal is really a deal.

It renders the recent Chinese offer to invest in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) farming sector even more promising, especially for local landowners & their families. KP has a lot of potential when it comes to the agriculture sector, because most of its citizens are affiliated, one way or another, with breeding animals or growing crops. The Punjab & Sindh Provinces are also quite active in the agriculture sector, but the population of these provinces are divided between the farming & non-farming sectors. Balochistan has a small pastoral farming economy, but it is likely that the ongoing development of Gwadar Port & Airport will persuade the local population to join the construction sector.

Of all the various farming options on offer, the one I found most interesting was the one about donkey farming. According to the local media, the Chinese have offered to help launch this business in KP & buy all the merchandise that it generates. The KP Chief Minister has requested time for consideration & ordered the preparation of a feasibility report. Some time has gone by with no news, perhaps because feasibility reports take time as they have to cover many aspects of the present & the future. In the meantime, let us take an "informal" look at the feasibility of donkey farming in KP.

DONKEYS: MAINTENANCE

While the donkey's digestive system is structurally similar to the horse's, it is more efficient than a horse's. In semi-arid climates, donkeys spend over half the day foraging on poor quality scrub. It consumes less food than a horse of comparable height & weight; approximately 1.5% of body weight per day in dry matter, compared to the 2–2.5% consumption rate required by a horse. Donkeys are also less prone to colic, making medical expenses more manageable, too.

Some experts say that a donkey needs to be fed only straw (preferably barley straw), supplemented with controlled grazing in the summer or hay in the winter; others recommend some grain, particularly to working animals; yet others advise against the inclusion of straw altogether. Donkeys thrive when fed small quantities of food over long periods - 6 to 7 hours of grazing per day on average dry land pasture (that is not stressed by drought) is sufficient to cover their nutritional needs. If they are worked long hours or do not have access to pasture, they require hay or a similar dried forage (with a 1:4 ratio of legumes to grass), salt, mineral supplements & access to clean, fresh water. In lush climates, donkeys are prone to obesity & are at risk of laminitis (a painful inflammatory condition of the tissues or laminae that bond the hoof wall to the pedal or coffin bone hoof).

Donkey hooves are more elastic than horse hooves, & generally take longer to wear down. However, regular clipping is important as neglect can lead to permanent damage. Working donkeys may need to be shod. Donkey shoes are similar to horseshoes, but smaller & without toe-clips.

DONKEYS: ECONOMIC USES

The global donkey population is about 41 million. The top 3 countries in which donkeys are found are (in descending order) China, Pakistan & Ethiopia. The use of donkeys as pack animals, beasts of burden, agricultural labor, transport, pets & mule breeders, has been well documented. What most people (at least in Pakistan) don't know is that donkey products are valuable items in the food & herbal medicine industries.

Donkey Milk

Donkey milk is almost identical to woman’s milk, & contains more lactose & less fat than cow’s milk (making it very nutritious). It was used until the beginning of the 20th Century as a substitute to breast milk. Recent studies have shown that donkey’s milk could serve as an alternative to cow’s milk for children allergic to bovine proteins.

Donkey milk is used in the manufacture of soaps & moisturisers. Hippocrates prescribed donkey milk for numerous purposes, such as liver troubles, infectious diseases, fevers, edema, nose bleeds, poisonings, & wounds. Pliny the Elder proposed it to fight poisonings, fever, fatigue, eye stains, weakened teeth, face wrinkles, ulcerations, asthma & certain gynecological troubles.

Donkey Meat

Donkeys are occasionally raised for meat, but only about 1,000 donkeys were slaughtered in 2010, yielding approximately 100 tons of meat.

Donkey meat is the main ingredient of several Italian dishes, including Donkey Ravioli (ravioli stuffed with donkey meat in butter sauce & parmesan, or agnolotti d’asino), Donkey Salami (salami made from donkey meat, or salami asino) & Donkey Stew (also known as straccotto d’asino, it is a stew made of chunks of donkey meat braised on a very low heat for at least four hours, mixed with onions, bay leaves, juniper berries, tomato sauce, garlic, red wine, olive oil, salt & pepper).

In China, donkey meat is considered a delicacy with some restaurants specializing in such dishes, & Guo Li Zhuang restaurants offer the genitals of donkeys in dishes. A "donkey burger" is a kind of sandwich, which is considered a local speciality in Baoding & Hejian, Hebei Province, China. However, it is popular in other places in China as well. Chopped or shredded donkey meat is placed within a "huoshao" or "shao bing", a roasted, semi-flaky bread pocket, & eaten as a snack or as part of a meal. The meat is often served cold, usually with green pepper or cilantro leaves, in a warm huoshao.

Donkey-Hide Gelatin

Donkey-hide gelatin is gelatin obtained from the skin of the donkey by soaking & stewing. It is used as an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where it is called "ejiao". 5 to 10 grams may be dissolved in hot water or wine & mixed with other ingredients in the TCM materia medica or taken alone. It is used for a variety of conditions including bleeding, dizziness, insomnia & a dry cough.

The edible form of ejiao is mixed with almonds & sesame seeds & served as a snack in Shandong. It can also be used as an edible coating for dates, producing another type of snack. Several manufacturers produce an ejiao bar called "Gu Yuan Gao" in Shandong province. Gu Yuan Gao is a bar made up of ejiao, nuts, sesame, Chinese dates & cooking wine.

It is also used for applying "di mo", a special paper-like musical reed membrane, to the "dizi", a transverse Chinese flute; it dries quickly, holds firmly & is water-soluble, allowing later replacement of di mo.

"Look Deep Into Nature, & Then You Will Understand Everything Better" - Einstein

Introduction

The Chinese Government has taken a very commendable step in announcing its interest in the promotion of "Eco-Farming". Ecological farming covers all methods, including but not limited to organic, which regenerates ecosystem services; examples are prevention of soil erosion, water infiltration & retention, carbon sequestration in the form of humus & increased biodiversity. With the right management & the appropriate public image, this currently Chinese project could gather enough steam to sweep across all the agricultural economies of Asia.

But, it takes more for an idea to take off than for it to be ecologically & legally sound; these are important factors, no doubt, but neither of them is sufficient to really seal a deal. It has to be couched in profit-maximizing terms. After all, every sane human being is invested in safeguarding the future...but not at the expense of the present.

These days, the most pressing issues in the agriculture sector revolve around soil contamination. Whether it is the falling water table or the fallout of military activities, there are dozens of examples to be found in Pakistan alone. Therefore, no discussion on ecological farming could be carried out without a basic understanding of the different categories of soil contamination.

Soil Contaminants

There are 2 basic varieties of soil contamination: salinisation & chemical pollution.

The European Soil Portal defines "salinisation" as follows:

"Salinisation is the accumulation of soluble salts of sodium, magnesium & calcium in soil to the extent that soil fertility is severely reduced. Salinity is the degree to which water contains dissolved salts."

LIVESTRONG.COM defines chemical pollution of the soil as follows:

"Soil pollution is the contamination of soil with harmful substances that can adversely affect the quality of the soil & the health of those living on it. Pollution can be the result of an accident or carelessness, or done on purpose through illegal dumping. Pollution is also a by-product of activities as normal as driving or maintaining a farm."

The main factor in salinisation is incorrect irrigation practices & the leading sources of soil pollution are coal ash, sewage, pesticides, herbicides & agents of war.

Profitable Plant Remedies

The list of plants that can rid soil of excess salt is practically endless. But why go to the trouble of growing a crop that will only tackle either salinisation or chemical contamination, when you can make a profit while you're at it? Given below is a list of plants that solve the afore-mentioned problems & are cash crops at the same time.

SALT:

Myrica cerifera;-
The Bayberry Tree is used in herbalism as an antipyretic, antidiarrheal & antibiotic; it can be administered as a decoction, tincture, infusion or topical paste. In addition, its fruit is also a raw material for the traditional Christmas decoration known as the Bayberry Candle.

Quercus phellos:-
The wood of the Willow Oak is used primarily for pulp, paper & lumber production; the advantage of this particular option (as opposed to other sources of the raw material) is that it is known to grow quite fast.

Agave americana:-
The Centuryplant is the primary source of Agave Nectar (also known as Agave Syrup), a natural form of sugar with a low glycemic index because of its high fructose content. It is also used in the manufacture of rope, matting, coarse cloth & embroidered leather.

Rosmarinus officinalis:-
Rosemary is a well-known condiment, used in traditional dishes all over the world, but particularly in Italian cuisine. The extract & oil have proven benefits in herbalism & homeopathy. Rosemary is also a valuable raw material in the perfumery industry.

Trachelospermum jasminoides:-
Chinese Star Jessamine is a highly sought after plant in the high-end perfumery industry. It is also useful in the production of bast fiber.

Lantana camara:-
Big Sage, while occasionally used to make furniture, is considered to be very useful for its medicinal properties: owing to its antimicrobial, fungicidal & insecticidal properties, it has been successfully used in the treatment of ailments as diverse as asthma, cancer, chicken pox, leprosy, measles, rabies, respiratory infections, skin itches & ulcers.

Santolina chamaecyparissus:-
Cotton Lavender, as a decoction, is useful in the treatment of intestinal parasites. As an oil, it is also used regularly in the perfumery industry.

CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS:

Hylocereus undatus:-
The Dragon Fruit is a very nutritious fruit, rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids, several B vitamins, carotene & protein.

Hyphaene thebaica:-
The fruit of the Gingerbread Tree has been shown to have hypotensive & hypolipidemic effects. The rind is used to make cakes, molasses & sweetmeats; the germinated seed shoots are eaten as a vegetable; & the fruit is considered a delicacy in the Arab World.

Schinziophyton rautanenii:-
The nuts of the Mongongo Tree are said to be so complete a food, that they are a staple diet among the San Bushmen of northern Botswana & Namibia. They are rich in polyunsaturated fats, protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper & vitamin E.

Phoenix dactylifera:-
It is not necessary to list the healthcare benefits of the fruit of the Date Palm, because dates are already well-known for their taste & nutritional value. But what most people don't know is that this tree is one of the few in which virtually every part can be put to use somewhere, be it in preparing animal feed or manufacturing a sealant for leather bags & pipes.

Ziziphus mauritania:-
Apart from being delicious & nutritious, the Jujube also has medicinal properties: it is used in the treatment of biliousness, cuts, pulmonary ailments, fever, indigestion, ulcers, pregnancy-related nausea, vomiting & abdominal pains, diarrhea, dysentery, rheumatism, liver troubles, asthma, gingivitis, sores & gout.

Conclusion

The general rule is that our relationship with Earth is best viewed as a business deal; if we don't look after the land, the land won't look after us. In the words of one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, "Colors Of The Wind":

You can own the Earth & still,
All you'll own is earth until,
You can paint,
With all the colors of the wind.

Sunny Prospects

The Devastation Of Natural Disasters

The most devastating feature of natural disasters is that not only do they inflict immediate damage on the environment & its inhabitants, they leave behind after-effects that can take years to repair. In Pakistan, the most common natural disaster is flooding. Nearly every year, it is the same story: first, a brutal summer schedule of power cuts is implemented, which generally leads to at least a few dozen deaths due to heat stroke; next comes the monsoon season, which promptly tops up the already-almost-full dams; & the grand finale is that the dams burst (or the floodgates are opened) & hundreds of lives & millions of dollars in hard-earned development are lost.

Case in point: The floods of September 2012 took a heavy toll on the farming communities of Sindh Province, Pakistan: 11 dead, 885 injured, 1,000 acres of crops ruined & 300 sheep & goats & 125 buffaloes washed away. But, for once, the response was an honest effort to find a positive & long-term solution. The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization introduced a novel (& profitable) flood rehabilitation strategy: sunflowers...& changed the economic landscape of the affected villages in less than 6 months. Given below is an excerpt from the FAO's report on this experiment (the full story can be found at http://www.fao.org/pakistan/programmes-and-projects/success-stories/project-success-stories/seeds-of-change/en/):

"After evaluating the climate and soil in the area, FAO recommended that the villagers grow sunflower as their main cash crop.  Sunflowers have a much shorter growth period and are more resistant to floods than wheat traditionally grown in the area. In addition to its flood-resistance, FAO identified several other arguments in favour of sunflower: Most of the households in the area use adulterated forms of cooking oil which are extremely bad for human health. The sunflowers could provide the villagers with a much healthier alternative of cooking oil. Moreover, sunflower stalks could be used as fire wood, while leaves can be used for mulching to reduce water consumption in the gardens."

Living Versus Surviving

This monsoon season, as per routine, floods have inflicted serious damage in Pakistan. The authorities are busy patting themselves on the back because "fewer people have died", reportedly due to the various actions of the Armed Forces. While I have never been able to reconcile the concepts of "Human Rights" & "Acceptable Casualty Rates", the most pressing question here is: if a person is robbed of resources & peace of mind, is he or she "alive" or simply "not dead"?

This is actually a far more complex existential question than it would seem at first glance, especially in a country like Pakistan, where law-abiding citizens are deprived of basic telecommunication facilities such as cell signals & Internet service while NADRA finds that some of its ex-Army personnel have distributed around 100,000 (& counting) fake CNICs to career criminals, & where sepoys are authorized to shoot cops if they feel like it while international crime syndicates are apparently either living on other people's agricultural land or hogging the monopoly in the agricultural retail business.

The Sunflower

The South African Department Of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries has done an impressive amount of research on the sunflower. The "Sunflower Production Guideline" can be found at http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/Brochures/prodGuideSunflower.pdf. It covers, in an easy-to-follow format, a concise summary of all practical aspects of sunflower cultivation, including cultivation practices, post-harvest handling, production schedule & utilization. While the brochure focuses on South African climate & soil conditions, the sunflower is a singularly adaptable plant & can grow practically anywhere in Pakistan. According to the South African authorities, sunflowers are useful for more than just cooking oil & firewood. This excerpt from the brochure says it all:

"Human Use - It can be used as edible oil in the form of margarine, salad dressing oil & cooking oil; it can also be used as snacks.

Animal Use - The non-de-hulled or partly de-hulled sunflower meal can be used for ruminant animals, pigs & poultry feed because of its high protein percentage (28-42%). Sunflowers can be used as silage for animal feed. Sunflower silage is richer in nutrients than corn but lower than alfalfa hay.

Industrial Use - It can be used in certain paints, varnishes & plastics because of good semi-drying properties without color modification associated with oils high in linolenic acid. It can also be used to manufacture soaps & detergents. Other industrial uses include production of agrochemicals or pesticides, surfactants, adhesives, fabric softeners, lubricants & coatings. A future high-potential use will be in diesel engines as the world is striving for a non-polluted environment."

Oleander: Miracle Cure Or Murder Weapon?

Introduction

The other day, I was looking at an oleander plant growing in the back garden & thinking to myself that, had the rest of the foliage in the house been anywhere near as tasteful as it used to be when my grandmother was alive, I would have protested against the presence of this pathetic little eyesore. They say that oleander can be an aesthetically-pleasing plant with its pretty flowers & pleasant fragrance, but I beg to differ. The flowers are mediocre at best & there is no identifiable scent.

I should know: other than the weed growing in the back garden, an oleander plant was the only foliage in the patch of mud outside our two-room apartment when my Army officer father was stationed in Sukkur (Sindh Province) & we had to live there as well for what seemed like an eternity in a boiling, disease-ridden place in which the water had a green film of oil & chemicals that needed to be skimmed off before drinking.

Nerium oleander, to use its botanical name, is a singularly useless plant & a potentially-fatal poison to boot.

Purported Medical Applications

Not to say that Nerium oleander doesn't have its proponents:

Nerium Biotechnology Inc. (NBI) is a Texas-based biotechnology research company. NBI lead researcher & scientific advisor, Dr. Robert Newman (Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Professor of Experimental Therapeutics & Founder/Co-Director of the Pharmaceutical Development Center at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center) is a great believer in the therapeutic effects of Nerium oleander in the successful treatment of complaints as diverse as skin rejuvenation & cancer (let the record state that none of the remedies supposedly derived from Nerium oleander have proven to be even remotely effective against any disease so far).

Other parties maintain that Nerium indicum (Indian Oleander) in powder or cream form can be a very effective topical medication for dermatological complaints such as scabies & skin inflammation - but judging by the lack of customers pining for Nerium oleander, it is reasonable to assume that the promised healing is three parts blind optimism & one part reality...at best.

Hazards

Nerium oleander is a veritable toxicology textbook in terms of the number of poisons it contains. The most dangerous are oleandrin, folinerin & digitoxigenin. Each of these toxins can cause a whole range of problems, but a detailed description would take up several pages.

In summary, ingestion causes abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, visual disturbances, rapid pulse & potentially-fatal heart malfunction; skin contact with the sap causes blistering, irritation & soreness. Burning oleander wood produces toxic smoke that can poison food being cooked on it or bystanders in close proximity to it.

Examples of the ill effects of oleander poisoning are scattered throughout history. During the Peninsular Wars, some of Wellington's soldiers are said to have died from eating meat cooked on oleander wood skewers. During the late 19th Century, it was found that soldiers had died from sleeping on oleander branches.

The leaves of the plant are particularly toxic. Animals & birds will die if they drink water into which oleander leaves have fallen.

Conclusion

Oleander must definitely have some purpose & role in the Earth's ecology or else it would never have been created. But whatever that role may be, all prospective farmers, gardeners & horticulturists should be warned of the grave dangers posed to them & all who come in contact with Nerium oleander & its cousins. This is particularly relevant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since the Provincial Government has recently announced a project to encourage the cultivation of fruit & grains even in areas that don't customarily practise agriculture.

The Friendship Tree

The Current State Of The Global Pharmaceutical Industry

2015 is progressing as a very busy year for the world healthcare sector. Bristol-Myers-Squibb is introducing its anti-cancer drugs in Europe this summer. In the face of the declining efficacy of the current range of antibiotics, the Developed World is actively engaged in encouraging & funding its researchers to invent new antibiotics. China, partly to address the evolving healthcare needs of its own overseas citizens & partly to assist the World Health Organization (WHO) in its activities, is regulating & marketing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to the world.

Of the afore-mentioned efforts, the most promising one is the TCM project spearheaded by the Chinese Government. But the responsibility of global healthcare can't be shouldered by a single nation, no matter how dedicated it may be; in order to be successful, it has to be a collective enterprise.

Pakistan - China Agricultural Joint Venture Feasibility

Gwadar Port is set to become a very important port in the region. Its location just outside the Strait of Hormuz makes it a critical port on the shipping routes in & out of the Persian Gulf. It is the nearest warm water seaport to the Central Asian Republics (CARs) & Afghanistan, making it the port of choice for the maritime trade of these nations. In addition, the surrounding region holds approximately 65% of the world's oil reserves, making Gwadar one of the top ports of choice in the international oil industry.

However, Balochistan has been a victim of instability & underdevelopment since so long, that the Province has come to symbolize hardship & uncertainty. There are literally dozens of people who went missing in Balochistan & were never found, whose loved ones have filed cases pleading for their safe return in the Pakistani courts. Smuggler gangs continue to jeopardize the economy of Balochistan. Until a short while ago, broad daylight assassinations in the provincial capital Quetta were an everyday happening. The authorities have made several efforts to control the situation through law-enforcement operations, but the perpetrators remain strangely unscathed, thereby rendering such operations utterly futile.

However, it is an accepted principle that every country must design its systems in keeping with the culture of the region. In Pakistan, it is a verifiable fact that agricultural belts face the lowest crime rates in the country. Take Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province: it is said that the tribal areas are practically crawling with foreign militants - but the rural areas of Hazara Division have the biggest rural population of literate citizens in Pakistan!

Therefore, instead of a band-aid solution like law-enforcement operations, why not set up farms & plantations in Gwadar? Most people would counter that Gwadar is nowhere near as fertile as Hazara Division, so how can the same solution be applied there? The answer is that yes, Gwadar is not Haripur - which is why the Friendship Tree is just the plant for the job.

Crassula ovata (The Friendship Tree)

The Friendship Tree flourishes in what is known as a Mediterranean climate; it needs open, sunny spaces & moderate moisture levels. It is native to the southern belt of South Africa, because the climate there consists of cold, wet winters & hot, dry summers - in other words, suitable for the Friendship Tree. Southern Balochistan is quite similar & consequently an appropriate location for Crassula ovata plantations.

Crassula ovata is used in a number of inexpensive but effective herbal treatments. It is efficacious enough that not only does it hold a place of respect in African herbal medicine, it even figures in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is used to treat diseases & complaints as diverse as diabetes, diarrhea, epilepsy, nausea & warts. It is also used in cosmetics such as shampoos, styling gels & facial cleansers.

Most of the development currently being carried out in Balochistan is being managed by Chinese enterprises. Considering the fact that China has recently announced its interest in international agricultural joint ventures & the fact that the Chinese are well-acquainted with the applications of the Friendship Tree, it makes sense to engineer a collaboration between the Balochistan landowners & the Chinese pharmaceutical companies to launch commercially-viable Crassula ovata plantations.

Crime is born of either too much time (i.e. involuntary unemployment) or too much money (i.e. voluntary unemployment). If there is a crime rate problem in Balochistan that dozens of operations have not been able to solve, it means that the answer is employment. Technical jobs would take time because the majority of the population of Balochistan doesn't have technical training; but agriculture runs in an Asian's blood. Thriving plantations would spring up in a matter of weeks or months. Maybe that is why Crassula ovata is known as "The Friendship Tree".

Milk & Money

The Ocean Of Milk

There is a well-known legend in the Puranas (a collection of ancient Sanskrit legends) called "The Churning Of The Ocean Of Milk", the summary of which is as follows:

"Once upon a time there was a king who lost his kingdom to his bitterest rivals, through his lack of humility & respect for tradition. Humbled, he prayed for a way to regain his kingdom. Eventually, his prayers were answered. He was told to gather his friends, make a diplomatic alliance with his rivals & offer a joint effort to reap the rewards hidden at the bottom of The Ocean Of Milk. The churning yielded many treasures, which were promptly divided up between the other members of the enterprise. But the ultimate reward that The Ocean Of Milk finally yielded was The Nectar Of Immortality. Because he & his friends proved the more committed of the two parties involved, they were able to gain possession of the Nectar, & he regained his kingdom."

This allegory is interpreted to mean many different things, but the most noticeable point is the immense importance attached to milk as a source of great strength & significance.

The Dairy Industry

The global dairy sector has been in serious financial trouble since quite a few years.

Parmalat is a 54-year-old Italian multinational dairy company. According to the latest statistics (from 2010), it made an annual revenue of approximately US$5 billion & employs about 14,000 people. In 2003, it was discovered that Parmalat executives, including founder & CEO Calisto Tanzi, had defrauded Parmalat investors of approximately US$16 billion. While Parmalat has been striving to make a comeback since 2005, a glance at the company stock price shows clearly that it will be a while before it can reclaim its former glory.

Nestle is a 149-year-old Swiss multinational dairy company. According to the latest statistics (from 2014), it made an annual revenue of approximately US$98 billion & employs 339,000 people. During the height of the 2008 Financial Crisis, Nestle's position was further weakened by the discovery that its products were implicated in the Chinese Melamine Scandal that year, which led to the deaths of 6 infants & the hospitalization of another 860. To this day, it has not recovered from the steep drop its stock price registered that year.

Fonterra is a 14-year-old New Zealand multinational dairy cooperative owned by 10,600 New Zealand farmers. According to the latest statistics (from 2013-14), it made an annual revenue of approximately US$16 billion & employs 17,000 people. In 2013, the news broke that Fonterra products are contaminated with botulism. While the contaminant bacteria was ultimately found not to be a botulism-causing strain & Fonterra's biggest overseas customer China lifted the ban on Fonterra products, its stock price shows that it has yet to recover from the loss of credibility.

The Pakistan Food Crisis

The food consumption scenario in Pakistan is heartbreaking. According to the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), Pakistan has been able to cover the daily energy requirements of its people in the 1984-85 & 1987-88 periods. 2 years out of nearly 68. In addition, 40% of children under 5 are underweight of whom over half are stunted & 9% are affected by wasting. The single most important food for small children is milk. It is ironic that despite the fact that Pakistan is in the top 5 milk producers in the world, the children of Pakistan are practically starving to death.

Which begs the question: Why is the Pakistani Finance Ministry going to levy higher taxes on imported powdered milk products?

The official reason is that the domestic dairy industry is getting priced out of the market by the multinationals. But it can't be that bad, considering the financial statistics outlined above. Most of the multinationals are in hot water themselves; it is highly unlikely that they could cause a problem to their Pakistani counterparts even if they wanted to. Besides, letting the children starve some more while a market shift is facilitated seems less like a financial strategy & more like a human rights violation.

The real reason is likely to be as follows.

Milk As A "Cutting Agent"

"Cutting agents" are defined as chemicals that are used to dilute (or "cut") specific narcotic substances because they are cheaper than the narcotic in question.

There are literally dozens of cutting agents used for the different categories of narcotics (the main categories being heroin, psilocybin mushrooms, PCP, LSD, marijuana, hashish, ecstasy & cocaine). But the two most popular cutting agents are Paracetamol - & powder milk. They are extremely useful in diluting cocaine & heroin for the market.

According to the United Nations Office Of Drugs & Crime (UNODC) & global black market information website Havocscope (http://www.havocscope.com/), the street price for cocaine is US$300 per gram in the United States & US$118.70 per gram in Pakistan. According to the same sources, the street price of heroin is US$200 per gram in the United States & US$3 per gram in Pakistan.

With those profit margins, it is obvious that manufacturing costs for the illicit narcotics industry are amazingly low in Pakistan. Therefore, it is understandable if people wanted to cut down the raw materials available to the narcotics producers of the world. But cracking down on powder milk supplies would only make the demand for Paracetamol go up. This strategy would only shift narcotics producers' interest away from the dairy industry & to the pharmaceutical industry. In short, the revenues of the dairy industry & the pharmaceutical industry are inversely proportional.

While it is an accepted fact that the Pakistan Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) is facing severe staffing & transparency challenges, there must be another way to win the war on drugs without endangering the lives & health of the most innocent section of the population: the children. After all, the very reason that narcotics are classified as controlled substances is to promote universal good health.

Thomas Edison & The Yogurt Study

What Would Thomas Edison Say?

Thomas Edison once made an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to invent an improved version of the light bulb. When asked about the project, he said, "I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways not to make a light bulb." The meaning of this quote is that the essence of scientific research is to keep trying to improve things. In effect, Edison understood the dignity of being a scientist so well, that he turned a tale of failure into an instructive example. But would he have come across as dignified if he had taken to alerting the press every time he set out to try a new method in his light bulb project? Probably not.

Yogurt Health Benefits

Yogurt is probably the healthiest dairy product in the world. It is one of the few dishes that holds a place of respect in both nutrition & taste from East to West. Among other things, it:

1. Balances the metabolic rate

2. Maintains the digestive tract

3. Lowers stress & high blood pressure

4. Builds muscle stamina

5. Increases resistance to allergies & viruses

6. Maintains gum health

7. Is a source of protein & calcium to vegans & the lactose intolerant.

There are several other benefits too numerous to list. So many, in fact that medical science hasn't even begun to fathom the mechanism behind the benefits of yogurt. They just know those benefits are real.

Research As A Concept

There is no such thing as a stupid question. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask. If research & development were based on what constitutes a "sensible" question, the wheel would never have been invented.

Europe is considered a center of knowledge & research; but recently, it has made quite a 180-degree turn & even started publicly endorsing the most erroneous studies as genuine science. A few weeks ago, there was an odd study that purported to find a link between bleach-based cleaning products & an increased incidence of respiratory tract infections in minors.

The latest is a study that firmly debunks the beneficial effects of yogurt. According to the researchers, yogurt health benefits, which have been demonstrated repeatedly since centuries, are a giant hoax! Yogurt does not contain any more nutrients than a cup of ice cream! The belief in yogurt is as inaccurate as the ancient idea that the world is flat!

The researchers went on to add that, while they fully believe in the veracity of their observations, they haven't quite found the evidence to support said observations yet.

Now, there is obviously no harm in investigating (or even trying to disprove) an accepted theory or practice. That is the essence of progress. But, until there is concrete scientific evidence to support a hypothesis, the least that scientists can do is be a little discrete in how they phrase their descriptions of what they are doing with their time these days.

The Commercial Implications Of The Yogurt Study

Blue Bell Creameries is a century-old, privately-owned Texas producer of ice cream, yogurt, sherbet & frozen treats. Their products are consumed across the Southern United States, as well as Camp David & the International Space Station. But, on April 20, 2015, the firm suffered a serious setback. Samples of Blue Bell products were found contaminated with listeria. Since then, Blue Bell Creameries has issued an all-product recall & closed all 3 of their creameries for a thorough cleaning, re-training & safety check. Being privately-owned, there is no way to confirm the extent of financial loss the company will sustain for the duration of the closure, but in general, a full shut-down & all-product recall is a serious matter.

Meanwhile, across the world in Pakistan, Nestle is the premier producer of canned yogurt. While Nestle is beginning to face a certain degree of competition from Pakistan-based Adam's Milk Foods (Pvt.) Ltd., according to the latest figures, it is still on a roll at the Karachi Stock Exchange.

While professional nutritionists are unlikely to raid the fridge with the sole purpose of throwing their yogurt supplies in the trash, there will be at least a few heads that will be turned by this improperly-presented concept...& whether it is a successful company like Nestle or one that is currently in the doldrums like Blue Bell, such a move would be very bad for business.

Potential Supplementary Goods

However, there are some products that could, at least temporarily, garner more attention & a greater market share, if this idea about yogurt gains traction. Some examples are ice cream, soy milk, rice milk, almond milk & coconut milk. These are all very healthful items in their own right, but they do not really qualify as substitutes for yogurt.

In addition, it is hypothesized that saurkraut could be used as a substitute for the Lactobacillus that is used to make genuine yogurt. The result would be a far cry from the real deal, but something is better than nothing, right?