Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 206

Assignment Example It can also track the non-performing segments and provide a platform from which the group can decide whether or not to clear with some departments. Using Stern Stewart’s lists of effective management with regards to maximizing on the components of EVA, it is possible to see just how appropriate capital employed serves the business. The Capital Light strategy seeks to make available larger sums of capital all in the name of taking advantage of the way in which potential investors will hold the fort in case of an expected payday. EVA can be put to task with regards to its effectiveness in picking out the non-performing segments or investments. As the instigator of EVA, Stern Stewart and Co., enjoy a significant share in the market and a healthy result for their years of service. The current levels of compensation seem excessive especially when put into perspective regarding profit and loss. The example of Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae shows just how far the rot has spread with the company now operating at a loss in the name of maintaining staff with major skills. It becomes a major burden ensuring that the objectives of the shareholders are satisfied. The compensation levels however, should come into play even before a CEO’s term ends. The payment will make a significant impact on whether or not the company continues in the set pathway. The way in which a CEO drives forward his/her agenda is mainly dependent on the manner of their economic contribution (Fortune, n.d). An imbalanced and overpaid leader will impact negatively on morale and lead to loss of profit levels. It is especially true in the event of an economic downturn. The question of giving raises and bonuses to the employees of the federal and state governments during poor economic performances desires an answer. These governments have the power within them to improve living standards for

Entry Strategy In Emerging Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Entry Strategy In Emerging Markets - Essay Example However before entering into the markets, the organizations should study the vulnerability of the market conditions and various socio economic factors which are mentioned below. Based on the analysis of the factors the organizations should decide whether it has the necessary potential for setting up a business in the country and also should devise the entry strategy accordingly. The factors which are of prime importance are discussed below Political Factors: The consequence of the political issues is of a high significance to the business. While investigating into the political factors, matters relating to the policymaking of diverse regions are all taken into consideration. These fields include the administrative, provincial, nationwide and worldwide aspects. Another vital part which is included under the political factors is the consequence which businesses have to face due to alteration in the government both in the local and countrywide level. Multinational businesses also need t o properly understand the official policy which a government offers towards other countries (Wiiliams & Green, 1997, p.162). Economic Factors: The economic factors recount the components which influence the economic position of the business. The economic issues thoroughly deal with the economic and the fiscal strategy of the government. It is quite clear that the economic recessions relating inflation also disturb the officialdoms. The power of the national economy is a major factor which organizations do ponder upon. Alteration in taxation rate and bilateral trade agreements amongst the countries are also thoroughly administered (Walters, 2006, p 208)... This report stresses that the analysis of the different market entry strategy shows that all the strategies discussed above offers a range of advantages and also does have some limitation. However in context of the analysis of the market entry strategy in the BRIC nations it has been found that the countries like China ,India , and Brazil are the emerging nations and the foreign organizations looks to invest over there because of the wide range of benefits. Brazil is one of the nations in the BRIC community and its economic stability has made it one of the desired countries for the investors. The study reveals that the strategy of joint venture has been applied by most of the foreign multinational in the country. The reason for the choice is quite obvious as joint venture allows having a close look at the market and reduces the exposure to a wide variety of risk. This paper makes a conclusion that the option of joint venture also provides additional benefit to organizations in countries like India. The help from a local organization provides guide to the foreign companies for penetrating the market and build up a strong presence in the market. The corruptions in the market also can be reduced through the strategic alliance. As a result of the strategic alliance, the local organizations are also benefited considerably and in overall it helps to increase the stability of the economy.

Climate Change And Renewable Energy Options

Climate Change And Renewable Energy Options Climate change is the consequence of any kind of adjustments in the climate system. Change in climate is caused by fluctuations in the factors that influence climatic patterns. This phenomenon has become one of the greatest environmental threats and risks that the world is facing. Persistent human activities such as driving cars, farming, deforestation, and industrialization result into production of greenhouse gases. These gases gather in the atmospheric space, and trap the heat from the sun. This is what causes climate change manifested through global warming and other processes. The effects of disruptive changes have led to catastrophic events like storms, droughts, rise in the sea levels, and floods (Kammen Casillas 2010, p. 1181). Climate change is majorly caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the intervention efforts meant to mitigate the impacts of climate change thus target human activities that contribute to additional emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (Letcher ScienceDirect 2009, p. 67). Therefore, renewable energy has been considered as one of the leading solutions to climate change. Provision of carbon-neutral sources of power, heat, transport fuels and renewable energy options has been considered by environmental scientists as a great move in the right direction. The objective is to enact a transition from high to low carbon economy. Although the renewable energy sector is quickly changing, climate change crises dictate that the energy system be drastically transformed. This will help in combating the dangers that are associated with global warming that threatens to slump the global economy in the face of globalization and industrialization. Roggema (2009, p. 211) cited air pollution caused by transport and power sectors of the economy have been a great threat not only to the human health but have also shifted the climate systems. Prospective Interventions to Address Climate Change Crisis Climate change as an environmental problem is essentially a problem caused by the extreme utilization of fossil energy. Agriculture, changes in land use, cement production and use of chemicals all contribute to the emission of the greenhouse gases (Roggema 2009, p. 234). However, 70% of the global warming/climate change problems is caused by unsustainable use of fossil fuels. Therefore, in order to deal with the problems related to climate change, there has to be a shift from use of fossil fuels at home, in the industries, transport and generally the entire sectors of the economy (Roggema 2009, p. 203). In order to avert the challenges associated with climate change, saving of energy is essential. Electricity, automobiles and carbon emissions are the main causes of problems related to climate change. The regular incandescent light bulbs should thus be changed and replaced with the energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs which are more efficient and energy saving. The emissions that result from automobiles like motor vehicles, motorcycles should also be reduced (Letcher ScienceDirect 2009, p. 154). Climate change has been caused by human activities such as deforestation in search of more space for agricultural activities. Therefore carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere continues to rise. Being a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide has contributed to the rise of global temperatures. Roggema (2009, p. 183) cited that human activities that encroach to the environment should thus be limited to prevent further crises associated with global warming. Traditional methods of conservation of forest ecosystems should be embraced to preserve the ecosystem and mitigate the effects of climate change (Tracy 2010, p.353). Therefore reforestation should be encouraged so that the greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are reduced from the atmosphere. Farming activities that promote environmental hazards such as soil erosion should thus be limited and replaced with farming approaches that are environmentally custodial. Industrialization is the major contributor to climate change. This is because of the emission of the greenhouse gases like Nitrous Oxide and Carbon dioxide (Tracy 2010, p. 354). In order to avert climate change challenges there should be focus on change in the energy used in the industries from the dirty to clean energy. Climate change scientists have advocated for the use of renewable energy as the solution to the climate change problems that are caused by the use of environmentally hazardous fuels like coal and nuclear energy in the industries in the global economy (Tracy 2010, p. 355). Climate Change and the options for Renewable Energy Human activities and natural environmental processes are all responsible for climate change. Natural causes include volcanic eruptions, ocean currents, changes in the earths orbit and solar variations. An eruption of volcanoes throws out great volumes of sulphur dioxide, water vapor, dust, and ash into the atmosphere (Wengenmayr 2008, p. 141). The large volumes of gases and ash have the ability to influence climatic patterns by increasing the planetary reflectivity leading to atmospheric cooling. The aerosols are produced by volcanoes also affects the purity of air in the atmosphere. These contribute greatly to climate change. The oceans currents are considered a great threat to the climate stability. The currents release great amounts of heat across the planet. Besides, the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere can produce El Nino. The oceans determine the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. This implies that changes in the ocean circulation greatly affects climate and significantly contributes to the climate (Wengenmayr 2008, p. 231). Climate change has been caused by human activities. MacZulak (2010, p. 9) cited that this is majorly through the burning of fossil fuels, changes in the land use, and industrialization. With industrial revolution of the 19th century, fossil fuels have been used to support industrial processes. Fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas have been great energy supplies for the industrialized economies. However, these sources of energy have contributed to great emissions of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These are responsible for climate change (MacZulak 2010, p. 8). Carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has increased because of human activities such as deforestation and agriculture. Methane is released through oil drilling, mining of coal, leaking gas pipelines, landfills and waste dumps (MacZulak 2010, p. 9). These greenhouse gases cause great increase in the climate change and are significantly responsible for global warming. The greatest cause of climate change and global warming however is the burning of the fossil fuels. These fuels cause emission of greenhouse gases into the earths atmosphere leading to depletion of the ozone layer and global warming (Twidell Weir 2006, p. 143). Options for Renewable Energy The term renewable energy is used in reference to the energy resources that occur naturally in the environment and can always be re-used after the initial function. Examples of this energy are the solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy. Rivers, biomass and garbage are also considered as renewable energies (Abid, Crawford Davoudi 2009, p.167). Renewable energy is the future of the earths energy needs. However, in order to effectively combat climate change-related challenges, the global mean temperatures have to be kept below two degrees Celsius. This calls for prior planning and transformation of the industrial sectors use of energy. Renewable energy has the potential decreasing the use of fossil fuels that are to blame for most of the problems associated with climate change (Abid et al 2009, p. 169). Renewable energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy, and the bio-fuels are increasingly being used as energy alternatives. With the climate change and its crises, such form of energy has the advantage of energy security since the fossil fuels will be depleted as a result of climate change. Climate change is largely a consequence of anthropogenic activities such as burning of the fossil fuels, industrial processes, deforestation and the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It is estimated that the power sector by itself contributes about 40% of the total carbon emissions (Abid et al 2009, p. 297). This can only be altered by shifting to the use of renewable energy. Climatic impacts such as tsunamis, droughts, wildfires, floods, storms, heat waves and tornados are consequences of climate change (MacZulak 2010, p. 8). However, according to the climate change specialists, clean air policy that includes use of renewable energy can substantially mitigate the negative impacts of climate change caused by fossil fuels. Renewable energy technologies are considered to be the most potential mitigation for greenhouse gases. In the steadily growing awareness on the importance of environmental protection priorities, renewable energy is considered appropriate in the mitigation of climate change effects (Chiras 2007, p. 67). Renewable energy is the alternative to the climate change crises since it does not produce greenhouse gas emissions and pollute the air as is the case with the fossil fuels. Chiras (2007, p. 17) indicated that biomass energy for example, has been used as an alternative for fossil fuels so as to conserve the environment. It is considered a greenhouse gas neutral since its combustion releases no more carbon dioxide than was absorbed during growth period of the organic material. Biomass fuel also contain little sulphur and low combustion temperatures. This limits the formation of nitrogen oxide which is a greenhouse gas dangerous to the environment (Abid et al 2009, p. 269). Responding to Climate Change The transport industry is driven mostly by petrol. This causes emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide combines with other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and cause global warming. In order to deal with this menace, there is need for countries to invest in energy efficient technologies like plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and new technologies such as hydrogen cars (Abid et al 2009, p. 297). This has the potential of reducing petroleum emissions of greenhouse gases into the air. Further, there is need to shift from air and truck transports to electric rail transport that reduces emissions significantly. Industries should shift from the fossil fuels to use of bio-fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel fuels should be used in the gasoline engines in the industrial economies. Abid et al (2009, p. 169) cited that electric vehicles can contribute into reduction of dangerous gases into the atmosphere especially if the energy is produced through the renewable energy sources. In order to deal with climate change and environmental crises associated with it, elimination of waste methane is required. Methane is considered to be one of the strongest greenhouse gases that are responsible for the climate change problems. Waste methane should thus be dealt with responsibly. This is through careful handling of oil wells, landfills, coal mines and the waste treatment plants (Chiras 2007, p. 17). This will provide a net greenhouse gas emission benefits. Biomass as a source of bio-energy can be used to capture carbon. Biomass traps carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through photosynthesis. When biomass is decomposed through combustion, carbon is released as carbon dioxide. This is the process involved in the carbon cycle. Biomass fuelled power plants result into a net-negative carbon dioxide emission. This implies that there will be less carbon in the atmosphere will be trapped through the technology and reduce greenhouse gases that are a threat to the environment (Abid et al 2009, p. 169). The adoption of renewable energy technologies is strategic in addressing the problems associated with climate change and global warming (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 113). From 1970s and 80s, development agencies have promoted small-scale renewable energy technologies. This includes the use of biogas, cooking stoves, the wind turbines and solar heaters in the industrializing countries. In the large scale developing countries have responded to climate change through the use of ethanol in the transport sector. This is especially the case in Brazil. In India, biogas is being used in households for lighting and cooking. Grid connected power in India and hydropower are being used in India and Nepal respectively as renewable sources of energy and safe energy for environmental conservation (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 119). Naturally Sustainable Renewable Energy As oil reservoirs and oil wells in the world run dry due to extensive exploitation and use in the energy sector, there is also an outcry in the environment that is caused by their consequences. Renewable energy sources include geothermal energy, solar, hydroelectric, biomass and wind energy (Chiras 2007, p. 233). These forms of energy have been considered to be the most environmental friendly because they dont produce high levels of greenhouse gases and other substances that are not environmentally friendly. The challenge that these forms of renewable energy have is sustainable use. Hydroelectric power uses the movement of falling water to run the turbines. Unlike other sources of energy, hydroelectricity does not depend on the fuels like natural gas or petrol to run the engines. This makes it more environmentally friendly. Besides, it is more sustainable with the sustainability of the environment so that water capacity of the dams is not interfered with. It uses the natural progression nature to generate electricity (Chiras 2007, p. 117). Hydroelectric power does not produce direct waste that pollutes the environment. It is thus considered to be environmentally sustainable (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 114). The carbon dioxide levels produced by hydroelectric power plants are considerably very low. This is however only produced during the construction stage of the plants and not in the operational phase of the plants making it environmentally friendly. As a renewable source of energy, hydroelectric power does not need the use of fuels to run the turbines. The use of petrol in the production of hydroelectric energy is not existent. This implies that when the price of the fossil fuels rises, the hydroelectric plants are often not affected. This makes it a sustainable and reliable source of energy when compared to other sources of energy (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 116). It also means that the consumer price of this form of renewable energy is fairly constant. In terms of sustainability, hydroelectric power stations last longer than the energy plant stations that are powered by fossil fuels. They are generally easy to maintain and pose no much threat to human life and property. Hydroelectric energy plants contribute to conservation of the environment. In the countries where great investments have been done in the hydropower such as Bhutan, environmental stewardship and custodianship is encouraged. Ehrfeld (2009, p. 119) cited that since it depends on water, a lot of forest conservation and reforestation is encouraged. This helps in the reduction of the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. The human activities that contribute environmental degradation are also reduced through investment in the hydroelectric power plants. Climate change is caused by human activities that tamper with the environment. However, when a country invests in the hydroelectric plants, environmental conservations efforts are boosted. With the conservation of the water catchment areas and the forests, hydroelectricity becomes a very sustainable and reliable source of renewable energy. As it produces clean energy through environmentally friendly approaches, it also helps in the protection of Mother Nature (Ehrfeld 2009, p.121). International Agreements and Government Interventions in Climate Change Various intervention efforts have been made at the community and individual levels to combat climate change and to reduce the negative effects of human activities on the environment. However, much is still needed to be done especially at the inter-state and governmental level. One of the efforts that the governments from the industrialized countries are making in the mitigating climate change is through the Kyoto Protocol. The focus of the protocol is in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions especially from the industrialized countries by 2012. The developed countries have the responsibility to reduce their emission of greenhouse gases from their large industries. These gases contribute to global warming and climate change. The Kyoto Protocol intervention targets reduction of carbon in the atmosphere (Karlsson, Lund, Mathiesen 2010, p. 488). This is through emission trading, clean development mechanism and the joint implementation. These strategies target reductions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The countries that are signatories are thus investing in renewable energy technology options in the industries. The UK government considers climate change as a priority. Its approaches include targeting households to help in energy saving and strengthen renewable energy adoption. Civil society, community and private organizations are also strengthened through grants to help in generation of renewable heat from the renewable sources (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 115). The industrialized countries are re-focusing investments towards generation of renewable energies that are environmentally friendly and are sustainable. There is thus need to encourage less use of fossil fuels and more investment in the bio-fuels. Improvement of energy efficiency is a good government strategy for dealing with the climate change problems. Reduced use of energy implies reduced production of carbon dioxide. Karlsson et al (2010 p. 501) cited that this calls for more efficient vehicles, motors, appliances and industrial processes. Besides, development of renewable energy sources such as solar, geothermal, hydroelectricity, and biomass should be encouraged to reduce the consequences of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The transport sector should reduce gasoline consumption. The trucks, cars and buses use almost half of the oil in the United States. There is therefore urgent need for investment in electric and fuel-celled vehicles so as to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide. Transport policies should also encourage less driving of single-passenger vehicles in order to reduce greenhouse emissions (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 115). Human activities that involve land use are largely to blame for destruction of the environment. Governments should focus on developing agricultural policies that discourage environmentally hazardous practices and activities such deforestation and other human activities that are dangerous to the environment. Climate change has negatively impacted on food security. In order to therefore fight poverty, climate change must be addressed through agricultural activities and policies that are environmentally friendly (Kammen Casillas 2010, p. 1181-1182). Conclusion Climate change is greatly caused by human activities more than the natural processes. Industrialization and agricultural activities are largely responsible for the production of greenhouse gases that promote global warming and other consequences. These threaten wildlife and human existence and as such should be addressed. Renewable energy is the potential rescue of the environment from the negative effects of human activities. Governments and countries thus need to use less of fossil fuels and invest more in renewable energy technology options. These include hydropower, geothermal, wind energy and other reliable sources of environmentally friendly renewable energy sources.

Night :: essays research papers

Night The Halocaust, a horrible time for the world. Just as any war is. War is the single most destructive thing our world has. It can take the lives of millions of people in just a few seconds.War however may seem bad from the perspective of many people, but it is even worse from the perspective of a single person. A boy for instance, trapped between two opposing forces. Elie for example has lived through this. A boy of only 15, how much he has suffered through. During the course of the book Night it is obvious that Elie lost faith in his god. "For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless his name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Poerful and terrible, was silent. what had I to thank him for?" (31). This is Elie's first sign of losing faith. In his mind he wondered how a god, so great and wonderful hasn't helped out his people, But rather let them see how cruel people can be. Elie said this after he had witnessed babies sent to their doom in a pit of fire. How could he not ask his god why he hasn't done anything. A boy of 15 years old should not witness this, nor should anyone witness these acts of hatred. "Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever." (32) From that moment on, Elie had no reason to believe in God. The flames which Madame Schachter had spoke about on the train. If only they realized it sooner. God, the most important role in human civilization was going to let the slaughter of innocent people go on in his world. Many people lost faith during this time. The sight of someone being beaten infront of you, but knowing that if you help, it'll be even worse for you. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my god and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things even if I am condemmed to live as long as God Himself, forever. Never. (32) Something so powerful it could murder a once very religous boy's faith forever. He would never be able to turn back like he once did, to ask God "Why?". God lives

What are the worlds most important population problems?

The discussion of the world’s most important population problems is extremely necessary and timely. The essay correctly observes that the two most important population problems are population growth and international migration. The first problem endangers the environmental balance of our planet and puts excessive strength on resources. The second problem contributes to conflicts and tensions in many societies around the globe. The essay argues that social structures in poor countries are the cause of exponential population growth. It is true that industrialization makes labor more automated, thus decreasing the need for a constant supply of labor. However, no clear link is drawn between social structures and desire to have more children. The essay notes that poor countries lack essential social services, such as education, and families lack their own economic resources to equip children with necessary skills and knowledge. Paradoxically, this does not lead to a decrease in the number of births; the essay fails to explain this phenomenon. As concerns international migration, few reasons are given to support the claim that it is one of the world’s most pressing problems. The only reason cited is that immigrants are the burden on a country’s social service sector, resulting in increased costs for medical care, education, and other costs. Other negative developments associated with the influx of immigrants are left without attention. These developments include higher crime rates, interethnic tensions, and increased costs of providing multilingual services to immigrants from different ethnic backgrounds. More far-reaching implications, such as the danger to national identity and unity, are also not discussed.

Land Acquisition in Zambia

Due to the effects of food price crisis of 2007-2008, there was growing concern among the nations about the food security. There was surge in demand for food products by the food importing countries and subsequently food-producing countries imposed some restrictions on the food exports of food grains. In order to meet the growing demand of food and face increasing pressures on natural resources and water scarcity, the countries with land and water constraints needed an alternative means of producing food. Acquisition of farmland in the developing countries by these countries seeks to ensure food security. More on the land acquisition drive) These investments are not driven by the notion of comparative advantage in the large-scale production of indigenous crop (Mann and Smaller; 1; January 2010). The higher oil prices in 2007-2008 were another driver, which triggered interest of developed countries to acquire land for energy crops. Global financial crisis also encouraged investors to invest in foreign lands. The value of both food and fertile land was set to increase, making them an attractive new investment. Budgetary resources in developing countries may not be enough to meet infrastructural investment required to use the land to its potential. Some developing countries are seeking foreign investment to exploit their surplus land which is currently unused or under-utilized. This may lead to creation of jobs in rural areas and there may also be investment in health and education sector. Technology transfer by the investor countries may lead to increase in farm productivity. However these investments are not without trade offs. There are concerns about the impact on local poor people, who lack access to and control over land on which they depend. There can be local unemployment because of projects with imported workforce and high degree of mechanization. It will also lead to increase in regional land prices through soaring competition with regard to acreage and resources, and thus less access of land to poor people. Foreign investors can also emerge as strong competitors to local producers, especially small households. There is also risk of land conflicts in territories without well defined land titles (Bicker and Breuer; 37; April 2009). In some cases, the land leases are justified on the basis that the land being acquired by the foreign investor is â€Å"unproductive† or â€Å"underutilized. † However, there may be that the land is being used by poor for purposes such as grazing animals and gathering fuel wood or medicinal plants. These uses tend to be undervalued in official assessments because they are not marketed, but they can provide valuable livelihood sources to the poor. †(Von Braun and Meinzen-Dick; 2; April 2009) Large-scale land acquisitions may further jeopardize the welfare of the poor by depriving them of the safety-net function of this type. There can be misappropriation of arable land, displacement of indigenous people without compensation and migration to cities. So it is crucial to ensure that these land deals, and the environment within which they take place, are designed in a ways that will reduce the threats and facilitate the â€Å"win-win† situation for all the parties involved. According to Sustainable development innovation briefs (January 2010), â€Å"There are three sources of law governing foreign investment in agricultural land. 1) Domestic law 2) International investment contract 3) International investment agreements (IIAs) According to Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives of Republic of Zambia, Zambia has the best surface and underground water resources in Africa, with many rivers, lakes and dams. Sharing borders with eight countries, Zambia is centrally situated as a gateway to both southern and central Africa. This location is strategically advantageous by placing Zambia in a position to exploit the growing regional markets of SADC and COMESA, and be an active participant in regional and international agriculture trade initiatives (Source: The best of Zambia). Even with resource endowment for development of a wide range crops, livestock, and fish given the diversity of its agro-ecological zones, there was lack of cultivation because initially labour was forced toward mining sector. Urbanization kept the people to cities only. There was lack of infrastructure and utilities in rural areas which imposes a higher social cost in moving towards agriculture sector. The policies which took place were directed towards the development of mining sector, neglecting agriculture. It is generally seen that the developed countries are mainly with expanding industrial sector. These developed countries have initially accumulated the surplus in agriculture sector and then invested that surplus for expansion of industrial sector. So there is need to develop agriculture initially. Zambia is rich in mineral resources. To explore the potential there is need to develop agriculture sector. In Zambia, most farmers are insecure in the ownership of the land they work in. Less than 5% of them have leasehold title for their land. Most farmers pay rent to titleholders or have some kind of sharecropping arrangement with the title owners. Others depend on land owned either by the government or private owners, or on council or forestry land for their living. Those living in areas of customary land use do not need to be consulted before mining operations are allowed, and are usually not even aware of the possibility of placing land disputes before the Lands Tribunal (MacCuish and Frankel on behalf of Halifax Initiative Coalition). The efforts of the Agriculture Department to mark off ownership and use of agricultural areas were hindered by the lack of information about who owned the land. According to report of Global Times ( 9 September 2009), The Zambian government is to devise measures that would smoothen and quicken the acquisition of title deeds by prospective land owners, this was done in a bid to empower the less privileged people to own land in the country. The poor people can use land as collateral for them to access loans for land development. According to Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Zambia (26 January 2010), â€Å"Out of 75 million hectares land of Zambia, 43 million hectares (53%) is classified as medium to high potential for agriculture production. So far only 6. 02 (14%) of agricultural land is currently utilized. Irrigation total potential is 2. 7 million hectares out of which about 156000 hectares is under irrigation†. Framers are given a good price for grain but due to lack of market access the move is outweighed by poor infrastructure. Zambia endowed with rich natural resources needs investment by foreign investors to strengthen Zambia’s economic muscle (Zambia Mail dated May 11, 2010) Acquisition of land by the foreign investors is controversial and carriers many risks. Foreign investment can also be made through contract farming and out-growers scheme or joint venture or provision of infrastructure by the investor country. (David Hallam; 6; December, 2009) According to FAO (2001), â€Å"Contract farming can be defined as an agreement between farmers and processing/marketing firms for the production and supply of agriculture products under forward agreement, frequently at predetermined prices. The arrangements also invariably involve the purchaser in providing a degree of production support through, for example, the supply of inputs and provision of technical advice. The basis of such arrangements is a commitment on the part of the farmer to provide a specific commodity in quantities and at quality standards determined by the purchaser and a commitment on the part of the company to support the farmer’s production and to purchase the commodity†. In contract farming, farmers have to loose some freedom over the choice of crops they want to grow. The main commodities produced by small-scale farmers in Zambia under contract farming arrangements are cotton, tobacco, coffee, sugar, paprika and fresh vegetables. Of late honey, livestock (pigs and dairy cattle) and organic products are also coming up. Likilunga; 3; December 2005) Nevertheless, joint ventures between foreign investors and local producers or their associations as partners might offer more spillover benefits for the host country. Mixed models are also possible with investments in a large-scale core enterprise at the centre but also involving outgrowers under contracts to supplement core production. Some governments have been active in encouraging foreign involvement in such enterprises, as in the Tanzanian sugar sector or the so-called â€Å"Farm Blocks† in Zambia (David Hallam; 6; December, 2009). Zambian government has embarked on a programme to open up viable farm blocks in various parts of country to be involved in primary production and value addition. In Farm Block Development, Government has to provide basic infrastructure such as road, bridges and electrification. The design of Farm block is as follow. There is one core venture of 10,000 Hectares with commercial farms of 1000-5000 Hectares and small holdings of 30-300 Hectares. (Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Zambia; 26 January 2010). The type of business model to be adopted depends on certain characteristics of the economy i. e. olitical and social conditions, specific circumstances, the commodity concerned etc. Land acquisition and commercialization of agriculture is favorable, when economies of scale are important or there is need for investment in infrastructure. Contract farming or outgrower scheme is desirable when there in need to involve small landholders, but in contract farming care should be taken that contracts are properly implemented and there is no exploitation of smallholders by the big firms. The litigation process in Zambia takes too long and therefore enforceability through litigation process is costly and therefore not resorted to. There is weakness of enforceability when contract is breached. Donor funding forms a big part of Zambia’s spending plan (The Africa report; October 2009). China, India, South-Korea and oil-rich gulf countries with land and water constraints are turning to Africa as food security blanket. Saudi Arabia is interested in area of agriculture in Zambia. China is proposing to acquire 5 million acres of land to grow jatropha. Jatropha is a perennial plant, which can be used as biofuel. Plantation have yield after 2-3 years. In the short run there will be loss but in long run there will be gains. Income generated from plantation will vary from year to year. Growing Jatropha needs long term investment, which is vulnerable to risk due to uncertainty in price, yield, labour cost and rate of interest. Biofuel can provide hedge against climate change. Jatropha can also be used as a substitute for expensive kerosene, fertilizer and diesel. It needs less water so there is no need of major irrigation facilities. Jatropha can be planted during spare time in idle or fallow land, for which lot of officially unused land and degraded bush land seems available. Cultivation of Jatropha on abandoned agricultural, deforested or degraded land has the potential to improve the nutrient content of the soil and reduce erosion. Thus, this may improve the value of the land. However, the expanding use of land for the Jatropha production, even though it is marginal land, could mean that people living in the area would have to find other places for collecting firewood, herbs and fields for pasture land etc. So the selection of land for production should be done very carefully. Land grab in Africa mainly for biofuels has serious implications for food security. This however but it depend on the ownership of the land and how much space the production of Jatropha takes up. Biodiesel is mainly used by developed countries. If the price of food grains increases, then the people in developing country will suffer. Food security could even decrease where land and water resources are commandeered by the international investment project at the expense of domestic smallholders or where foreign investments push up land values. There can also be worst case scenario that there is production of 100 unit’s energy biodiesel from the inputs of 127 unit’s energy. The advertising that agro-fuels will assist farmers is based on the notion that the decisions about the use of the land remain decentralized within the country. Farmers should be given free will to decide how to plant Jatropha to produce oil for lamps or sop or bio-diesel for their vehicles. But the scenario set up by the large corporations is not what is desirable. There is usurpation of huge tracts of African land for overseas consumption and if they ruin the ecosystem, they conveniently make a move to other areas (MS Zambia Newsletter August 2009). Production of Jatropha is mainly done by the Out grower schemes. It is found that mostly there were no formal contracts for production. Even if contracts exist, there was no enforcement. Even farmers are not satisfied with Outgrowing system. Firms promise to endow the farmers with technology but fail to turn up again to provide information on technical issues. Production is targeted toward export and fails to benefit Zambian people. This can be confirmed by the fact that there exist no refineries in Zambia. There is need to set up a monitoring committee which can observe that all the contracts taking place are implemented. Strict actions should be taken if contracts are not enforced. The land grabbing has become very sophisticated and the poor are bound to suffer. There is need to lobby government for some policy changes. Civil societies should come up for the benefit of small holders and there is need to sensitize and assist the poor access and legally own land. Building the capacity of small scale farmers and their organizations to be part of the new agribusiness dispensation through direct investments as well as in partnership with foreign investors is desirable. There is need to empower the rural communities’ access and communally own land through ‘Community land titles’ to protect them in the future land concessions. (MS Zambia Newsletter August 2009). There is need by government to put more conducive environment by setting up â€Å"small claims courts’. There is need for further training of small-scale farmers so that they can develop skills in negotiating for good prices for their commodities. (Likilunga; 12; December 2005) â€Å"Extensive control of land by other countries can also raise questions of political interference and influence. (David Hallam; December 2009). Government maintains secrecy in the deals involving foreign investors. This lack in transparency undermines government accountability and gives an opportunity for corruption. Some recently reported land deals were associated with allegations that investors had paid cash or in-kind contributions to business or other activities run by high government officials or even the president in a personal capacity (e. g. Hervieu, 2009), even where private ownership is formally recognized most of the land is controlled by state (Cotula, Vermulen, Leonard and Keeley; 69; 2009). It has been seen that incomes are very unevenly distributed in Zambia. â€Å"Bottom 80% of populations in terms of earning are reported to have acquired only 31. 3% of total income, while the top 20% of population claimed 68. 87% of total income†. (Zambian Economist, 31 May, 2008). Non availability of written agreement on land acquisition has created disputes in some settlement area. A vigorous consultative process on land acquisition has to be adopted o minimize these land disputes. It is required to have all the deals in the written form. Appropriate Resettlement policy should be in place and adequate compensation should be give to the displaced farmers. Farmers generally practice subsistence farming and the land of cultivation is scattered. Most of the rural population keeps on migrating within the country. The liberalization of the agriculture sector and other reforms in Zambia, were accompanied by the decline in cultivated land and maize production. The proportion of households selling to the market and concentration of serves in central areas was also reduced. (Sangrario Floro and Schaefer: 84; fall 1998). With privatization, subsistence farmers have to move out. Before the reforms, Government bore all the transportation expenses both within and between regions and gave huge fertilizer subsidy so the prices of food grain as same for all producers. After reforms of 1990s, it was found that the cost of production has increased drastically because of high transportation costs and removal of subsidies for fertilizer, forcing farmers to sell at farm gate only. Thus the supply to market was nil. Evidence can be taken from the copper mines in Zambia, which was privatized in 1991. Large tract of land was required for development of new mines. There was often negotiation with local chiefs for land. Local people were persuaded on the trust that they will be relocated to other areas. Most often interest of local people was in variance with that of investors. Sometimes the local chiefs enter into secret deals with investors and accepted bribes as an inducement to persuade their subjects to acquiesce to investors’ demands. Impact of large scale mining on local community has been negative. There were social conflicts, destruction of livelihood, dislocation and displacement of local communities and environment degradation (Simutanya, ISS paper 165; July 2008). In case of foreign investments, it is noticed that Zambians were not given many job opportunities and people were placed from permanent to rolling contracts leading to casualization of labour. If agriculture land is given in foreign hands, it can lead to similar consequences. Foreign investors are driven by profit motive. They generally us capital intensive techniques driving labour out of work force. They also try to minimize wages to capture more profits in their hands. Profit, rather than having any impact on Zambia economy, is placed in banks or re-invested in companies outside the country. But it is also seen that with privatization, all workers came as a union, there was increase in the minimum wages. It can also be expected from agriculture sector. If all agricultural workers work in a huge tract of land then even they can coordinate themselves and demand for better wages and better working conditions. ). The economical benefits were also marginal, leading to large inequalities. In 2009, more than 80% of Zambia’s foreign exchange earnings and 15. 9% of GDP came from copper mining. (iol. co. a: Zambia copper mines: More local benefits urged; April 2010). In 2006, the contribution of mining to PAYE[1] was 54%, to VAT[2] was 45% and to employment generation was 58%. (Source: Zambia Development Authority). But Zambia fails to influence World market prices. (Source: www1. america. edu) Fluctuations in copper prices can impact the whole economy. So there is need to develop agriculture sector also as a safety net. But in which direction policy should be made is yet to be decided. The policy recommendations should be such that it should not affect the social and environmental climate of the country.