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Agricultural Sciences

Environmental Pollution
commentary
Ammonia – Why the Big Stink?
Sarah Giles, Hadeel Tabaqchali, Susan Guthrie, Catriona Manville
Sep 18, 2018
The Royal Society
Ammonia pollution harms human health and reduces the richness and diversity of the environment. As new policy frameworks are implemented in the UK, there is an opportunity to support farmers to make the changes necessary to reduce ammonia pollution.
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Civilian and Commercial Drones
commentary
Drones Could Deliver Change to Africa
Shira Efron
Nov 17, 2017
Inside Sources
Drones could transform Africa's urban and rural infrastructure and enhance its agricultural productivity. But deployment of drones on the continent faces technological, economic, social, and legal, and regulatory challenges.
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Engineers and Engineering
blog
How the Drinking Bird Foiled a Spruce Goose Engineer
Jun 29, 2017
The famous drinking bird toy gave RAND's Dick Murrow an idea that might help Egyptian farmers. But Murrow, who previously led Howard Hughes's Spruce Goose design team, couldn't secure funding to get the concept off the ground.
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Antimicrobial Resistance
commentary
Europe's Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance
Elta Smith, Catherine A. Lichten
Nov 3, 2016
E!Sharp
The EC's AMR Action Plan included measures to ensure antimicrobials are used more appropriately in both humans and animals and measures to stimulate R&D of new antibiotics. One area that was not sufficiently covered was the environment.
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Antimicrobial Resistance
commentary
Why the United Nations General Assembly Session on Antimicrobial Resistance Matters
Jirka Taylor, Elta Smith
Sep 19, 2016
The RAND Blog
Many common infections are becoming resistant to the antimicrobial medicines used to treat them, resulting in longer illnesses and more deaths. The fact that world leaders are using the UN as a forum for discussions about AMR is a promising move toward developing a coordinated global plan.
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Antimicrobial Resistance
commentary
European and American Efforts to Tackle AMR: Great Minds Think Alike (Almost Always)
Jirka Taylor, Elta Smith
Aug 19, 2016
The Health Care Blog
The U.S. and the EU are committed to tackling antimicrobial resistance. Their efforts share objectives around key areas for improvement, such as the stewardship of existing antimicrobials, surveillance of their use, and development of new antimicrobials.
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Antimicrobial Resistance
commentary
The Global Economic Costs of Antimicrobial Resistance
Jirka Taylor, Catherine A. Lichten, Elta Smith
May 20, 2016
Cultures Magazine
In addition to being a public health problem, antimicrobial resistance is also a major economic concern. It crosses sectoral boundaries, because resistant bugs can pass between animals and humans, and through food, agriculture, and the environment.
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European Union
commentary
TAFTA: SMEs Would Benefit Greatly
Charles P. Ries @charles_ries
Feb 6, 2013
International Trade News
Is the time really ripe for a free trade treaty (TAFTA) between the US and Europe? A TAFTA would liberate small and medium size businesses from a painful cost burden, writes Charles Ries in a guest editorial for International Trade News.
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Developing Countries
commentary
Africa Needs Its Own Indicators of Scientific Innovation
Watu Wamae
Jul 6, 2011
SciDev.Net
Policies to stimulate African development require evidence that is difficult to obtain using existing indicators, writes Watu Wamae.
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commentary
Perceptions of Food That Are an Ocean Apart
Felicia Wu
May 12, 2004
The Financial Times
Published commentary by RAND staff.
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commentary
Want to Help Africa? Stop Farm Subsidies
Carl Bildt
Jun 18, 2002
Wall Street Journal
Published commentary by RAND staff.
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