• Title/Summary/Keyword: Food safety management

Search Result 1,021, Processing Time 0.041 seconds

MAKING AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE IN INDIA FARMER-FRIENDLY AND CLIMATE RESILIENT

  • Kumar, K. Nirmal Ravi
    • Agribusiness and Information Management
    • /
    • v.11 no.1
    • /
    • pp.27-39
    • /
    • 2019
  • Agricultural risks are exacerbated by a variety of factors ranging from climatevariability and change, frequent natural disasters, uncertainties in yields and prices, weakrural infrastructure, imperfect markets and lack of financial services including limited spanand design of risk mitigation instruments such as credit and insurance. Indian agriculture has little more than half (53%) of its area still rainfed and this makes it highly sensitive to vagaries of climate causing unstable output. Besides adverse climatic factors, there are man-made disasters such as fire, sale of spurious seeds, adulteration of pesticides and fertilizers etc., and all these severely affect farmers through loss in production and farm income, and are beyond the control of farmers. Hence, crop insurance' is considered to be the promising tool to insulate the farmers from risks faced by them and to sustain them in the agri-business. This paper critically evaluates the performance of recent crop insurance scheme viz., Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana (PMFBY) and its comparative performance with earlier agricultural insurance schemes implemented in the country. It is heartening that, the comparative performance of PMFBY with earlier schemes revealed that, the Government has definitely taken a leap forward in covering more number of farmers and bringing more area under crop insurance with the execution of this new scheme and on this front, it deserves the appreciation in fulfilling the objective for bringing more number of farmers under insurance cover. The use of mobile based technology, reduced number of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) and smart CCEs, digitization of land record and linking them to farmers' account for faster assessment/settlement of claims are some of the steps that contributed for effective implementation of this new crop insurance scheme. However, inadequate claim payments, errors in loss/yield assessment, delayed claim payment, no direct linkage between insurance companies and farmers are the major shortcomings of this scheme. This calls for revamping the crop insurance program in India from time to time in tune with the dynamic changes in climatic factors on one hand and to provide a safety-net for farmers to mitigate losses arising from climatic shocks on the other. The future research avenues include: insuring the revenue of the farmer (Price × Yield) as in USA and more and more tenant farmers should be brought under insurance by doling out discounts for group coverage of farmers like in Philippines where 20 per cent discount in premium is given for a group of 5-10 farmers, 30 per cent for a group of 10-20 and 40 per cent for a group of >20 farmers.

Floristic Study of Woraksan National Park in Korea (월악산 국립공원의 관속식물상)

  • Jang, Chang-Seok;Yang, Sun-Gyu;Jang, Hyun-Do;Lee, Ro-Young;Park, Min-Su;Kim, Ki-Hong;Oh, Byoung-Un
    • Korean Journal of Plant Resources
    • /
    • v.28 no.1
    • /
    • pp.35-63
    • /
    • 2015
  • A floristic, field research was conducted from March 2005 to October 2012 the Woraksan National Park (N $36^{\circ}46^{\prime}{\sim}36^{\circ}59^{\prime}$, E $128^{\circ}02^{\prime}{\sim}128^{\circ}19^{\prime}$) to characterize the flora of the region. Especially, we divided the surveyed region into nine representative collection areas based on floristic components were compared and analyzed. This field study discovered significant plants in various categories. The 41 surveys revealed that the vascular plants in this region comprised 815 taxa: 116 families, 429 genera, 717 species, 4 subspecies, 78 varieties and 16 forms. In this study, 80 taxa were firstly recorded from this region. Korean endemic plants numbered 22 taxa, and the fifteen taxa rare plants designated by Korean Forest Service as were found in this region. The taxa in the category II of rare and endangered plants and the taxa with the higher rank than the third degree among the floristic regional indicator plants designated by Korean Ministry of Environment were one and 56, respectively. From a geographical perspective, limited distributions of Matteuccia struthiopteris, Spiraea trichocarpa, and Aster tataricus at a latitudes higher than that of Woraksan National Park. Moreover, this study has confirmed that the Woraksan National Park is the species diversity center for Asarum koreanum, Elsholtzia angustifolia, and Allium linearifolium in the central province of the Korean peninsula. Inaddition, the naturalized plants of 54 taxa were recorded.

Inspection on the acoustic output of the focused extracorporeal focused shock wave therapeutic devices approved by MFDS (식약처에서 허가된 집속형 ESWT 치료기의 음향 출력 분석)

  • Choi, Min Joo;Jeon, Sung Joung;Kwon, Oh Bin;Lee, Min Young;Cho, Jin Sik;Kim, Han Soo;Maeng, Eun Ho
    • The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
    • /
    • v.39 no.4
    • /
    • pp.303-317
    • /
    • 2020
  • Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) is an innovative treatment in chronic musculoskeletal pain management and cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we surveyed the acoustic shock wave outputs from the domestically used focal type ESWT devices. The survey data were collected through 30 technical documents registered to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), Rep. Korea. The results show that the focusing geometry varies largely, 5 mm to 65 mm in the focal length, 3 mm to 30 mm in focal width, and 4 mm to 108 mm in focal depth. The maximum positive pressure (P+) ranges from 7 MPa to 280 MPa, the focal Energy Flux Density (EFD) from 0.0035 mJ/㎟ to 35 mJ/㎟, and the energy per pulse (E) from 0.737 mJ to 80.86 mJ. All domestic PE-type (five) and one EM-type domestic devices included in the analysis of the correlation between P+ and EFD are shown to be far beyond the usual ranges and do not comply with expected correlation so that the reliability of their data was suspected. For the suspected, post-performance tests are required by a recognized testing agency. MFDS guidelines need to be revised so that the pass criteria for the shock wave acoustic outputs can be based on the clinical tests for indications.

A Study on Ways to Activate School Trips and Field Trips Through Focus Group Interview : Focus on the Gyeongsangbuk-do Area (경상북도 수학여행과 현장체험학습 활성화 방안 연구: Focus Group Interview(FGI)를 통한 질적 연구)

  • Nam, Tae-Suk;Hur, Jong-Guk
    • Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
    • /
    • v.14 no.6
    • /
    • pp.29-42
    • /
    • 2020
  • This study, we will identify and analyze the current status and trends of successful field trips and field experience learning in Korea to improve the future operation of the center so that the purpose of enhancing the regional economic ripple effect in Gyeongsangbuk-do and regaining its reputation as a school trip mecca and No. 1 location can be found. This study conducted qualitative research through FGI (Focus Group Interview) on accommodation managers, tourism-related stakeholders, tourism officials stakeholders, and tourism professors in order to explore new concepts of field trips and field experience learning in 23 cities and counties in Gyeongsangbuk-do, and ways to develop and promote tour programs based on the importance of experience. Through the FGI (Focus Group Interview) analysis results, problems related to improvement of accommodation, food and beverage, safety and service, cooperation among local tourism officials, enhancement of satisfaction with student group visitors linked to unique tourism resources and promotion, diagnosis and introduction of acceptance posture, and management of local residents, local tourism officials and public officials in Gyeongsangbuk-do needed to present the direction and opportunity of tourism policies in Gyeongsangbuk-do.

A Blockchain Network Construction Tool and its Electronic Voting Application Case (블록체인 자동화도구 개발과 전자투표 적용사례)

  • AING TECKCHUN;KONG VUNGSOVANREACH;Okki Kim;Kyung-Hee Lee;Wan-Sup Cho
    • The Journal of Bigdata
    • /
    • v.6 no.2
    • /
    • pp.151-159
    • /
    • 2021
  • Construction of a blockchain network needs a cumbersome and time consuming activity. To overcome these limitations, global IT companies such as Microsoft are providing cloud-based blockchain services. In this paper, we propose a blockchain-based construction and management tool that enables blockchain developers, blockchain operators, and enterprises to deploy blockchain more comfortably in their infrastructure. This tool is implemented using Hyperledger Fabric, one of the famous private blockchain platforms, and Ansible, an open-source IT automation engine that supports network-wide deployment. Instead of complex and repetitive text commands, the tool provides a user-friendly web dashboard interface that allows users to seamlessly set up, deploy and interact with a blockchain network. With this proposed solution, blockchain developers, operators, and blockchain researchers can more easily build blockchain infrastructure, saving time and cost. To verify the usefulness and convenience of the proposed tool, a blockchain network that conducts electronic voting was built and tested. The construction of a blockchain network, which consists of writing more than 10 setting files and executing commands over hundreds of lines, can be replaced with simple input and click operations in the graphical user interface, saving user convenience and time. The proposed blockchain tool will be used to build trust data infrastructure in various fields such as food safety supply chain construction in the future.

The Current State of Intended Equipment for Heating in Medical Use Based on Domestic Licensed Medical Devices (국내 인·허가 온열의료기기 기술 현황 조사 및 분석)

  • Su-Ran Lim;Jung-Hwan Park;Ji-Yeun Park;Song-Yi Kim
    • Korean Journal of Acupuncture
    • /
    • v.40 no.4
    • /
    • pp.156-168
    • /
    • 2023
  • Objectives : This study aimed to determine the status of thermal stimulation devices approved in Korea for medical applications over the past 10 years, and based on this, to obtain insight for future thermal treatment in Korean medical institutions. Methods : We searched the item classification list entitled "Regulations on Medical Device Items and Rating by Item" from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Notice No. 2021-24, 2021 (Enforced March 19, 2021; www.mfds.go.kr) for individually licensed heaters using the terms "heat" and "heating". Results : We identified 17 items of thermal stimulation product group, of which 1,308 devices were licensed by February 4, 2022, and 53.2% of them (n=696) were devices with valid permits for distribution in Korea. Among the licensed devices, heating pad systems under/overlay (electric, home use) were approved the most, but combinational stimulator (for medical use, home use; Grade 2) accounted for the highest percentage among the current valid permission. Moxibustion apparatuses were licensed separately for electrical use and non-electrical use, and occupied a low percentage of the total devices. We analyzed 307 devices that were accompanied by technical documents and found that the heat sources were wires in 145 (47.2%), infrared rays in 44 (14.3%) and ultrasonic waves in 42 (13.7%) devices. Most (83.1%) devices were used for pain relief, while other applications included beauty, cancer treatment, maintenance of infant body temperature, and healing fractures. Conclusions : Thermal stimulation devices accounted for about 0.9% of all medical devices, and among them, combinational stimulators and heating pad systems under/overlay had the most valid permits. Thermal stimulation devices using heating wires and infrared rays were the most prevalent, and most were used to relieve pain. In order to develop a range of thermal stimulation devices that can be utilized in Korean medical institutions, it is imperative that they have potential applications beyond pain management, addressing various medical purposes. To achieve this, foundational research is necessary to effectively apply diverse heat sources based on medical objectives.

Exposure and Risk Assessments of Multimedia of Arsenic in the Environment (환경 중 비소의 매체통합 노출평가 및 위해성평가 연구)

  • Sim, Ki-Tae;Kim, Dong-Hoon;Lee, Jaewoo;Lee, Chae-Hong;Park, Soyeon;Seok, Kwang-Seol;Kim, Younghee
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
    • /
    • v.28 no.2
    • /
    • pp.152-168
    • /
    • 2019
  • The element arsenic, which is abundant in the Earth's crust, is used for various industrial purposes including materials for disease treatment and household goods. Various human activities, such as the disposal of soil waste, metal mining and smelting, and combustion of fossil fuels, have caused the pollution of the environment with arsenic. Recently, guidelines for arsenic in rice have been adopted by the Korean ministry of food and drug safety to prevent health risks based on rice consumption. Because of the exposure to arsenic and its accumulation in the human body through various channels, such as air inhalation, skin contact, ingestion of drinking water, and food consumption, integrated multimedia risk assessment is required to adopt appropriate risk management policies. Therefore, integrated human health risk assessment was carried out in this study using integrated exposure assessment based on multimedia (e.g., air, water, and soil) and multi-route (e.g., oral, inhalation, and dermal) scenarios. The results show that oral uptake via drinking water is the most common pathway of arsenic into the human body, accounting for 57%-96% of the total arsenic exposure. Among various age groups, the highest exposures to arsenic were observed in infants because the body weight of infants is low and the surface areas of infant bodies are large. Based on the results of the exposure assessment, the cancer and non-cancer risks were calculated. The cancer risk for CTE and RME is in the range of 2.3E-05 to 6.7E-05 and thus is negligible because it does not exceed the cancer probability of 1.0E-04 for all age groups. On the other hand, the cancer risk for RME varies from 6.4E-05 to 1.8E-04 and from 1.3E-04 to 1.8E-04 for infants and preschool children, exceeding the excess cancer risk of 1.0E-04. The non-cancer risks range from 5.4E-02 to 1.9E-01 and from 1.5E-01 to 6.8E-01, respectively. They do not exceed the hazard index 1 for all scenarios and all ages.

A study on inspection methods for waste treatment facilities(II): Derivation of problems and improvement direction in inspection methods (폐기물처리시설의 세부검사방법 마련연구(II): 세부검사방법 문제점도출 및 개선방향 설정)

  • Pul-Eip Lee;Eunhye Kwon;Jun-Ik Son;Jun-Gu Kang;Taewan Jeon;Dong-Jin Lee
    • Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
    • /
    • v.31 no.1
    • /
    • pp.85-100
    • /
    • 2023
  • In this study, in order to improve the installation periodical inspection method of waste treatment facilities, we conducted on-site surveys of waste treatment facilities classified into six fields, grasped the problems of inspection methods, and made improvements accordingly. And revised the inspection method for waste treatment facilities. As a result, in the field of incineration and incineration heat recovery, inspection methods such as total temperature measurement and one-year TMS data comparison using a thermal imaging camera were established. And for the safety of the inspected person, it was applied so that the waste can be replaced with a document without opening it. In the case of landfill facilities, the details regarding the use of video information processing equipment and the management of facilities covering the upper part of the landfill facility are presented in the law, but the items that do not have a inspection methods were applied to the inspection method. In the case of Food Waste Treatment Facility, inspection methods were put in place to ensure compliance with standards for foul-smelling fish in odor control, a major cause of complaints. As a result, 10 out of 18 improvement proposals were reflected in the incineration and sterilization grinding, cement kiln, and incineration heat recovery facilities, and 11 out of 12 improvement proposals were reflected in the landfill facility. In the case of food distribution waste treatment facilities, 10 out of 12 improvement proposals were reflected, and a total of 31 inspection methods were improved.

On the Novel Concept of "Accident" in the 1999 Montreal Convention -GN v. ZU, CJEU, 2019. 12. 19., C-532/18- (1999년 몬트리올 협약상 "사고"의 새로운 개념에 대한 고찰 - GN v. ZU, CJEU, 2019.12.19., C-532/18 -)

  • An, Ju-Yun
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
    • /
    • v.35 no.2
    • /
    • pp.3-40
    • /
    • 2020
  • The term "accident" in the Warsaw Convention of 1929 and the Montreal Convention of 1999, which govern carrier liability in international air transport, is an important criterion for determining carrier liability. However, because there is no explicit definition of the term in the treaty provisions, the term is largely subjected to the judgment and interpretation of the courts. Although there have been numerous changes in purpose and circumstance in the transition from the Warsaw regime to the conclusion of the Montreal Convention, there was no discussion on the concept of "accident" therefore, even after the adoption of the Montreal Convention, there is no doubt that the term is to be interpreted in the same manner as before. On this point, the United States Supreme Court's Air France v. Saks clarified the concept of "accident" and is still cited as an important precedent. Recently, the CJEU, in GN v. ZU, presented a new concept of "accident" introduced in the Montreal Convention: that "reference must be made to the ordinary meaning" in interpreting "accident" and that the term "covers all situations occurring on aboard an aircraft." Furthermore, the CJEU ruled that the term does not include the applicability of "hazards typically associated with aviation," which was controversial in previous cases. Such an interpretation can be reasonably seen as the court's expansion of the concept of "accident," with a focus on "protecting consumer interests," a core tenet of both the Montreal convention and the European Union Regulations(EC: No 889/2002). The CJEU's independent interpretation of "accident" is a departure from the Warsaw Convention and the Saks case, with their focus on "carrier protection," and instead focuses on the "passenger protection" standard of the Montreal Convention. Consequently, this expands both the court's discretion and the carrier's risk management liability. Such an interpretation by the CJEU can be said to be in line with the purpose of the Montreal Convention in terms of "passenger protection." However, there are problems to be considered in tandem with an expanded interpretation of "accident." First, there may be controversy concerning "balance" in that it focused on "passenger protection" in relation to the "equitable balance of interests" between air carriers and passengers, which is the basic purpose of the agreement. Second, huge losses are expected as many airlines fly to countries within the European Union. Third, there is now a gap in the interpretation of "accident" in Europe and the United States, which raises a question on the "unity of rules," another basic tenet of the Convention. Fourth, this interpretation of "accident" by the CJEU raises questions regarding its scope of application, as it only refers to the "hazards typically associated with aviation" and "situations occurring aboard an aircraft." In this case, the CJEU newly proposed a novel criterion for the interpretation of "accident" under the Montreal Convention. As this presents food for thought on the interpretation of "accident," it is necessary to pay close attention to any changes in court rulings in the future. In addition, it suggests that active measures be taken for passenger safety by recognizing air carriers' unlimited liability and conducting systematic reforms.

Evaluation on Heavy Metal Contents in Agricultural Soils around Industrial Complexes in Korea (공단 인근 농경지 토양 중 중금속 함량 평가)

  • Yun, Sun-Gang;Chae, Mi-Jin;Kim, Yoo-Hak;Kong, Myung-Suk;Jung, Ha-il;Kim, Suk-Cheol;Kim, Myoung-Suk;Park, Seong-Jin;Lee, Chang-Hoon;Yang, Jae-E;Kim, Sung-Chul;Kim, Gi-In;Kim, Gwon-Rae;Jung, Goo-Bok
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
    • /
    • v.37 no.2
    • /
    • pp.141-145
    • /
    • 2018
  • BACKGROUND: Agricultural soils are vulnerable from contamination of heavy metal derived from industrial waste. Monitoring on heavy metals on agricultural soils around industrial complexes and evaluation on distributional state on the concentrations of heavy metals in soil have been carried out for problem assessment on soil condition. METHODS AND RESULTS: Soil samples of 1,200, were collected from sixty site of industrial complexes located Gyounggi, Chungbuk, Cheonbuk, and Gyoungnam provinces. Total concentration of Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, and As were analyzed. Heavy metal concentrations in most soil samples were below warning criteria, except 1 site of Pb, Ni, and As, separately. The comparison of mean values of heavy metal concentrations between soils around industrial complexes and paddy soils, showed similar levels of heavy metals, except Pb. The concentrations of lots of heavy metals were distributed between from warning criteria to one fifth level of warning criteria. However, in the case of Cu and Pb, more than 30% were distributed below one twenties level of warning criteria. These results were very similar with the distribution state of heavy metals in upland soils. The concentrations of heavy metals in surface soil and subsoil were similar among the heavy metals in soils around industrial complexes. CONCLUSION: The concentrations of heavy metals in soils around industrial complexes were distributed close to warning criteria. Long term and continous monitoring and evaluation on heavy metals in agricultural soils are required for food safety and sustainable soil management.