the unpronouncably cool...

just bought my son a fjallraven's kanken daypack. i'm kind of obsessed with it...so much so, that i might pick one up for myself.

the swedish get it right every time... made of natural fibers, this daypack has a simple yet functional design that will stand the test of time. it's got pockets and compartments in all the right places without being overbearing.

PLUS, it comes in fifteen colors.

you might raise an eyebrow upon first look, but trust me all the cool kids will be sporting one soon enough.

Review of Agriculture and Agro-Industry Sector in Kazakhstan

Although the share of agriculture (and agro-industry) out of GDP is only 8 percent, agriculture (and agro-industry) is a very important sector in Kazakhstan, since over 40 percent of population still resides in rural areas and 20 percent of labor is employed by the agricultural sector.

Kazakhstan is one of the world’s largest grain producer and exporter. The main grain crop is wheat. It is specialized in the cattle-breeding and fruit-growing. Livestock production accounts for about 40 percent of the agricultural production in value. Livestock production has been a key economic activity in Kazakhstan for centuries and will continue to be a major source of employment, food supply, and income for the rural population. The production of meat and milk satisfies domestic demand, while vegetables and fruits partially satisfy domestic demand because of the logistic difficulties associated with transportation and storage.

Agricultural input industry such as agricultural machinery, fertilizer and agro-chemicals have not been developed due to the lack of investment. Thus, the availability of agricultural input is too low, limiting yield increase across all agricultural sectors.

Food processing in Kazakhstan is one of the strategically important industry in provisioning high quality food for the population. Food processing industry consists of more than 30 specialized sectors, sub sectors and separate manufactures. It includes about 5,151 plants and manufacturers, 80 percent of which are small and medium–size enterprises. The SMEs employs 69.4 thousand people that is 10.3 percent of total employees in all industries of the country.

The major segments of food processing industry include flour-and-cereals, meat processing, dairy, fruits and vegetables processing. Flour and cereals account for 74.3 percent of the total enterprises in terms of the number of enterprises.

Table 1. Distribution of Agro-industry by Commodity Types in Kazakhstan, 2004

Sectors of Agro-Industry	Ratio (%)
Flour and cereal Meat processing Dairy Fruits and vegetable processing Others	74.3 14.1 8.5 2.7 0.4
Total	100

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Kazakhstan

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Review of Agriculture and Agro-Industry Sector in the CIS

The CIS countries began their economic transition in 1989-1990 based on the common institutional and organizational heritage in agriculture. In the past, there was no land ownership, and most land was cultivated in the form of large-scale collective farms sized at thousands of hectares. Each farm employed hundreds of workers.

Product markets and input supply channels were largely controlled by state organizations under the command economic framework with virtually no budget constraint. This was the Soviet model of socialist agriculture that dominated the region since the early 1950s. The inefficiency of socialized agriculture was a result of the command economy, which curbed the farms from the contact with market economy, set central targets with no consideration of consumer preferences, and allowed farms to function under soft budget constraints without proper profit accountability.

The missing of market signals resulted in inefficiency in the agricultural marketing and food processing industry. Agro-processing industries, or simply agro-based industries, can be described as industries that add value to agricultural raw materials, both food and non-food, through processing them into marketable, usable or edible products, while enhancing the income and profitability of the producers (UNESCAP, 2003).

During the economic transition, the lack of investments and serious budget constraints affected development of agriculture and agro-industry. While recent successful land reform processes in the countries were positive steps toward market-oriented agro-industry, suboptimal input use, such as low fertilizer, chemical supply and old machineries, is still problematic.

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Eat those greens =)

This is an AWESOME video on the Superfood Kale!! Check it out!

Kalicious Greens

2 Large Bunches of Kale (washed and chopped)

1 Cup Veggie Broth

 3 Garlic Cloves Minced

2 TBS Olive Oil

2 TBS Vegan Butter

Heat large skillet to medium/low heat. Add olive oil and butter. Brown garlic in butter and oil mixture. Add kale and veggie broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy ♥

Agriculture and Agro-Industry Sector in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): Macroeconomic Indicator

Before the Soviet Union was disintegrated and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formulated, the region was a unified market and an integrated production and trading network under the Soviet economic system, including products of agriculture and agro-industry sector. In the region, employment, income and social indicators were broadly average level, and poverty was virtually unknown. After the Soviet Union disintegration, however, national borders and import controls were created, converting these countries into small, segmented market economies with limited growth potential.

Table 1. Macroeconomic Indicators of Selected CIS Countries (Year 2003)

	Kazakhstan	Uzbekistan	Mongolia	Kyrgyz Rep.	Tajikistan
Total Population (million)	14.91	25.7	2.5	5.0	6.6
% of Urban Population	56.6	36.5	53.4	34.8	26.5
Employed (million) - Agriculture and Forestry - Industry - Others	7.0 2.4 0.9 3.7	9.5 3.0 1.2 5.3	0.9 0.4 0.1 0.4	1.8 0.9 0.2 0.7	1.9 1.3 0.1 0.5
Unemployed (million)	0.7	0.4	0.03	0.2	0.05
Employment rate (%)	8.8	29.4*	3.5	8.6	2.4
GDP (current US$)	29.7 bill	9.9 bill	1.3 bill	1.9 bill	1.6 bill
% of GDP - Agriculture - Industry - Services	7.9 35.1 57.1	33.1 23.5 43.4	20.1 25.3 54.6	37.2 23.3 39.5	28.2 28.1 43.7

Source: ADB and WB.
*: calculated

Table 1 shows that selected CIS countries are suffering relatively high unemployment rate from limited industrial development compared with agriculture. In most selected CIS countries, especially in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan, agriculture is the major industry of providing employment opportunity and considerable share of GDP. At the end of 2003, average per capita incomes of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz republic, and Tajikistan were less than US$ 400, which is below the average per capita incomes of South Asia ($460) and sub-Saharan Africa ($450). Average per capita incomes of Mongolia and Kazakhstan recorded about US$ 457 and US$ 1,300 respectively.

Kazakhstan is the biggest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) followed by Mongolia and Uzbekistan among selected CIS countries. The economies of Mongolia and Tajikistan rely on import and export of goods and services. This indicates that the countries' domestic market is still weak.

Table 2. Trade and Finance Indicators of Selected CIS Countries (Year 2003)

	Kazakhstan	Uzbekistan	Mongolia	Kyrgyz Rep.	Tajikistan
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP)	50.4	36.7	67.6	38.0	60.0
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP)	44.2	29.6	53.4	34.8	26.5
Foreign direct investment (US$)	2.1 bill.	70.0 mill.	131.5 mill.	45.5 mill.	31.7 mill.
Present value of debt (US$)	23.1 bill.	4.8 bill.	1.1 bill.	1.6 bill.	0.9 bill.
Short-term debt outstanding (current US$)	2.8 bill.	221.0 mill.	285.2 mill	38.7 mill.	81.7 mill.
Aid per capita (current US$)	18.0	7.6	99.7	39.1	22.9

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hanky pysanky...

every year when easter rolls around, i find myself trying to think of fun, creative, eye catching ways to decorate eggs. but, nothing i do holds a candle to the elaborately beautiful pysanky eggs of nicole bergeron.

pysanky is a ukranian decorating technique where eggs are decorated in very detailed patterns using batik techniques. if you can't tell from looking at these mini-masterpieces, pysanky requires time, patience, and a skilled steady hand...

i'm tempted to try and make ONE egg and show it off at easter, but i am not sure i'm quite up for the challenge. plus, with easter only two weeks away, the better bet is for me to visit nicole's shop and buy a few.

Noni Juice, a Functional Food for Human Health

Noni Juice which made from Noni fruit is one of functional foods that has good effects for human health.  Functional food is any healthy food claimed to have a health-promoting or disease-preventing property beyond the basic function of supplying nutrients. The general category of functional foods includes processed food or foods fortified with health-promoting additives, like "vitamin-enriched" products. Fermented foods with live cultures are considered as functional foods with probiotic benefits.

All humans are addicted to the delicious taste of junk food. We crave it, dream about it, and often want it when we are on our rigorous diets. Somehow it is embedded in our brains that it is something we need. Unfortunately, these types of foods are anything but beneficial to our health. While we wish that they could be on the top of our diet plans, they should be eliminated immediately. Luckily, there are healthy foods that are delicious, without the thousands of calories in one bite.

When deciding what foods to eat, you need to think in moderation. Smaller portions are always the right way to go, regardless of what you’re eating. For instance, if you would love to have a piece of apple pie, try taking a few bites instead of a large piece with ice cream. It has been shown that people who cut back on their portion sizes actually lose an abundance of weight. No matter what size you are, it is healthier to reduce the amount of junk food you eat.

Are you looking for additional ways to eat right? While vegetables and fruit are just common sense, it is crucial that you try these foods for snacks. Instead of grabbing a handful of candy or a piece of cake for a mid-afternoon snack, try a handful of carrots or a yogurt mixed with cereal. These delicious treats are wonderful when you are starving, but don’t want to ruin your waistline.

Regardless of your diet routine, trainers and dieticians around the world will tell you to eat more than three meals a day. Forget starving yourself if you want to lose weight! In order to burn the right fat and speed up your metabolism, you must eat smaller meals around the clock. This means that breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack and dinner is essential to look great. It not only will curb your appetite and keep you hungry, but it also will help the pounds slip right off.

Besides eating right, there are also nutritional supplements that can work wonders. Noni Juice, for instance, is a fruit juice that began in the Pacific Islands. With all natural herbs and vitamins, this product is great for anyone who wants to boost their metabolism. It also keeps your immune system healthy, as well as increases overall energy. The majority of consumers love to drink this product after they have exercised. As a result, they feel more refreshed and can continue their day without feeling drained. These tasty nutrients may taste like you are devouring a calorie filled treat, but it actually is extremely beneficial for your health.

We all see the perfect bodies on the magazines -- frail-like and flawless. Unfortunately, we start to take on these perceptions of beauty, once these images are constantly on our minds. Realistically, no one is perfect. We all are beautiful, regardless of curves or bones. However, being healthy is the most important aspect. Without health, we are nothing. Forget about the physical aspects and worry about the foods you are consuming, and the nutrients that are inside them. With a new outlook, you may think differently.

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