Saturday, May 23, 2020

Cocoa Production in West Africa - 1588 Words

By Darren Francis 10/22/2010 Cocoa Production in West Africa This map shows the main cocoa production areas in West Africa. The patterns shows on this map indicate that the Southern coastline of West Africa is a major cocoa bean producing area. The pattern starts at Sierra Leone and follows the coastline down to Cameroon. Some exception to this pattern is in Nigeria, in the area of Port Harcourt there is no production and in Benin there is also no production. The brighter orange as indicated on the map which is the main part of Cà ´te d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Ghana accounts for 60% - 2.2 million metric tons of World cocoa production while all cocoa production in West Africa accounts for more than 70% - of World cocoa production.†¦show more content†¦Young boys whose ages range from 12 to 16 have been sold into slave labour and are forced to work in cocoa farms in order to harvest the beans, from which chocolate is made, under inhumane conditions and extreme abuse. Top five producing countries of Cocoa in 2007-2008 Country | Amount produced | Percentage of world production | Cà ´te d Ivoire | 1.3 million tons | 37.4% | Ghana | 720 thousand tons | 20.7% | Indonesia | 440 thousand tons | 12.7% | Cameroon | 175 thousand tons | 5.0% | Nigeria | 160 thousand tons | 4.6% | The countries in bold are all from the West African region which shows how important the West African region is for world cocoa production. Two main issues with cocoa are child labourers and climate change. CHILD LABOUR If we eat chocolate then through trading in some way we are all involved whether it is the governments, the farmers, the chocolate manufacturers, or consumers who unknowingly buy chocolate we are all responsible for the atrocity that is child labour in West Africa. A UNICEF study reports that 200,000 children are trafficked yearly in West and Central Africa. The trafficking occurs across many countries including Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana. Slave traders traffic boys ranging from the age of 12 to 16 from their home countries and sell them to cocoa farmers in Cote d Ivoire. They work on small farms across the country, harvesting the cocoa beans day andShow MoreRelatedNestle Is A Food And Beverage Company996 Words   |  4 Pagesretrieves them from, and some of the views outsiders have on the product as well as the company. When the phrase, â€Å"What ingredients are in a Butterfinger?† is typed into a local search engine a list appears. This list of ingredients includes, sugar, cocoa, soybean oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and many others. My research continued when I decided to figure out where all the ingredients were supplied from. This was quite a challenge since Nestle keeps most of their suppliers a secret, howeverRead MoreThe Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar1468 Words   |  6 Pagesstill be if more people knew how it came to be that? One of chocolates main ingredients is cocoa. Cocoa, or cocoa beans come from tropical areas around the world, but is mostly found on the Ivory Coast in West Africa. Hershey, along with Mars and Nestle are the three major companies that buy their cocoa from West Africa, but with further investigation, it has been known that over 4,400 children work on those cocoa farms that they buy from. Hershey has bought and produced tons of chocolate for over 50Read MoreChild Labor, Slavery, And Human Trafficking1703 Words   |  7 Pagesto remedy the problem. Within their $60-billion industry, chocolate companies have the power to end the use of child labor and slave labor by paying cocoa farmers a living wage for their product. The chocolate industry is also being called upon to develop and financially support programs to rescue and rehabilitate children who have been sold to cocoa farms. To date, the industry has done little to remove child labor, let alone aid survivors of child labor. Hershey’s, the largest chocolate manufacturerRead MoreCocoa Production in Ghana: A Mechanism for Biodiversity Conservation1313 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction When it comes to intensive farming systems, many rural farmers face a trade-off between agricultural production and biodiversity . In order to protect the biodiversity, farmers must sacrifice agricultural production. Hence, the challenge is to continuously expand food production while bearing no negative effects on biodiversity. These negative effects widely include deforestation, disrupting ecosystem integrity and species viability. In light of these issues, better farming technologiesRead MoreThe Solutions Of Chocolate Shortages1232 Words   |  5 Pagessupply of cocoa has been a big problem caused by different factors. We should analyze the problems, causes and effects, and the solutions in order to produce a more and better quality of cocoa. Asian courtiers are one of the potential cocoa production places in the future according to Fay Fay Choo, Asia cocoa director at Mars, said† I think Asia is where growth is going to be for the next 10-20 years.† (Confectionery, 2 015) It’s important to analyze the problems which cause a shortage in cocoa. AfterRead MoreBulgarias Foreign Trade with Chocolate1332 Words   |  6 Pagescountries in West Africa, such as Cote d’Ivoire. The production of chocolate takes place in several stages. First, the bitter cacao seeds have to be fermented so that their intense bitter taste becomes milder. After fermentation, the beans are dried, cleaned and roasted. The cocoa mass is then obtained, which represents pure chocolate in rough form. When this mass is liquefied, it is transformed into chocolate liquor, which, on the other hand, may be further processed into cocoa solids or cocoa butterRead MoreGlobal Chocolate Shortages Coming : What Will Need For Be Done About Alternatives And Economic Effects?1068 Words   |  5 Pagesshortages are cocoa shortages and over consumption. It has a close relationship between them that cocoa bean is a basis of chocolate. Climate changes and pestilence in Africa which is a chief producer, was culprit. It needs about two to five years to get new cacao tress to produce new cocoa beans. It even needs to take 10 years to reveal traits worth preserving (Harris 2014). Walters (2015, p.4) al so holds the same opinion that about 70 percent of world’s cocoa beans have hurt production because ofRead MoreEssay about Bittersweet: Unwrapping the Hidden Side of Chocolate1355 Words   |  6 Pagesin the British West Indies. Sugar, as well as slaves, played a vital role in the Atlantic Triangular Trade among the Americas, Europe and Africa. Slaves were the working force in this trade network because they harvested the cash crops that circulated around the Atlantic Ocean. A form of slavery very similar to those in the sugar plantations of the Caribbeans is child labor in the modern cocoa industry. Cocoa trees only thrive in humid regions near the equator, which is why two West African countriesRead MoreDescription Of Company And Problem Of Nestle905 Words   |  4 Pagesequality and good morals in the workplace. 8. Agriculture and rural development †¢ The company offers contributions for improvements in multiple agricultural production areas, resulting in more environmentally sustainable systems and communities. 9. Environmental sustainability †¢ The corporation makes sure that all business activities and production are environmentally sustainable. Nestlà © promotes using renewable resources and the use of natural resources. 10. Water †¢ Finally, Nestlà © is dedicated toRead MoreThe Importance of the Slave Trade to the Development of the Plantation Economies1230 Words   |  5 Pagesdevelopment of plantation economies, which could only expand and survive in the West Indies with the use of slave labour. The slave trade brought enslaved Africans from Africa to colonies in the West Indies, which had begun to take part in the sugar Revolution starting in 1640. The plantation system which essentially is the organization of agriculture on a large scale usually producing a single crop such as sugar, coffee, cocoa and tobacco, small farmers were pushed out and a few large plantation rose

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Suetonius Strengths and Weaknesses - 1016 Words

The ancient historian Suetonius was born in the year AD 69, when his father, a Roman knight, served as a colonel in a regular legion and took part in the Battle of Baetricum. From the letters of Suetoniuss close friend Pliny the Younger we learn that he practiced briefly at the bar, avoided political life, and became chief secretary to the Emperor Hadrian. The historian Spartianus records that he was one of several Palace officials, including the Guards Commander, whom Hadrian, when he returned from Britain, dismissed for behaving indiscreetly with the Empress Sabina. Suetonius lived a great life as a historian and biographer and wrote many books. The titles of his books are recorded as follows: The Twelve Caesars; Royal Biographies;†¦show more content†¦Suetonius tried to give his readers insights into the characters of individual Caesars through a wide variety of means, including, for instance, descriptions of their physical appearance which was thought by ancient peop le to be a clear index of a persons character. That brings about the question of if Suetonius is a credible source for the lives of the Caesars. People could say that it has nothing to do with how the Caesars worked as Caesars and the material he gives is of unimportance to us, therefore being a weakness in his works. The Romans did care of how the Caesars lived in their personal lives though because that was of great importance to them. This to the people of Rome is a great strength is Suetonius works. To build upon a greater strength for Suetonius he did understand the emperors were administrators to the Roman world. When writing about the emperors job he does add everything that being an emperor is all about. He talks about the geography. He subdivides socially, the treatment of the senate, the equestrian order, the Roman citizens, and the slaves. He deals with the areas of public life, religion, military, and civilian. So all though he talks a lot about the personal lives of the Caesars he does include a big amount of how the Caesars did their jobs. Suetonius brought about a new style of biographies of the Caesars. Some believe it was to be for the good of society, and someShow MoreRelatedComparing Suetonius And Tacitus1175 Words   |  5 PagesThe accounts of emperor Tiberius’ reign by both Suetonius and Tacitus have qualities that serve to show how differing authors viewed Tiberius in various flattering and unappealing ways by their personal reasoning and desire t o preserve truth as much as possible in scope of their respective intentions to provide scholars with treatments of him that give a through picture of his traits, strengths and weaknesses. Overall, by examining both accounts of Tiberius’ reign, readers are able to form independentRead MoreEmperors of the Roman Empire1028 Words   |  4 PagesEmperors In Ancient Rome, the government was controlled by an emperor starting with Julius Caesar. After his death, men jockeyed for power throughout the next several centuries. Each emperor had his own strengths and weaknesses which made them either beloved or hated by their people. If loyalty to the people and doing what is best for the citizens of the nation or state is the most important criteria on which to judge an emperor, then the success or failure of the emperor can be judged by comparingRead MoreAgrippina Strengths And Weaknesses996 Words   |  4 PagesMany of Agrippina’s strengths were also her greatest weaknesses. Her political ability and ambition were great strengths of character, as was her determination, but at times she aimed too high and was ultimately brought down by the very traits that had enabled her to achieve positions of power. Agrippina was able to become one of the most significant women of the Ancient Roman World, but at the same time she was considered manipulative, and was despised by many, including eventually her son - theRead MoreWhat Are Source, Form, And Redaction Criticism?1940 Words   |  8 Pagestime. 3.) From an evangelical perspective, what are the strengths and weaknesses of each? Scholars use form criticism to deny Scripture and the form-critics have a bias against supernaturalism and believe that the miracles of Jesus were created. The German scholar Rudolf Bultmann believed that the Bible needed to be stripped of its miraculous accounts, and be â€Å"demythologized† in order to be accepted by modern society. A strength of form criticism that I see is the amount of proven accuracyRead MoreAlexander the Great Essay13163 Words   |  53 Pages and ancient Egyptians had called Ammon The Invisible, so any other attribution is superfluous. The animal dedicated to the cult of Ammon was ram-aries, one of the astral fire signs, with the active male principle and the symbol of Pure Will strength, that stands behind everything , which initiates each significant event and crushes all obstacles (like aries or thunder). The thought and vision, now become action. Only through action does it take form, power and is transformed into reality. The

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

World Hunger And Poverty Free Essays

The population of Brazil is growing rapidly. If its present rate of growth of 2. 8 percent continues, it will soon become the most populous country in the Western Hemisphere. We will write a custom essay sample on World Hunger And Poverty or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although Brazil is rich in natural resources and has significant economic growth, most of the benefits have gone to the rich. Forty percent of the population is under fifteen years of age, and unemployment is high. Population growth in the cities has made it difficult for the government to provide education, health care, water, sanitation, food, and housing for the poor. What steps if any, should be taken to provide for the poor and needy people in this country? The current economic crisis shaking the global economy has prompted many nations to review their economic policies to cope with the challenges of minimizing the impact of recession brought about by instability of securing markets, associated demand and questionable production supply and raw materials. As it stands, the world’s leading nations are in trouble of entering an even greater crisis brought about by. It must be understood that the resources that are provided are finite in relation to the needs and wants of human beings. This mismatch is a problem that must be dealt with immediately and effectively because if this is allowed to continue there will not be enough for everyone and the basic needs for survival cannot even be provided adequately. As the Brazilian model has shown, the country does not even have the basic provisions that are necessary for survival. The population is suffering and the government is unable to make any lasting progress because of the problems that it is facing. Key to finding a lasting solution is in understanding the root cause of the problem. A quick look at the world population reveals that while global economies are reeling from one economic uncertainty to the next, the need for goods and services of their respective populace are increasing as rapidly as their population increases and matures. Putting this in the context of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs an upward pressure is placed upon the demand for the basic necessities such as food and natural resources and the aspiration for self-actualization becomes more and more undeniable. This brings to mind the fact that as long as there is poverty, peace is hardly attainable; and if governments do not secure the basic needs, peace and stability may never become a reality (Issit 2). From this, it is clear that there is an urgent need for the governments all over the world to curb if not control the growth of their respective populations. The first reason is because of the enormous strain that this is putting on the world’s resources could trigger over inflation (Issit 2). This can be best explained by a simple supply and demand model. When there is a shortage of supply and the demand for the good remains constant. This simply means that there is less of the good that is available and the same number of people wants the good. This can be likened to a bidding war where there is only one item and people offer the seller as much as they can to be able to attain it thus raising the price and eliminating all those who do not have enough resources to compete. Conversely, when there is an oversupply and the demand remains constant, the equilibrium price falls. Analogous to this would be the growth of the population and the increase of demand with the supply remaining the same or even decreasing. As such, if the governments are unwilling or unable to deal with the problem there could be widespread hunger and not amount of welfare or government intervention would then be able to alleviate the situation for it would already be too late (Issit 2). This concern comes on the heels of the recent UNESCO report showing that while the world is recovering from crisis it still has not addressed the fact that more and more individuals are suffering from hunger and unemployment. The recent studies on population growth reveal that in the next couple of years the increase of human beings per country will exert so much pressure on the demand for natural resources and on the environment that it will cost more to feed each person than it ever has. With there being to emphasis on plans for rehabilitation or a move to more sustainable methods, it remains to be seen whether or not the world will be able to recover from the damage that is projected to be caused. The second reason is because of the fact that the population of the world is growing at a very rapid pace, most especially in the developing countries. As can be seen in the graph below, the exponential increase in population without the corresponding increase in food supply will lead to an imbalance. These are the problems affecting Brazil and in order to solve these, there is a need to implement programs that provide sustainable development. Brazil is currently one of the leaders in methane capture technology and biodiesel. Using this as a springboard, access to cheaper alternative fuels could allow the country to make significant progress in manufacturing. Having cheaper and cleaner energy can provide a two-fold revenue stream that can eventually be used to finance much needed infrastructure projects in the area. The carbon credits from the sale can be used to build schools and training centers while the cheaper energy can be used to boost certain industries within the Brazilian economy as well as bring in foreign companies and investors. Increasing the country’s exports and reducing the imports remains to be the key for Brazil. The highly competitive global market is in constant search for the lowest priced goods and at this point in time Brazil is able to offer that. It is imperative, therefore, that Brazil take advantage of this global sourcing trend and further build on the lead that it has there. Other economic avenues that Brazil could also explore would be in outsourcing. While most of the Asian countries have become highly competitive in this field (e. g. India and the Philippines), there is still a lot of potential in this market. The geographical location of Brazil makes it an ideal investment choice for American firms. One other factor that makes this a viable option for this country is its financial network with the United States makes it easier for capital to enter the country. How to cite World Hunger And Poverty, Papers

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Accounting For Depreciation In Relation With Fixed Assets - Samples

Question: Discuss about the Accounting For Depreciation In Relation With Fixed Assets. Answer: This reflection essay will be based on my learning experience in relation to the accounting for depreciation in the context of fixed assets. Prior to this assessment, two research proposals have been developed in relation to this topic and with the help of various analyses, it has been evaluated that depreciation is a type of expense for the organization and this should be marked every year in the financial statements. This also helps the company to analyse the current value of the assets along with the rate of depreciation which needs to be imposed (Epstein McFarlan, 2011). Based on my experience and learning from previous assessments, I learned the significance and the necessity of depreciation in an organization. There are two types of assets current and fixed assets. Current assets are those which can be liquidated within the one year from purchase and fixed assets are those which take more than one year to be liquidated. Amongst the various measures for measuring the value of fixed assets, I have realised that conservative approach will help the organization gain the appropriate results as per the expectations. This approach provides clear and accurate information regarding estimating the value of the fixed assets (Kang Zhao, 2010). Apart from this, I also learned that these approaches are capable enough to cover all the charges in relation to all types of other expenses which would generate clear outcomes in relation to financial statements. As per my opinion, depreciation is quite a useful thing in estimating the actual life of fixed assets and i t leads to increase in the costs of those assets. Fixed assets are long-term tangible properties for organization which helps to generate revenues and to accomplishes the functionalities of organization in an appropriate manner. I realised that the concept of depreciations implemented with the view to increase fixed costs with the view to decrease the profit margin. With the help of depreciation, anticipated fixed costs are increased dramatically and organization could easily determine their profits that will also include the expenses of depreciation (Radu Marius, 2011). On the basis of topic of the research proposal "accounting for depreciation in relation with fixed assets", I have analysed that various accounting entries need to be made to charge the fixed asset as an expense at the end of its life cycle. With the help of these entries, long time usage of the fixed assets could also be reflected. Depreciation is a charge which is imposed on the fixed asset in order to analyse its expected life. For a period of time, fixed assets could be used along with gradually decreasing its value. Along with this, I also realised that on one side depreciation is being charged to record the expense against fixed asset's cost where, on the other hand, revenues are also recorded which are originated from its utilisation. In my opinion, if whole depreciation has been charged in the first year of purchase of the asset then also revenues would be originated from its usage and those will also be reflected in the financial statements of the organization. As per my lea rning experience, this will create negative impact over the financial performance of the organization because revenues and the expenses will not match for the further time period and it will be against the matching principle. Thus, I have realised that charges of depreciation need to be recorded for all the years in which fixed asset has been used for generating revenues (Christensen Nikolaev, 2013). While evaluating the previous assessments, I have realised that all these theories and concepts are just theoretical aspects which differs from the actual outcomes. Revenues cannot be generated with one asset irrespective of its nature i.e. current or fixed. Revenues are originated from the production process and this process indulges group of assets. Apart from this, I have also realised that the depreciation is an expense which is being charged against the cost of the asset in relation to the revenues. The same procedure is being followed for several years till the time, value of that particular asset becomes nil. In the absence of depreciation, whole cost of the fixed asset will be charged in the year of its purchase which will lead to decline in the rate of profits for the organization. In the year under which fixed assets have been purchased, profits of the company will be less in comparison to the past years and future years (Giarola, Shah Bezzo, 2012). Further, in the next ye ar, profits will gradually increase which will leads to mismatch concept. For adopting the principle of consistency, it is required to charge the depreciation against the cost of fixed asset in relation to maintaining the appropriate rate of profits and to show growth of the organization. With the help of this theory, organization will be able to attain its desired goals as well as organization will easily be able to attract the public for raising the capital (Kieso, Weygandt Warfield, 2010). It is necessary to evaluate the factors of depreciation as it plays crucial role in understanding both terms i.e. concept of depreciation and the significance of depreciation. Along with the factors, measures should also be evaluated which are required for evaluating the rate of depreciation which could provide maximum benefits to the organization. Following factors have been evaluated by me after analysing the above assessments: Useful life: It is the time period which a company expects that the particular asset will be useful and will provide sufficient amount of results on the basis of organizational expectations. After that time period, assets efficiency will be evaluated so that appropriate decision could be taken in relevance with the disposition of the asset or for continuing the usage of that asset. In the last year of assets life, whole remaining amount will be charged against the remaining cost of the asset (Warren Jones, 2018). Salvage value: It is the value which is obtained from selling the asset to the scrap dealer. This amount is reduced from the cost of fixed asset and then depreciation is being charged. Method of depreciation: Method of depreciation should be used on the basis of organizational accounting policies and on the basis of useful life of the asset. Accelerated method is the best approach of charging depreciation as this helps the organization to charge more rate of depreciation in the first few years in relation with decreasing the income tax in comparison to the later periods (Rambaud Richard, 2015). In my opinion, depreciation is linked to various issues such as it does not relate to the current value of the asset. Depreciation is charged on the past value of the asset in which it has been purchased irrespective of its current value. While making the companys cash flow and other financial statements, depreciation becomes the major issue. Depreciation cannot be applied to the intangible assets and for amortization is being implemented over these assets with the help of straight-line method (Feng Figliozzi, 2013). Thus, in my point of view depreciation plays crucial role in terms of maintaining the organizational profitability. Depreciation helps the organization to determine the life of asset and it is charged gradually in respect of its life period. Along with this, depreciation should be charged against the cost of the fixed asset and in the first few years of purchase of the asset, amount of depreciation should be charged more in comparison with the further years (Crosby, Devaney Nanda, 2016). References Christensen, H.B. and Nikolaev, V.V., 2013. Does fair value accounting for non-financial assets pass the market test?.Review of Accounting Studies,18(3), pp.734-775. Crosby, N., Devaney, S. and Nanda, A., 2016. Which factors drive rental depreciation rates for office and industrial properties? Journal of Real Estate Research,38(3), pp.359-392. Epstein, M.J. and McFarlan, F.W., 2011. Measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of a nonprofit's performance.Strategic finance,93(4), pp.27-35. Feng, W. and Figliozzi, M., 2013. An economic and technological analysis of the key factors affecting the competitiveness of electric commercial vehicles: A case study from the USA market.Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies,26, pp.135-145. Giarola, S., Shah, N. and Bezzo, F., 2012. A comprehensive approach to the design of ethanol supply chains including carbon trading effects.Bioresource technology,107, pp.175-185. Kang, S.H. and Zhao, Y., 2010. Information content and value relevance of depreciation: a cross-industry analysis.The Accounting Review,85(1), pp.227-260. Kieso, D.E., Weygandt, J.J. and Warfield, T.D., 2010.Intermediate accounting: IFRS edition(Vol. 2). John Wiley Sons. Radu, D. and Marius, D., 2011. Issues related to the accounting treatment of the tangible and intangible assets depreciation.Annals of the University of Oradea: Economic Science,1(2), pp.498-502. Rambaud, A. and Richard, J., 2015. The Triple Depreciation Line instead of the Triple Bottom Line: towards a genuine integrated reporting.Critical Perspectives on Accounting,33, pp.92-116. Warren, C.S. and Jones, J., 2018.Corporate financial accounting. Cengage Learning.