Cooperation between Lao farmers needed to meet market demands for food

Andrea Booth | Contributor | Center for International Forestry Research Forests Blog | February 22 2012 | Forestry

Lao farmer

BOGOR, Indonesia (22 February, 2012)_A recent report by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) urges farmers in Lao People’s Democratic Republic to form cooperatives to help meet market demands as the country transitions from practicing subsistence to commercial agriculture.

“Farmers’ cooperatives are the missing link to enable family-based farming enterprises, which are active but not well organized, to respond to increasing market demand for quality products,” said Jean-Christophe Castella, a scientist with CIFOR and France’s Institute of Research for Development (IRD) and lead author of Managing the transition from farmers’ groups to agricultural cooperatives in Lao PDR.

NITV Current Affairs homelands documentary shoot

A Djelk ranger gets to work on Maningrida homeland, North West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

Aerial shots of North East Arnhem Land, Australia’s Top End

Producer Angela Bates poses with some local youths of Wallaby Beach homeland

Youths from Wallaby Beach homeland, North East Arnhem Land, pose for the camera

Cameraman Nik Lachajczak prepares to film road shots in Maningrida homeland, North West Arnhem Land, as Djelk rangers look on

The road to Ramingining homeland from Maningrida, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

Recognising Indigenous people in sport and beyond forum

Prominent Australian sporting figures discussed the importance of Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people this week at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The forum was moderated by Margaret Pomeranz from ABC’s At the Movies, featuring former Australian Rugby Union Wallaby player Gary Ella, National Indigenous Football coordinator Maydina Penrith and David Peachey from NRL. It came just before a specially assigned panel hands over recommendations to the government on the issue this December.

Tune in to NITV Current Affair’s Opinion Piece later this month for full coverage.

Recognising Indigenous people, Vox Pop with actor Luke Carroll

Australian actor Luke Carroll and audience member Sorrell Ashby talk about Constitutional recognition at the Sydney Football stadium at a recent forum held before an expert panel hands its recommendations on the topic to the government in December.

Tune in to NITV Current Affair’s Opinion Piece later this month for full coverage.

NITV shoot with Kelton Pell, upcoming documentary on suicide awareness

Angela Bates interviews Australian actor Kelton Pell on suicide awareness in our Indigenous community at the Sydney Theatre Company

Take a peek behind the scenes  of NITV Current Affair’s upcoming documentary on suicide awareness in the Indigenous community, featuring Australian actor Kelton Pell at the Sydney Theatre Company!

Youth entrepreneur creates arts space in jam-packed Jakarta

Andrea Booth | Contributor | The Jakarta Post | September 21 2011 | Video journalism

Jakarta is ablush with creative artists, but with limited space, one youth entrepreneur is taking it upon himself to color the city. Andrea Booth has this report.

Indonesia’s Batik makers turn sustainable practice into an art form

Andrea Booth | Contributor | Guardian Weekly | August 23 2011 | International development – Indonesia

Precious metal ... batik stamps, like these in Solo, Java, are unique to each traditional business, and are often locked away. Photograph: Charlie Barnwell/Corbis

Producers of traditional textiles are being taught cleaner and more efficient methods

Indonesia’s most highly developed art form, batik, is made by an ancient wax-resistant dying technique that predates written records.

Batik textiles were worn by the leaders of the prosperous Majapahit empire, which ruled much of south-east Asia between 1200 and 1500; they still remain a popular element of Indonesian culture. In recognition of batik’s significance, Unesco in 2009 inscribed it on the masterpieces of the intangible heritage of humanity list.

However, its production has a major impact on the environment, and batik businesses produce more CO₂ emissions than any other small or medium enterprise in Indonesia.