Sunday 27 June 2021

Types of Agriculture in India and the Monetary Importance

 


Money grows on trees in India, as they do almost everywhere else. The problem is that we have somehow lost touch with this fact, and have almost abandoned agriculture; preferring things that arguably give us nothing in return, like space travel and nuclear armament.

We recognize that agriculture is more than just an issue of generating money; it is about providing food. Food is one thing that people need- food is a common denominator, regardless of whether we are rich or poor. With that in mind, anybody who wants to study the types of modern agriculture (crop farming) available today should probably use India as a case study.

India has a population of over 1.3 billion people, all of whom must eat every day. Agriculture is therefore the most important activity in India, and so it is constantly being improved: the types of agriculture are being made better, and new ones are being added constantly.

What are the types of farming that ensure India’s food supply? Let us find out one by one.

 

Subsistence farming:

Subsistence farming is the oldest form of agriculture, and is still widely practiced in India, as well as in much of Asia and Africa. In this kind of agriculture the farmer cultivates crops primarily for the consumption of his family. Since this is an attempt to be self sufficient, and the people involved are usually small in number, the scale of the farming is also usually small.

Importance:

Subsistence agriculture is important because despite the fact that India has a large population, the country is made up of small families. When a large number of small families have food on their tables, then the country is doing well in the area of food security.

Furthermore, subsistence farming ensures that families eat fresh and healthy food, not tainted with chemical preservatives.

 

Shifting agriculture:

Shifting agriculture is a kind of farming in which farmers clear an area for farming, cultivate it for some time, (usually about 3 years) and then when the land is no longer fertile, the farmers leave it for another area of land where the process is repeated. This is an ancient method of farming that was mostly practiced in the old days when people were fewer, and land was more available.

Importance: as time goes on, we may need to abandon this kind of agriculture, because it may become difficult to find land for it. Besides, it is very possible to maintain soil fertility without the use of chemical compounds; just by adding organic manure.

 

 Intensive agriculture:

This is a serious farming business. The goal of this kind of farming is to make as much money as possible. As far as Intensive agriculture is concerned, it is not uncommon to find several different types of crops being cultivated on the same farm land. Although it is possible to practice this type of agriculture using only organic fertilizers, many farmers use chemical compounds to fertilize the soil and pesticides to keep away pests.

Individuals and their families may practice this form of agriculture, but many intensive farms can be owned by companies as well.

Importance:

Intensive agriculture is the most economically significant form of agriculture. Not only does it mean more food is available for consumption, but it also means that more people are employed. It also means that the person selling agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides makes more money, and it also means that the person selling parts for machinery such as tractors remains in business.

 

Hydroponics:


 

 

 

 

 

Hydroponics is a kind of agriculture practiced with the use of water tanks. It is based on the same principle in which plants are grown in pots, in places where it would normally not be possible to plant them, such as indoors. Hydroponics can be practiced in out-of-use factories and warehouses, and specialized structures can be built originally for this purpose. The nutrients used in hydroponic systems can come from many different sources: fish excrement, duck manure, and chemical fertilizers.

Importance:

Even though there is still a long way to go in making this kind of agriculture popular, Hydroponics is important because it ensures that fresh vegetables are available in suburban areas and big cities. Plants commonly grown with this method include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, lettuces, cannabis.

 

Dry land farming:

Dry land farming, as far as India is concerned is practiced in places like northwest and central India where the land is more arid and desert-like. In such places most crops cannot survive the harsh conditions. However, certain crops such as gramjowar, bajra, and peas which have lower water requirements are successfully cultivated. Dry land farming does not mean that the land must remain dry, however; farmers take steps to irrigate the land, and provide water artificially.

Importance:

Without dry land farming the much of the land in India would go uncultivated. Since some big cities are located on or near dry land, it is clear that this form of farming is an important factor in the provision of fresh food items on the tables of many Indian families.

 

 Plantation agriculture:

Plantation agriculture is often used for perennial crops which require a lot of space, and a lot of time to mature. The most important crop grown in plantations in India is tea, but other plantation crops are banana, coconut, coffee, cocoa, spices, and other fruits. Plantations mostly specialize on producing a single crop in commercial quantities. Most plantations are owned by companies that process the produce in their factories, and distribute to consumers.

Importance:

Plantations provide jobs. Plantations contribute to the economy through their sales figures, and the jobs they provide. Many crops grown in India are exported to other countries as well; that means more money in foreign currencies.

 

 Wet land farming:

Wet land farming is similar to hydroponics, only that it makes use of natural surroundings. This is the type of agriculture practiced on water logged, or swampy areas. This is quite a viable system in India because many areas in the country are regularly affected by heavy monsoon rains and subsequent flooding. This sometimes makes the land water logged for many months of the year. This farming is suitable for crops such as rice, jute, sugarcane, and many vegetables.

Importance:

This form of agriculture will become even more important in time to come; as we begin to deal with the fact we may continue to experience more rainfall, we have to embrace types of agriculture that enable us produce crops all year round.

 

 Conclusion:

With an abundant amount of arable land, the potential for a revolution in agriculture is very high in India. The population is so large that even if you produced tons of food annually, it would probably be exhausted in days. Such is the potential in India. Many farmers both big and small are emerging on a consistent basis; and that is a good indication for food security, and the depth of the Indian market.

Don't Miss this Article:

 


 

THIS IS THE SECRET OF MONEY

Friday 25 June 2021

Top 10 Richest Counties in the USA

 

During the years of slavery the richest counties in the USA were those places that had plantations, and therefore high numbers of slaves that provided the labor that powered agriculture. Those days, slaves were not counted during census, but only added to the potential wealth of their masters. Today, some things remain consistent: the richest counties do not just reflect the biggest concentration of wealth per square meter in the United States of America; but also reflect an analysis of the industries with the most wealth, or potential for wealth.

Since certain industries tend to cluster together in certain regions, it is very likely that the money, and workforce behind those industries will live within range of their investments and places of work. Therefore, much data can be pulled from the information in the following pages (even though we do not delve so deep).

You can break the information into ethnicity, industry, education, and age range of the residents of the richest counties in the United States.

A high median income county means many things including: a high purchasing power (high volume of retail sales, and a thriving local economy), it means a high standard of living, and it usually means a healthy real estate market. It is therefore understandable that many companies want to take their businesses to such places.

Let us highlight them one by one:

 

Loudoun County, Virginia 

Median Household Income: $134,464

Loudoun County is within the borders of Virginia in the United States. Loudoun County has a population of about 413,538, which makes it Virginia's third-most populous county, and shows that prosperity is not dependent on population.

With a median household income of $136,268, Loudoun County is the richest county in the United States of America- a position it has held since 2008.

Loudoun County was once completely rural, and still has a strong rural economy; backed up by an equine industry that is worth about $78 million. Horse racing is a big deal here, and that is a major contributor to local economy. The Morven Park International Equestrian Center which hosts national horse trials is located in Loudoun County. There is also a growing wine industry in Loudoun County; there are several internationally recognized wines made here.

This county also has 25 active farms; this is a great place to raise cattle.

Loudoun's is gradually transforming to a suburban setting; the county has a full-fledged service economy, and now has a heavily presence of tech companies such as Verizon, Telos, Orbital Sciences, Paxfire and others. With the influx of these corporations come their workers who have swelled the local population.

 

Howard County, Maryland

Median Household Income: $120,941

Howard County is located in the state of Maryland, and is closely linked to Baltimore, Columbia, and Towson. The county has a population of about 328,200. Howard County has a Median Household Income of $120,941, which makes it the second richest county in America. Much of that money is made in Washington D.C, where many of the county’s residents work in the media.

Columbia, in Howard County is a major planned community full of detached houses, and occupied by upper middle class families. This town is basically the face of the County. Most of the residents of this county are employed in the services economy. The top employers in this county are Howard County Public School System, The County Government (not counting those employed in the schools) and tech companies like Verizon.

 

Fairfax County, Virginia

 Median Household Income: $115,717

Fairfax County is also located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Fairfax County is near Alexandria and Arlington County. The county’ population is presently estimated at about 1,147,532. Fairfax has the highest number of people in the whole of Virginia. The county is mainly sub-urban, although small parts are also urban and rural.

Fairfax is boosted by its sound service economy; the biggest employers are Fairfax County Public Schools, United States government, and Fairfax County government. No wonder residents here receive about 52% more than the national average wages.

 

Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Median Household Income:  $113,684

Hunterdon County is in the state of New Jersey. The county’s population was recently put at 124,371, and that shows a population reduction of about 3.1% compared to the previous estimate. Hunterdon County's median household income is $105,186, and the county is showing signs of growth.

This seems like a great place to invest in real estate; the median property tax stands $7,999, which is the highest in the country

 

Santa Clara County, California

 Median Household Income: $111,069

From Hollywood bigwigs, to tech CEOs, Santa Clara County, in California, is one of the nation's most attractive places for rich people. Some love the weather, others love the opportunities, and most just want to be close to the centre of the biggest movie industry in the world.

The population of Santa Clara County, in California is estimated at 1,781,642, and the median household income is $111,069. Much of the population is engaged in technology, media, or the movies. As with most places in the world; there is poverty and unemployment, but in Santa Clara, you will find one of the largest concentration of wealth anywhere in the world.

 

Arlington County, Virginia

 Median Household Income: $110,388

Arlington County is also in Virginia. This is the third Virginia County to be on this list. Arlington County, has an estimated population of 236,842, making it the sixth-largest by population in Virginia. The median household income is $110,388, and this is mostly powered by government jobs.

A report states that as high as about 60% of office space in the Rosslyn-Ballston (in Arlington County) is leased to government agencies and government contractors. Other residents are engaged in the tech industry (19.1% )  Hotels and Accommodation (28.9% ) and others in food.

 

Douglas County, Colorado

 Median Household Income: $109,292

Douglas County is in the state of Colorado. It has a population of about 285,465, and the median household income stands at $109,292 which is the highest in the state of Colorado. Douglas county is close to Denver and Colorado Springs.

The county’s economy is powered by the service industry; some of the biggest employers are: Douglas County School system, Charles Schwab Corporation, Douglas County Government, EchoStar, Western Union.

 

San Mateo County ,California

Median Household Income: $108,627

San Mateo County is a county in the state of California. This is the second California county to make this list. San Mateo has a population of 718,451, and a median household income of $108,627. San Mateo county covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula, including the Airport.

The area is loaded with tech money and tech talent; Facebook, YouTube, Visa Inc, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Electronic Arts, and so on all call this place home; but the list gets longer every day, as more and more tech start ups spring up in the area.

 

Morris County

Median Household Income: $106,985

Morris County is located in the state of New Jersey, but some argue that this area with a population of 492,276, is more New York than New Jersey. This is because the county is very close to New York City. Morris County has 39 municipalities, but no large cities. The area seems to enjoy being sub urban.

About 33 Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters, offices or a major facilities located in the county, so we should not be surprised to see a median household income of $106,985. The median price of housing was $469,900 in 2018, and it is fully expected that prices will continue to rise into the near future.

 

Williamson County, Tennessee

 Median Household Income: $106,054

Williamson County is in the U.S. state of Tennessee. This is the only county in Tennessee to make this list. Williamson County has a population of about 183,182, and a median household income of about $106,054. The county seems to have found the perfect balance between agriculture and services.

Williamson County was an agrarian community for most of the 19th century; the major crop was cotton. Despite the fact that the county has largely changed to a suburban area complete with retail businesses cotton and cattle ranching still play roles in the local economy.

 

Conclusion:

Virginia has a good number of these counties with the most wealth in the country. Of course the purpose of this post is for entertainment, but if this writer had any money he would bet that the development would soon spill over into other parts of Virginia, and so he would start looking for good real estate to invest in.

If a person was to set up a farm in some of these areas, it could do well; most of the residents of these places are conscious of what they eat, and that could be good for business.

 


 

 THE SECRET OF MONEY

Friday 11 June 2021

Top 10 Richest Politicians in America

 



In America, just as it is in many countries of the world, politicians tell us that they joined politics to make a difference. Maybe some of them do. But then why are politicians so rich? Why does one need to have a lot of money to get into politics? Why do politicians seem to only better the lives of the already rich people in Society?

What about the wealthy financiers who make ridiculously big donations to put political candidates in office? What role does the Media play in putting only rich people in political office? Why can a poor person not become a congressman, or a governor?

What role should money play in a democracy?

We will attempt to answer some of these questions in this post. But let us start by highlighting the top 10 richest politicians in America.

 

Mike Bloomberg


 

 

 

 

 

 

Estimated net worth: USD60 billion

Michael Rubens Bloomberg tops the list of the biggest men in American politics! He is a billionaire businessman who is so successful that one could think that politics should be an unnecessary stress for him. Mike Bloomberg is also Philanthropist, and Author.

Mike Bloomberg made his money by selling financial information. He is the owner and co-founder of the world renowned financial information company called Bloomberg LP. Making money is his thing, and the financial information he sells has improved the lives of so many people.

His political career has seen him become the Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and then in 2019 he vied for the Presidential Candidacy in the presidential primaries under the Democratic Party. By contesting the Primaries he also broke the record for the most expensive primaries campaign in the history of the US. The campaign was unsuccessful.

As a Philanthropist he has given out over 8 billion dollars to people in need through the giving pledge.

 

 Donald Trump

 Estimated net worth: $3.1 billion

Former President Donald Trump is reportedly worth an estimated $3.1 billion dollars. Whether or not this estimate is accurate (Bloomberg thinks not) he is clearly one of the richest men in American politics. His money comes from a real estate empire he inherited, investments, golf courses, and a winery. Donald Trump was also a television show host.

Some analysts say that Donald Trump’s wealth has been significantly impacted by some fruitless business ventures that he has invested in, while others say he has profited immensely during his presidency as his Golf Course and Hotels have benefited from his presidency.

 

 Jim Justice

 Estimated net worth: $1.9 billion

Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia, with a net-worth of around 2 billion dollars, comes in next on our list of the wealthiest men in American politics. His wealth comes from a coal business he inherited from his father. Today, he is a certified mining magnate; with coal mines in five different states in America. He was already a very rich man before becoming a politician.  Jim Justice is the only billionaire in the whole of West Virginia.

 

 Bill Haslam

 Estimated net worth: $1.8 billion

 Former Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee comes in next on our list; he is worth an estimated $1.8 billion. Before becoming Governor, he was Mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. Bill Haslam started out at his father’s oil company Pilot Corporation, and rose to president of the company in the 1990s.  Haslam then left Pilot and from 1999 to 2001 was the CEO of the e-commerce division at the department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue. He has served on the board of directors at Harold's Stores, Incorporated. He is a thoroughly capable man.

 

Tom Steyer

Estimated net worth: 1.6 billion dollars.

Thomas Fahr Steyer of the Democratic Party comes in next with an estimated 1.6 billion dollars. He is an expert money manager and made his money at Farallon Capital which he founded. He is also the co-founder of Onecalifornia Bank, which became (through merger) Beneficial State Bank. Another thing Tom Steyer knows how to do is bring people together and make them bring out money. As a fundraiser he has worked for John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. He is also a philanthropist, environmentalist, and social activist.

 

 Mark Dayton

 Estimated net worth: $1.6 billion

Former Gov. Mark Dayton of the state of Minnesota comes in next with his family fortune estimated at about $1.6 billion. He is old money; his family fortune can be traced back to Dayton’s great-grandfather, who founded the department store business that his family would later mould into Target.

Mark Dayton has been a Senator and Governor.

 

Bruce Rauner

Estimated net worth: About $400 million

 Republican Bruce Rauner is a former Governor of Illinois. With an estimated networth of about $400 million he comes in next on the American political rich list. Before winning office in 2015, he worked in finance having served as chairman of GTCR, a Chicago-based private equity firm. He also founded his own establishment; a venture capital firm called R8 Capital Partners, which specialized in investing in smaller, local companies. He was once estimated to worth close to 1 billion dollars.

 

Malcom Forbes

Estimated net worth: USD 400 million

Malcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes Jr. of the Republican Party comes in next on this list. Perhaps nobody on the planet knows more about watching the richest people in politics or any other field than him. Malcolm Forbes is an American publishing executive, who controls the famous Forbes Magazine. He is also an adviser at the Forbes School of Business & Technology.

He was a candidate in the 1996 and 2000 Republican Presidential primaries. He is more of a financial brain than a political one; we have much to learn about money from a man like him.

 

 Greg Gianforte

 Estimated net worth: $315.7 million

Governor Greg Gianforte of Montana comes next on our list. He was already an accomplished businessman, engineer, and politician. He was the second-richest member of Congress. A big part of his fortune came from his activities as a venture capitalist. He sold Brightwork Development, to McAfee Associates for $10 million in 1994, and then later sold RightNow Technologies to Oracle for $1.5 billion in 2012. He is estimated to be worth $315.7 million at the moment, and he has quite a good political career. He is a republican.

 

 Jared Polis

 Estimated net worth: $300 million

Jared Polis is the Governor of Colorado. He is one of the youngest politicians in the U.S. politics, and also one of the wealthiest. He made most of his money as an entrepreneur; he founded American Information Systems while he was still a student at Princeton. After that, he founded more companies, including Proflowers.com.

Before becoming Governor, he was a member of Congress. He was the first openly gay parent to serve in Congress. Jared Polis is a Democrat.

  

Conclusion:

What Should be the Role of Money in Democratic Politics?

Understandably, in a monarchy like England where the realm is dominated by Lords whose families have been loyal to the Crown for generations, one could expect politics to be the domain of the very wealthy. After some exceptional service to the Crown they are given a Title, and land to govern. They could be forgiven for making all their decisions in favor of the Crown, rather than the people because it was the crown who gave them power.

In a Democracy it is the People who give Power. What excuse could there possibly be for a few rich people continuing to dominate American Politics? America is a Democracy, Correct? Why does money have to be such a huge factor in determining who gets elected into office?

People Should Empower People

The very essence of democracy should be a government that puts the interests and wishes of the people above all else. Therefore the people should do a better job of identifying those who represent them. Funding has never been easier; crowd-funding is now offered by a lot of companies, and this can be used to raise funds to put the right persons in office.

Media

Of course the media plays a big role in empowering people, and putting political candidates into office. Perhaps we should dedicate a whole article to understanding how the media works, and finding out what we can do about it. Please check the next article on this site.

 


 THIS IS THE SECRET OF MONEY THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW