Large Chinese investors have been disappointed. Smaller traders, however, are busy. Agriculture was perhaps the most obvious of the state’s plans to fail. Dependent upon massive irrigation schemes and the liberal use of fertilizer, it was an industry that was highly vulnerable to disruption. The irrigation programs were in turn dependent upon electricity, which required large amounts of maintenance. When the system began to deteriorate at any point, it deteriorated everywhere and failed completely.

The percentage of women in charge of agricultural-and-livestock productions in recent years in Latin America increased, although in smaller areas of land, soil of lesser quality and less access to credits and other facilities, the FAO reported today. In a communique released here, the UN Regional Office for Food and Agriculture said women also have less access to technical assistance and training.

The People’s Republic of China’s Government of Guizhou Province and New Zealand’s Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry of Māori Development) have launched an international agricultural exchange programme. The programme recognises that investing in the education of young people is a vital way to boost development in rural areas.

Thus post-conflict, there needs to be concentrated efforts to either reintroduce or reemphasize the representations of the best of that society. By doing so, economic and social recovery can be hastened by the benefits of increased country brand awareness.

Better public diplomacy needs to be used in order to prevent a wave of legislation proscribing shechita, the kosher slaughtering of animals, Rabbi Goldberg, Deputy Director of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE), told a committee of the Knesset, Israel's parliament.

Teaming up with the Gates Foundation isn't just a charitable move on the part of the Chinese government. The partnership is a perfect example of soft power--the spreading of influence through propaganda, public works, and cultural prestige.

Working closely with public diplomacy is a big part of the job, Raval said. He said that many of their projects are funded through public diplomacy grants and some of them allow Afghans to travel to America for eight-to 10-week seminars to learn skills such as business development, and upon return they are able to pass on what they have learned to their fellow Afghans.