ECHO Development Notes (EDN) EDN Issue #40

Consulting Help in Water Resource Management, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Living Water International (LWI) started with Auburn scientists. Dr. Bryan Duncan writes that LWI “is an association of specialists in water resource management, fisheries and aquaculture. LWI was founded to provide information and technical assistance to Christian missions, and similar humanitarian organizations with limited resources working in developing countries. LWI associates hold graduate degrees in their specialties, and are experienced in working and living internationally.

'Alfagraze,' A Forage Alfalfa

Many of us know alfalfa as a nutritious, temperate, leguminous, hay crop. We usually do not think of it as a species to be grazed. After 12 years of testing and development scientists at the University of Georgia have developed the high yielding, grazing tolerant variety called ‘Alfagraze’.

Honey as a Dressing for Wounds

New Zealand bee scientist, Dr. Peter Molan, says that “honey is used in many countries in the treatment of burns, blisters, bed sores and major wounds. Honey has long been used as a wound dressing and is probably the perfect substance for such a use. Not only is it antibiotic (killing almost all bacteria), it also keeps the wound from dehydrating. Almost all other wound dressings either keep the wound dry (avoiding infection, but leading to scarring), or moist (avoiding the severe effects of dehydration, but making a great medium for bacteria to grow).

More on Neem to Control Scabies

Larry Radice shared in EDN 39 his success in treating scabies with neem leaves. In response, Dr. S. X. Charles at the Medical and Cancer Research and Treatment Center in India sent us the results of a study of 814 people treated with neem and turmeric. Scabies is normally treated with a scrub bath, boiling the fomites (clothes and bed linens), and application of benzyl benzoate. “The drug caused skin reaction when rubbed on the face, and children accidentally rubbing it … in the eyes was common.” Where There is no Doctor recommends a homemade but dangerous alternative to those who cannot afford the benzyl benzoate. In this, the very toxic insecticide lindane is mixed with 15 parts of vaseline. The neem method is far less toxic and essentially free.

The Small Farm Resource Development Project: A Model for Beginning or Strengthening Your Agricultural Work

Martin L. Price

During the course of each year a number of individuals working in community development spend some days studying and planning at ECHO. In reality their felt need is not so much for a bit more knowledge (study), but for a project plan for how they are going to help local farmers.

A number of such visitors have told me that the single most helpful thing I shared with them during their visit was the concept of the Small Farm Resource Development Project. So much of this issue is devoted to that topic.

The central idea is that development organizations wishing to do agricultural projects have little choice but to do some of their own experimentation. Although many might wish it were so, no expert can come into a community and plainly tell what new idea to begin introducing. Such an expert can suggest many things to

, but little or nothing that one can safely talk farmers into adopting tomorrow.

Many rural development organizations with projects in medicine, public health, education, water, sanitation etc. hesitate to add agricultural projects even though they see the need.

The reason, I suspect, is that it is less clear what they should do to have a major impact in agriculture than in their other areas of emphasis. Medical projects, e.g., can easily be initiated because, if someone is sick, a medical doctor will probably know what to do. But if the community is “sick” because of poverty of farmers, it is much less clear what should be done.

When Honeybees Become Drunk

Drunk bees can be a problem. An Australian scientist studying beekeeping practices in Kenya observed strange behavior. Drunk bees had difficulty coordinating their actions. They may die or be unable to return to their hive. When they do make it to the entrance, strange acting drunk bees are rejected by the guard bees. Finally, drunk bees are more vulnerable to predators.

Tick Control Options

L. E. Andrews in Houston, Texas. “It sounds like Mr. Mears in Ecuador has a lot of problems with ticks! 

Marsha Hanzi, Instituto de Permacultura da Bahia, Brazil. “Regarding ticks on cattle, this is also a serious
problem in the Brazilian altiplano, where it has been successfully kept within limits with the guinea fowl. 

Daniel Priest, Bolivia. “I just received the December EDN and notice that people continue mentioning chickens for tick control in cattle. Since I have had a little experience with this, I thought I would write.