Thông Tin Cộng Đồng ECHO
Nuevo Nota Técnica Ahora Disponible: Banco de semilla con sacos de tierra 2020-08-13
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En el trabajo de desarrollo agrícola la conservación de la semilla en un tema de importancia, y ECHO ha publicado muchos artículos sobre varios aspectos de técnicas para el almacenamiento de semilla, tecnologías apropiadas, e intercambio de semillas. ECHOcommunity.org alberga varios recursos relacionados con la construcción con sacos de tierra, el con sacos de tierra, de semilla y otros temas relacionados. La última adición a nuestro repertorio es una Nota Técnica sobre “Banco de semillas con sacos de tierra” que brinda una guía para construir un ambiente resistente con el fin de almacenar semillas para bancos de semilla comunitarios.
Junto con la información técnica sobre los beneficios de las estructuras de sacos de tierra, esta Nota Técnica presenta instrucciones de construcción detalladas, consejos y sugerencias para diseñar su propio banco de semillas con sacos de tierra, y una presentación de diapositivas en línea de varios aspectos del proceso de construcción realizado en el campus de ECHO Florida de nuestra propia estructura.
Finalmente, la sección “Lecturas adicionales” ofrece una gama de recursos que le ayudarán a determinar si un banco de semillas con sacos de tierra es adecuado para sus necesidades y contexto. ¡Como siempre, ECHOcommunity Conversations es un excelente lugar para discutir con colegas miembros de la red ideas y preguntas que usted pueda tener sobre bancos de semilla con sacos de tierra, bancos de semilla comunitarios u otros temas!
EDN #148 Now Available 2020-07-17
In this issue:
- Farmer-Centered Climate Change Mitigation: Part 1 of 2
- Are Crickets a Practical Source of Protein in Tropical Countries?
- From ECHO's Seed Bank: Cowpea Varieties for Warm Rainy Season
- Echoes from our Network: Emergency Gardens in a Quarantine World
- Books, Websites, and Other Resources: New ECHO Branding, New Technical Note on Earthbag Seed Banks, Restoring the Soil- Second Edition now available through Amazon.com Inc®
Farmer-Centered Climate Change Mitigation
Tim Motis
Excerpt:
ECHO recognizes climate change as a profound reality faced by small-scale farmers. Many of our publications have focused on helping farmers cope with related challenges such as heat and drought. Farmer resilience and minimal risk have been key elements of the practices we have written about over the years. We encourage “no regret” strategies, approaches that steward the land well and improve livelihoods, regardless of whether or not farmers face immediate changes to climate (Flanagan, 2015). However, we also view farmers as having an integral role in mitigating some of the driving forces of climate change—something we explore in this article, which is the first of a two-part series. Part 1 explores principles that are foundational to the strategies that we will present in Part 2, in the next issue of EDN.
New Technical Note: Earthbag Seed Banks 2020-06-29
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Seed storage in the tropics has been a frequent topic of ECHO publications and trainings due to its importance to the smallholder farmer. Access to quality seeds is imperative for agronomic and horticultural crop production. While on-farm seed saving benefits the smallholder farmer, cooperative seed storage through the creation of seed banks bolsters farmers at the community level.
Seed banks provide secure structures for seed storage, while also serving as genetic repositories for important plants in the community. Centralizing the seed saving process also allows for cooperative investment in appropriate technologies and data management. As members of a community learn these management skills, they are empowered to save seeds themselves.
Seed preservation in the tropics is rife with difficulties due to high temperatures and humidity, so investing in worthwhile storage technologies is instrumental in smallholder communities. Of course, the process of establishing a seed bank involves community buy-in, stakeholder cooperation, and resource investment. While the social elements of seed banking are important, thisTechnical Note focuses on earthbag building techniques as a resource-effective means of establishing a seed bank. ECHO has now installed earthbag seed banks at two of its global offices: one in Thailand and one in Florida. This publication will outline the benefits of earthbag seed banks, as well as how to get started with your own project.
Asia Note #42 Now Available! 2020-06-01
Featured in this Asia Note
- Words of Gratitude & Solidarity from the ECHO Asia Director
- Making On-Farm Pig Feed: Farm-Generated Formulas vs. Commercial Feeds
- ECHOs from the Network: Integrated Pest Management on the Island of Bali
- ECHOs from the Network: Coffee Drying ‘Bunk-Beds’ for Vegetable Production
- Recent Asia Note links
- ECHO Asia Upcoming Events
- ECHO Asia Covid-19 Response
- Call for Articles & Insights
EDN #147 Now Available 2020-04-14
In this issue:
- Responding in the Case of an Epidemic or Pandemic
- A Tip of the Hat to the Tippy Tap
- Promoting Biodiversity on Maize Smallholdings
- From ECHO's Seed Bank: Fast-Growing Plants for Household Food Supply
- Echoes from Our Network: 100-fold gardens in Honduras
- Books, Web Sites, and Other Resources: A Post-Program Review of Grain Amaranth in East Africa
Responding in the Case of an Epidemic or Pandemic
Dawn Berkelaar
Excerpt:
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been making its way around the world in the past weeks and months. The effects of this disease will almost certainly be felt by every community. Countries, where the infection is already well-established, have found it difficult to manage. Coping with a pandemic like this is particularly challenging in places with high population densities, lack of infrastructure, malnutrition, and incidence of other infections that leave people’s immune systems more vulnerable. Here are a few suggestions for ways to respond well in your community to the presence of a highly contagious disease.
Tiêu điểm Thành viên của ECHOcommunity: Ông Tuntun và Thaung Si 2020-04-08
Khi tôi đi dạo quanh trang trại với ông Tuntun ở vùng nông thôn Myanmar, tôi đã không thể làm gì khác ngoài việc mỉm cười khi ông ấy tự hào cho tôi xem than sinh học mà ông tạo ra và sử dụng trong hỗn hợp bầu cho cây giống cây ăn quả của mình. Thay vì đem đi đốt, thì giờ ông đã biến chất thải hữu cơ từ trang trại của mình thành một nguồn tài nguyên quý giá có thể được sử dụng để sản xuất nhiều cây trồng hơn, thay vì để mất cacbon vào khí quyển qua khói.
Khoảng một năm trước, ông Tuntun đã tham dự Hội thảo Tiết kiệm Hạt giống (Seed Saving Workshop) ở Pyin Oo Lwin và học cách tạo ra than sinh học nhờ vào một trong những buổi thực hành. Ông đã ngay lập tức trở về nhà và thử cách làm này, và đã rất thành công. Thậm chí, ông Tuntun hiện còn là chủ của một trang facebook nơi ông chia sẻ các thực hành canh tác của mình với các nông dân Miến Điện khác, giải thích các cách thực hành như than sinh học, ở giữa nhiều người khác!
Career Opportunity: ECHO Asia Seed Bank Supervisor 2020-04-03
The primary purpose of this role is to lead and coordinate effective operations of the ECHO Asia Seed Bank according to the goals and objectives of the Asia Regional Impact Center. Housed at the ECHO Asia Farm, the Seed Bank primarily serves the needs of network members, as well as other like-minded organizations and individuals operating in the Asia region.
ECHO Asia Note #41 available 2020-03-19
Featured in this Asia Note
- A Snapshot of the ECHO Asia Small Farm Resource Center & Seed Bank
- Black Soldier Fly System of the Frangipani Langkawi Organic Farm
- ECHO Asia Upcoming Events
- ECHO Asia Career Opportunities
- Call for Articles & Insights
Black Soldier Fly System of the Frangipani Langkawi Organic Farm
[Editor’s Note: Anthony Wong the Managing Director of the Frangipani Langkawi Resort in Langkawi, Malaysia and is a longtime steward of green initiatives in Malaysia and the region. Using constructed wetland systems, grey water at his hotels are cleaned and recycled, while large amounts of food waste are up-scaled using an innovative Black Soldier Fly system. Mr. Wong was a recent speaker at the ECHO Asia Agriculture & Development Conference in 2019 and has many years of practical hands-on experience.]
Integrating Black Soldier Flies on the Farm
Excerpt: The BSF or Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) brings great potential to any farming system through its ability to consume on-farm waste and produce a highly nutritious feed source. The larvae of the BSF can be grown using nearly any organic waste product, and can be used to up-cycle waste materials into a valuable protein source. BSF have the ability to break down waste resources that cannot be directly fed to humans or livestock, or even worms in a vermicomposting system, thereby making these systems valuable in tightening the nutrient cycle on any farm. In addition to the feed that the larvae becomes, the secondary advantage is their ability to rapidly break down food waste to produce a valuable by-product that can be used as an organic soil amendment.
Career Opportunity: ECHO Asia Agricultural Training Coordinator 2020-03-04
The purpose of this position is to strengthen the capacity of ECHO to deliver ‘high-impact trainings and learning events for improved food production and livelihoods’ among its network members and like-minded organizations. The position has a pivotal role in ECHO’s Training and Learning Program held at its Small Farm Resource Center and Seed Bank in Chiang Mai, Thailand and overseas within the Asia region. Highly competent in Training Management, this person is equally equipped with agricultural technical knowledge and skills, which will be handy in delivery of trainings related to agricultural and community development. This position will be based at the ECHO Farm.
EDN #146 Now Available 2020-03-01
In this issue:
- Low Oxygen Methods for Insect Control in Seeds
- EIAC 2019 Topic Summaries
- Echoes from our Network: Roger Gietzen on the topic of syntropic farming
- Books, Web Sites and Other Resources: Vetiver Latrine
Low Oxygen Methods for Insect Control in Seeds
Tim Motis
Excerpt:
Seeds are typically stored for a time before being planted or consumed. Any insects present in that seed, if not controlled, can quickly multiply and cause significant damage. (See Image)
Many storage pests originate in the field. Seeds may appear to be free of insects at the point of harvest, but eggs and larvae from the field may still be present. Insects can also be introduced when seeds are put into previously infested seed containers or grain bins. Insect damage reduces seed germination and quality and is a major cause of post-harvest seed loss. Most insect-related postharvest seed loss is caused by various species of beetles (Order Coleoptera) and larvae of moths and butterflies (Order Lepidoptera). This article focuses on weevils, which are a specific kind of beetle.