Month: May 2024

7 Steps to Building a Resilient Small-Scale Farm

Introduction to Farm Resilience

Building a resilient small-scale farm requires more than hard work and dedication; it necessitates a strategic approach to sustainability and adaptability. This guide outlines seven key steps to ensure your farm can withstand various challenges and thrive.

Step 1: Diversify Your Crop Varieties

Start by diversifying the crops you grow. This step reduces the risk of total crop failure due to pests or disease and enhances soil health and biodiversity. Begin with a few varieties and gradually increase your range as you learn what works best for your land.

Step 2: Invest in Quality Soil Management

 

Healthy soil is the foundation of a resilient farm. Regularly test your soil and add organic amendments to improve its structure and fertility. Consider adopting conservation practices like no-till farming to prevent erosion and enhance water retention. Incorporating cover crops such as legumes can further enrich soil health by fixing nitrogen naturally, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Additionally, practicing crop diversity not only prevents soil depletion but also improves the overall ecosystem resilience against pests and diseases.

Step 3: Implement Water Conservation Strategies

Efficient water use is critical, especially in areas prone to drought. Implement water-saving techniques such as mulching, rainwater harvesting, and drip irrigation to make the most of every drop and protect your farm from water scarcity.

Step 4: Adopt Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) reduces reliance on chemical pesticides by using natural predators, biological controls, and strategic crop rotation. Start by identifying beneficial insects and natural deterrents before turning to chemical solutions. Additionally, implementing physical barriers such as nets and traps can effectively protect crops from pests without harming the environment. Regular monitoring and accurate pest identification also play crucial roles in IPM, allowing for timely interventions that are specific to the pest type and severity of infestation.

Step 5: Build Local Networks and Partnerships

Strengthen your farm’s resilience by building networks with other farmers, local businesses, and agricultural organizations. These partnerships can provide shared resources, knowledge, and market access, enhancing your farm’s sustainability.

Step 6: Embrace Technology and Innovation

Incorporate modern agricultural technologies like precision farming tools and climate forecasts to improve your farm’s efficiency and decision-making. These technologies can provide real-time insights into crop health, weather patterns, and soil conditions.

Step 7: Engage in Continuous Learning and Adaptation

The agricultural sector is continually evolving, so stay informed about the latest sustainable practices and technologies. Participate in workshops, online forums, and collaborate with research institutions to keep your farming methods up-to-date.

ECHO hosts engaging live events and training throughout the year. Feel free to visit our events page at echonet.org/events. You can also access our ECHO community site that is a helpful free resource that helps connect and inspire farmers from all over the world. 

Conclusion

Building a resilient small-scale farm involves integrating sustainable practices, innovative technologies, and strong community networks. By following these steps sequentially, you can create a robust farming operation that not only survives but thrives in the face of challenges, ensuring sustainability and productivity for years to come.

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ECHO provides hope against hunger around the globe through agricultural training and resources. As a Christian technical networking and resourcing organization, ECHO builds a diverse, global network and serves that network by sharing validated contextualized agricultural options with technical excellence. ECHO’s goal is to serve its network members to advance food security and sustainable livelihoods. ECHO’s North American Regional Impact Center is located in Fort Myers, Florida with a global presence through four Regional Impact Centers in the USA, Thailand, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. For more information about ECHO call 239-543-3246 or visit echonet.org or ECHOcommunity.org.

Cultivating an Abundance

From the Global Farm to the fields of Immokalee, ECHO’s partnership with local organization “Cultivate Abundance” has produced an overflow of fresh fruits and vegetables to feed those in need and an overflow of the heart for those who serve them. 

By Leeann Estrada and Danielle Flood

If you met Rick Burnette in the late 1990s, you would likely have found him working among migrant farmers on a hillside in Thailand. The time he served there would become a reflection of what he does today: serving farmworkers in southwest Florida while ECHO continues alongside to help him accomplish these goals. 

As ECHO network members, Rick and Ellen Burnette began an agricultural missions ministry in 1996 in northern Thailand. Later, in 2009, they established the ECHO Asia Regional Impact Center in Chiang Mai, serving there for four years. Upon their return to the United States in 2013, they noticed the desperate need for adequate nutrition among the local migrant worker population in Immokalee, Florida which led them to establish a nonprofit, Cultivate Abundance, in 2017. Ellen is the Executive Director while Rick serves as the Program and Technical Director.  

Located 38 miles southeast of North Fort Myers, Cultivate Abundance partners closely with ECHO North America. 

Every Wednesday morning on the ECHO Global Farm, staff, interns, and volunteers gather at the shop on their way to lead a “mulch train”, make banana stalk silage for the hogs, or pull weeds. It is called “farm work” and unites everyone to complete tasks across and for the benefit of the entire farm. Among that large list of “to-do’s” remains one task whose impact is seen first-hand: harvesting and processing fresh fruits and vegetables for food insecure families in our community, shared through Cultivate Abundance.

Volunteers Chris and Sue process the hand-picked, intern-grown produce that is harvested on the farm. They sort, rinse, and fill crates with each item, bundling certain veggies as necessary, and then load them up in the vehicle for transport to Immokalee.

Cultivate Abundance clients include Haitian, Mexican, and Central American descendants who now reside in Southwest Florida. They gladly receive an array of vegetables like rutabaga, Swiss chard, mustard greens, New Zealand spinach and fruits like mangos, starfruit, and papaya. Interestingly, certain kinds of leafy greens are preferred by certain people groups because of their use in their traditional cuisines. For example, Haitian clients always ask for more Haitian basket vine because that vegetable is popularly grown and eaten in Haiti. 

According to Cultivate Abundance, the produce ECHO donates helps provide nutritious, culturally-preferred food for approximately 400 clients each Friday at Misión Peniel, a social justice and advocate group for Immokalee farmworkers. Last year, almost three tons of produce was donated from ECHO for the Immokalee farmworker community and hundreds of pounds of produce were provided to furloughed workers. Furthermore, in response to the pandemic and increased food insecurity, ECHO intentionally increased production and more than doubled that last year. 

Additionally, ECHO has provided Cultivate Abundance with access to approximately 0.1 acres of land on which to grow additional food for the Immokalee farmworker community, including papayas, bananas, squash, field peas, gourds, jute mallow, and prickly pear pads (nopales). Lucas, a CA volunteer, dug up taro from the sun-soaked earth with his shovel and spoke of the farmworkers: “When we’re donating the food it’s like something that they recognize from back home and it’s really special because they can’t buy this food at the grocery store. You know it’s not just like food to survive off of, but it’s food that is special to them.”  

Indeed, the long-standing relationship between ECHO and Cultivate Abundance is life-giving to both parties involved. Not only do people receive nutritious produce to feed their families, they also give ECHO a chance to serve others locally.

As one of the Cultivate Abundance volunteers said:

“We are so grateful for this produce and partnership. And we’re always grateful for you and your team.”

So, no matter where you are in the world – be it the Thai highlands or Florida lowlands – there is always a need, and therefore, an opportunity. The Burnettes saw the need and took that opportunity 30 years ago and it has exemplified ECHO’s hope against hunger to this very day.

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ECHO provides hope against hunger around the globe through agricultural training and resources. As a Christian technical networking and resourcing organization, ECHO builds a diverse, global network and serves that network by sharing validated contextualized agricultural options with technical excellence. ECHO’s goal is to serve its network members to advance food security and sustainable livelihoods. ECHO’s North American Regional Impact Center is located in Fort Myers, Florida with a global presence through four Regional Impact Centers in the USA, Thailand, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. For more information about ECHO call 239-543-3246 or visit echonet.org or ECHOcommunity.org.

Biogas Training Impact Story in Monduli, Tanzania

ECHO East Africa staff successfully trained thirty-five local participants on how to build and maintain a biogas digester, an appropriate technology which turns cow manure into cooking fuel. 

By Leeann Estrada

After an hour of traveling through weaving hillsides and down dirt roads, the fresh scent of rain-dampened soil welcomed us to the small village of Monduli: the site of ECHO East Africa’s eighth biogas training. At disembarkment, our team immediately walked toward a young man near a large pile of blocks. We stood patiently in single-file fashion until either of our left or right shoulders shrugged under the weight of a fifty-pound piece of concrete. Several small steps then pitter-pattered the soaked earth slowly up the hill.

We arrived at the biogas site with focused eyes, achy shoulders, and pounding hearts. Every block hit the ground with a muted thud before we gathered with the others. Nestled between a cattle enclosure and a banana grove was a massive pit measuring 8.5 meters in length, 1.5 meters in width, and 0.8 meters in depth.

The volunteer tradesmen on-site were climbing in and out of the hole either bringing in tools, taking measurements, flattening soil, pouring cement, or assembling cinder blocks. They worked diligently, and, from a bird’s-eye view, they resembled worker ants eagerly building up the colony. Herry, the AT trainer and biogas expert, led their learning with his usual warmth and wit, redirecting and reassessing as needed. 

This biogas digester’s basic structure includes a large, heavy-duty, tubular plastic bag (or “bladder”) connecting an inlet and outlet structure made of cinder blocks. The “slurry” (a mix of cow manure and water) is poured into the inlet where it funnels through the bag and produces methane gas. As the methane rises, the bladder inflates. To capture it, a valve punctured into the center connects a gas pipeline to the stove inside the house. Over time, as the materials move through the chamber, what’s left in the outlet are solid manure by-products.

About two weeks after the training is complete and the biogas digester produces methane gas; the widowed property owner – Mary Richard Njema – will be able to utilize this sustainable, cow-dung-fed, renewable energy source to fuel her cook stove. For Mary, the digester provides her and her four other family members with several benefits. Besides the advantage of turning the by-product into a natural fertilizer for her banana grove, the digester reduces her property’s waste stream. This lowers the disease-carrying fly population which keeps her land clean and her children healthy. She can even toss her food scraps in too! Financially, she does not have to outsource fertilizer or purchase cooking gas because she now produces it herself.

Photo by Magwinza.

Winfrida Nichombe (an ECHO intern) agrees: “I see biogas as an important thing that each farmer should have for clean energy generation and improving the environment. As young people, it gives us an opportunity to employ ourselves and earn income. I’m a development worker and therefore I shall continue promoting it to the communities.” Indeed, in the end, Herry led the 35 participants (60% of whom were men) through a group discussion on the training. They responded positively and were excited to see the results, hoping that in the future more biogas projects can begin in the surrounding areas. One participant even presented Herry with a small banana bunch in appreciation for the training.

Then, each participant received a certificate of completion. It was well-deserved, for their eagerness to give their time, energy, and skills to a neighbor in need was an example to us all about the transformational power of community and its reflection of Christ’s servant character. Indeed, trainings like these – as small or large as they may be – remain important for changing lives in the present yet set the precedent of stewardship for generations to come.

ECHO provides hope against hunger around the globe through agricultural training and resources. As a Christian technical networking and resourcing organization, ECHO builds a diverse, global network and serves that network by sharing validated contextualized agricultural options with technical excellence. ECHO’s goal is to serve its network members to advance food security and sustainable livelihoods. ECHO’s North American Regional Impact Center is located in Fort Myers, Florida with a global presence through four Regional Impact Centers in the USA, Thailand, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. For more information about ECHO call 239-543-3246 or visit echonet.org or ECHOcommunity.org.

Cultivating Prosperity: How Sustainable Farming Practices Alleviate Poverty

 

Agriculture has long been recognized as a cornerstone of economic growth, livelihood, and food security. Yet its traditional methods often pose environmental challenges and inequalities for small-scale farmers. 

To address this, the concept of sustainable farming practices has arisen. These practices focus on maximizing crop yields, protecting the environment, social equity, and economic stability. Here at ECHO, the mission is simple – to change lives by addressing hunger at its roots and fostering self-sufficiency for small-scale farmers worldwide. 

So, What is Sustainable Farming?

In simpler terms, sustainable farming is an approach to agriculture that aims to meet the current food production needs while ensuring the viability of natural resources. Fundamental principles of sustainable farming include:

  • Soil Health: To reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, adopting practices that maintain soil health is essential. These practices involve crop rotation, cover cropping, and minimum tillage. 
  • Water Conservation: Several efficient irrigation methods are employed to conserve water resources and minimize water wastage. These methods include water recycling and rainwater harvesting techniques.
  • Biodiversity: Biodiversity can be promoted by planting diverse crops, preserving natural habitats, and avoiding monoculture farming. It will also support natural pest control.
  • Energy Efficiency: Sustainable farming uses renewable energy sources and optimizes farm operations. Therefore, it reduces energy consumption. 

Impact on Poverty Alleviation

Sustainable farming practices can reduce poverty and hunger by improving smallholder farming incomes, food security through diversified crops, and conserving natural resources.

  • Improved Food Security: Sustainable farming enhances food security by promoting diverse crops, preserving biodiversity, and reducing dependence on external inputs. It ensures a more resilient food system, reduces hunger, and strengthens communities’ ability to withstand crises.
  • Empowerment of Women and Youth: Sustainable agriculture empowers women and youth by providing them with training, resources, and leadership opportunities. Women farmers, in particular, play a crucial role in poverty reduction, as they reinvest income in family welfare, education, and healthcare.
  • Community Development: Sustainable farming fosters community development through cooperative models, knowledge sharing, and collective action. Farmer cooperatives, community-supported agriculture (CSA), and agroecology networks empower communities to address common challenges, access resources, and advocate for their interests.

Success Stories and Best Practices

  1. Agroecology Initiative in Rural Africa:

A community-led agroecology project in a rural African village implemented sustainable farming practices. These included diversified crops and established a local market for organic produce. The initiative increased incomes, reduced poverty rates, and improved nutrition for participating households.

2. Permaculture Farming in Southeast Asia

Several small-scale permaculture farms in Indonesia demonstrated the benefits of regenerative agriculture, soil conservation, and community engagement. These farms provided food security, restored degraded land, protected water sources, and promoted biodiversity.

Challenges and Opportunities

While sustainable farming holds promise for poverty alleviation, challenges such as access to resources, knowledge gaps, and policy support require collaboration from governments, NGOs, and the private sector. At ECHO, we aim to empower farmers by providing them with sustainable knowledge and tools necessary to enhance their lives and communities.

Conclusion: Nurturing Thriving Communities

Sustainable farming is not just about growing food; it’s about nurturing communities, empowering farmers, and creating a future of shared prosperity. At ECHO, we share knowledge and provide essential tools to farmers while improving food production and eliminating scarcity sustainably within their communities. 

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ECHO provides hope against hunger around the globe through agricultural training and resources. As a Christian technical networking and resourcing organization, ECHO builds a diverse, global network and serves that network by sharing validated contextualized agricultural options with technical excellence. ECHO’s goal is to serve its network members to advance food security and sustainable livelihoods. ECHO’s North American Regional Impact Center is located in Fort Myers, Florida with a global presence through four Regional Impact Centers in the USA, Thailand, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. For more information about ECHO call 239-543-3246 or visit echonet.org or ECHOcommunity.org.

Another Leaf, Please! ECHO’s Community Garden Intern Gets Her Hands Dirty in Schools

ECHO’s Community Garden Intern shares her experiences with visits to local schools. For Lauren, farming has been part of her background for most of her life, but for many of the students she meets, their food horizons are limited. Lauren is working to change that through ECHO and a partnership with Publix Super Markets Charities.

Leeann Estrada

The kids’ eyes bulged when Lauren told them that the plant they were holding in their hands was the same one that could grow in an East African village. Lauren absolutely loves it when they react like this.  As part of her role as the Community Garden Intern, Pennsylvania-native Lauren Kachel regularly visits nearby schools to teach students about the underutilized crops that ECHO promotes to smallholder farmers in the tropics. For Lauren, this is a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between people from very different cultures around the world. 

Kachel is no stranger to farm life. Growing up, her family kept a garden and sold their tomatoes to local grocery stores, and she also worked on a dairy farm for six years. In high school, she joined and excelled in the National FFA Organization – an institution that equips youth to pursue careers in agriculture. She raised two lambs, cared for her school’s livestock, and was chairman of the annual plant sale – she even earned FFA’s highest-level degree. In college, she pursued a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education which has served her well as the Community Garden intern, especially when interacting with young children who may have minimal experience with farming or gardening. Through her easy-going nature and approachability, she is providing hands-on learning activities to inspire a future generation of hunger fighters. 

Recently, Lauren visited an elementary school that had planted a cranberry hibiscus shrub – a burgundy-hued tropical plant with sweet and sour-tasting leaves. She said, “It is so cool if kids can see that and eat it too.” She recalled a story of how one of the students picked a bell pepper and weighed it on a scale – proudly presenting the fruits of his labor. Some of the kids then showed her their well-established agroforestry plot,  including an avocado tree, papaya, and more cranberry hibiscus.

On another visit, she partnered with a Lee County school organization called the “Healthy Living Collaboration” made up of retired teachers, school district employees, and other ECHO partners like the Harry Chapin Food Bank. Their once-a-month meetings are held at different schools to provide resources and training for teachers on how to boost local food security and overall well-being. 

Later, at a STEMtastic day event hosted by the Lee County school district at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, she gave students a taste test. She brought moringa, katuk, and cranberry hibiscus from ECHO along with more commonly-eaten Romaine lettuce and Iceberg lettuce from a grocery store. Each leafy green was laid on a table and as each student walked up, she would ask them, “Is this edible?” Many of the students said the ECHO leaves were not edible, exclaiming about the lettuce, “Oh, I know this one!” Her response would leave them in shock, unaware that ALL of them were completely edible. One student even asked for another leaf to eat!  

As Lauren realizes that the knowledge she has gained at ECHO is not always available to resource-limited communities, she has grown her passion to serve communities abroad one day. She looks forward to increasing the dignity of people groups and farmers in Central Asia in the next few years. For now, she will be transitioning into the year-long Propagation Assistant position at ECHO North America, giving her more room to grow and reflect before she begins her dignity-giving training endeavor. 

Through Lauren’s passion, and thanks in part to support by Publix Super Markets Charities, school children and community gardens across Lee and Collier counties are learning about and growing their own fresh and healthy food. “Another leaf, please!”

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ECHO provides hope against hunger around the globe through agricultural training and resources. As a Christian technical networking and resourcing organization, ECHO builds a diverse, global network and serves that network by sharing validated contextualized agricultural options with technical excellence. ECHO’s goal is to serve its network members to advance food security and sustainable livelihoods. ECHO’s North American Regional Impact Center is located in Fort Myers, Florida with a global presence through four Regional Impact Centers in the USA, Thailand, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. For more information about ECHO call 239-543-3246 or visit echonet.org or ECHOcommunity.org.