Organizational Information
· ECHO is a non‐profit, interdenominational Christian organization with a 501 (c) (3) classification from the IRS.
· Its primary mandate is to reduce hunger and improve lives by strengthening the work of missionaries, development workers, national non‐governmental organizations and community leaders assisting the small‐scale farmers or urban gardeners around the world.
· ECHO is a growing network for sharing information, ideas, techniques and solutions to problems through experience, education, resources and seed packets.
ECHO History:
· In the 1970s, Indiana businessman Richard Duggar led a group of high school students on a visit to Haiti. He was deeply moved by the plight of the Haitian people.
· He and several others made a commitment to share their time and resources to help meet the needs they saw in Haiti.
· ECHO (Educational Concerns for Haiti Organization) was formed.
· In 1981, Dr. Martin Price became the Executive Director of ECHO.
· ECHO’s name was changed to reflect its growth to Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization.
· As ECHO’s role in international agricultural development grew, its mission became “Equipping people with agricultural resources and skills to reduce hunger and improve the lives of the poor.”
· Today, after some 30+ years, ECHO continues to grow, opening Regional Impact Centers in Thailand, Tanzania and Burkina Faso and maintaining a Latin America/Caribbean connection from the North Ft. Myers, Florida location.
ECHO Summary of Activities:
· ECHO places key information into the hands of development workers through the ECHO Development Notes (EDN). This quarterly technical document addresses challenges and solutions facing small‐scale farmers.
· ECHO provides a Technical Response Unit (TRU). ECHO staff members respond to agricultural and technical questions and provide answers from a variety of sources.
· ECHO provides an online portal. ECHOcommunity.org provides accessibility to our information with our entire digital library in over 30 languages.
· ECHO has published several books. Amaranth to Zai Holes: Ideas for Growing Food under Difficult Conditions; Edible Leaves of the Tropics and Agricultural Options for the Small‐Scale Farmer.
· ECHO sends seeds for food, forage and agroforestry. There is no charge for development workers, though the recipient is asked to report to ECHO on the performance and acceptance of the new plants.
· ECHO offers study and training opportunities. From interns to development workers to missionaries, ECHO offers training classes appropriate to their work in tropical areas.
· ECHO organizes international agricultural conferences, forums and symposiums.
· Development workers and missionaries gather to share innovative ideas and to network with one another.
· ECHO maintains a demonstration farm and nursery. The Global Farm and Appropriate Technology area serve as a living classroom. The nursery offers a large collection of hard‐to‐find herbs, fruit trees and tropical vegetables.
· ECHO conducts research in collaboration with colleges and universities. This research focuses on practical ideas that can help the poor operate on low budgets and directly affects farmers living in developing countries.
