Doing our bit to reduce global food crisis--planting time for Kiva entrepreneurs

[Guest]

.

[minke]

I know that such chemicals are not always ideal for the environment

Unfortunately there are serious health concerns as well as environmental issues around the use of pesticides.  Many farmers in the developing world are untrained in the safe usage of them and are unable to read any instructions or safety symbols on the containers.

http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=408&ArticleID=4608&l=en

[cpbailey]

It would be great if partners offered training in green agriculture--the use of plant and animal waste as soil enhancers, and the use of alternative pest control.  It might not always be feasible, but it is more than we use it. 

One of my earliest loans was to a man in Kenya who grew organic bananas.

Colette

[mejane]

Geoff,
Thanks for the information on fair trade.  Very worthwhile videos!  Just recently I bought an apron in a fair trade store and was pleased to see that the reversible side was a flour sack from Ghana.  Pretty cool apron.
Jane

[minke]

Geoff,
Great videos - thanks for posting them.  There was something in one of them that really struck a chord about sustainability and taking care of land and eco systems better, so leaving something behind for future generations.

Colette,
I would have loved to have joined you on that banana loan   Everyone would benefit from ecologically sound and sustainable agriculture, preferably organic.  I agree that isn't always feasible and that is where science has some part to play in allaying the global food crisis.

Jane,
Cool apron indeed.  I would have been so chuffed to find the Ghanaian flour sack.



Here are a couple of videos that some of you might be interested in.

One is about child labour in cocoa plantations focussing on the use of hazardous pesticides.
The other is about pesticide use in cotton farming in India focussing on health implications and the pesticide/poverty trap.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value=""></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src=</embed></object>
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value=""></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src=</embed></object>

[Turtle]

Yes, and terrible health consequences, especially for kids working with them....but then, starvation tends to be pretty nasty, too      What a terribly hard issue....

I have seen a few loans for converting to organic.  I think they might have been through SEM in Senegal, which aims to create economically AND environmentally sustainable communities.  Then again, I also saw a SELFINA (I think) loan the other day for a lady who currently sells charcoal but wants to get out of the trade because it's bad for the environment.  Baby steps 

Thanks for more videos, Geoff.

[ulrike]

Hello,
I joined the team with the following loan:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=62158

I like  the sari and the oxen to plow the field!

A bientôt

Ulrike

[Sengbe Pieh]

Hello,
I joined the team with the following loan:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=62158

I like  the sari and the oxen to plow the field!

A bientôt

Ulrike

Many Thanks, Ulrike 

Geoff