LEISA's Farm / AgriCultures Network blog

Excellent news from Brazil: Brazilian court suspends release of Bayer’s GM maize

Posted by: U. Merc

The Paraná Federal Court prohibited German chemicals giant Bayer from marketing and commercial release of Liberty Link maize, one of its' genetically-modified crops anywhere in Brazil due to the absence of a plan for post-release monitoring.

The federal judge Pepita Durski Tramontini, standing on the Environmental Circuit Court in Curitiba also specifically revoked authorisation of the Bayer’s Liberty Link corn in Brazil because of lack of any studies relating to the potential impacts of this technology on the regional biomes.

Her ruling came in response to a class-action suit filed by several Brazilian NGOs, including AS-PTA, the Brazilian partner of the AgriCultures Network (and publisher of Agriculturas).

In the last issue of Farming Matters magazine Gabriel Bianconi Fernandes, a researcher with AS-PTA, was saying that they are still waiting for the court decision. Now the fight against GMOs will hopefully take another route.

More information:

• read the whole report
• about GM crops in Brazil and on the court case: www.aspta.org.br

Background papers (Documents prepared for the International Seminar on GMOs - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 9 to 12th 2010):

• A brief survey of Brazil’s biosafety legislation, by Andrea Salazar and Karina Grou
• Brief history of the GM¬Free Brazil Campaign, by Gabriel B. Fernandes
• Safety Considerations on Genetically Modified Food Crops, by Arpad Pusztai and Susan Bardocz
• Transgenics crops ecological impacts, by Gilles Ferment
• Transgenic soya in Brazil: the polemics surrounding an agribusiness "success", by Jean Marc von der Weid
• A study of the economic and agronomic efficiency of transgenic soya in Brazil, by Alberto Bracagioli and Daniela de Oliveira

Live from Montpellier (well, almost)

By Jorge Chavez-Tafur

The XIIIth IAALD World Congress, which started three days ago, has just finished here in Montpellier, France. It has been a very interesting experience to meet so many professionals from all over the world, and to hear about their projects and activities, their results and challenges. It has equally been interesting to meet, in person, people with whom we had been in touch before, but only through the e-mail. Barnabas Kapange, for example, sent us an article a couple of years ago, describing the work his organisation (the SADC, based in Botswana) does in terms of in situ and ex situ conservation. We exchanged many ideas back then. It was great to meet him personally, and to hear about the developments which his work has seen since his article came out in our magazine.

I had the chance to present some of the results of our documentation programme - and was happy to get some very positive reactions. I talked about the importance of thinking about a method (not a recipe, but some guidelines), but also of thinking about other issues: why exactly are those participating in a documentation processes actually participating? How to ensure that the "owners" of an experience take a very active role? What role must an external facilitator take? We had a good discussion afterwards (both at the plenary session and during coffee), covering issues such as the "property" of the information which results from a documentation process, or the importance of ensuring quality all through the process. I have just seen that those running the IAALD blog have beaten me and posted my Power Point file on their blog, so I hope that these discussions continue! (See here.)

I also found it particularly interesting to hear Thiendou Niang talking about his documentation activities in West Africa. He highlighted many of the positive impacts that a documentation process can have (visibility, inspiration, learning), and repeated the need to pay attention to the dissemination and use of the results - especially in order to influence policy. I can also repeat here his remark on the importance of building content, and not just focus on tools or techniques: "we must make an extra effort to build content with the actors themselves, or we are going to miss the boat".

All in all, these have been three great days, full of ideas and inspiration for further work. It has been good to hear and talk about social media, tools, information exchange, targetted products, innovative learning processes, etc., etc. Thank you IAALD!

Positive energy at the Soil Association Conference UK

posted by Karen Hampson

ILEIA was given the opportunity to attend the Soil Association Conference this week (well, I say ILEIA but in practice that meant lucky old me). The Soil Association is the U.K.'s leading organic campaigning charity, promoting "planet-friendly" food and farming systems. Much of the organic produce appearing on supermarket shelves in the U.K. has been certified according to the Soil Association's standards, and carries this well-recognised mark.

The theme of the conference as a whole was "The Future of Food". We were asked to contribute to the workshop looking at the international challenge, in light of the recent IAASTD report's key message that "business as usual is not an option". The workshop was framed around the question "How can the global north and south work together in developing truly sustainable food and farming systems?" I was joined by Patrick Mulvany of Practical Action, and Julia Wright, an expert in agroecology and food security, who has written for our publications before (click here to read her article on Cuba). The workshop was designed and chaired by Joy Carey, who has worked for the Soil Association for many years and is now an independent consultant on sustainable food systems with f3-the local food consultants.

Together we tried to provide some suggestions for future directions, and open the debate on this wide topic. Our ideas included encouraging the widespread endorsement of the principles of food sovereignty, and an acknowledgment that a paradigm shift in food and farming systems is needed. One small step would be for all organisations with an interest in this debate to form a strong network to lobby in the U.K. and Europe around this global issue, and to sign up to the 12 principles of the European Food Declaration.

I missed the opening session, but the conference has been well-reported in the U.K. press (for example, The Guardian, and The Telegraph). I was so absorbed in the afternoon panel session, and then spent so much time mingling, and enjoying the variety of locally-produced and organic food, that at 1030pm when I finally left the conference venue, I realised I had not taken a single photo to put up here!

 I came away with my head buzzing with ideas, infused with the positive energy that comes from meeting inspirational people, and spending a day in an environment when the overwhelming attitude was "change is possible, and it is in our hands".

Thoughts from Kenya on future directions for research and extension

posted by Karen, main text and photos by Ismail S. Kimole

Echoing the sentiments of the IAASTD report, and in light of recent calls for a paradigm shift, Ismail S. Kimole sent us his personal thoughts on the future of research and extension in the Kenyan context.

"I was mesmerized the other day to read in one of the dailies here in Kenya that it’s just a matter of time before we will be able to make our lunch by just sitting under the sun. The author was referring to the latest breakthrough in the field of genetic engineering. The idea is both tempting and mind boggling. Using the basic knowledge I possess about the plant physiology and the human physiology, the idea of combining the two leaves a lot to be desired.

My take is that we are directing the better percentage of our research resources in the wrong direction. With declining agricultural productivity, coupled with population increase especially in the developing world, then we should think of reversing the situation by bringing the arid lands into sustainable production. Some researchers are doing great work in coming up with disease resistant varieties and early maturing crop varieties, but this is only a drop in the ocean compared to the resources directed to research in genetic engineering.
 
How about having crops like maize with the extensive root system of perennial grasses? How about having bean varieties with the resilience and seed producing capacity of weeds? This I believe is the kind of paradigm shift needed in research especially in this time when we are being confronted by the 'global warming monster'.

Extensionists also need to play their part of ensuring that all the good research does not gather dust on the shelves. It should reach the farmer who is the largest stakeholder in ensuring food security. It’s interesting to see universities being awarded 'the best research institution'. How about 'the best information dissemination institution?' Some very good findings only get to the public limelight when the researchers present their conclusions in the media. Better links between researchers and extensionists are needed, as what happens to the information now is very painful to mention.

It’s high time we break away from routine and forge ahead towards a new dawn."

Post your comments for Mr. Kimole below, or send them to us at leisasfarm(at)gmail.com and we will forward them to him.

Bringing rural Mexico to urban California

posted by Karen, main text by Cristina Martinez-Canton and Joanne Heraty

Here is another story from our Jubilee competition. I found this story fascinating. It tells a tale of immigration, urbanisation and a different style of family farming. Cristina Martinez-Canton wrote this for us:

"I was given the opportunity to document urban agriculture with UC Davis graduate student Joanne Heraty, in the summer of 2008, who was researching maize diversity among immigrant gardens. During the project, we interviewed farmers in homegardens and community gardens in Southern California and discovered that many of these farmers are cultivating seeds native to their homelands, in effect re-inventing culture and food traditions they maintained from their upbringing on rural farms in Mexico. The amount of knowledge these people have about the land is vast and the importance of food, and the comfort of farming their own food, is of immense value.

What we came to discover was that most of these farmers were elderly with children who had no interest in growing food on their own land or tapping the knowledge from their parents. Yet, most surprisingly, we saw a re-emergence of interest in grandchildren who helped their grandparents tend, plant and water the yards. In the children's narratives, we saw pride and honour in being allowed to participate in something so crucial to their household's prosperity.

Many of the families we met live in poverty stricken neighbourhoods like South Central and Compton in Los Angeles, where the closest thing to a grocery store is a mini-mart or a liquor store. The availability of fresh fruit and vegetables in these neighborhoods is poor. By teaching the younger generations traditional farming practices, valuable knowledge of self-sufficiency and food security is being passed on, something you don't often see in metropolitan cities like Los Angeles.

I would like to submit these select photos of my idea of the future of family farming from this project I was involved in. As rural agriculture transforms into the industrial and farmers substitute their farming ways for city jobs, we begin to find more and more urban agriculture. This is my view of the future of family farming:  transferring knowledge of traditional cultivation practices from older generations to younger generations allowing them opportunities to continue family traditions of farming even if it must happen in the concrete confines of metropolitan cities."

Photos by Cristina Martinez-Canton.
Research inquiries may be directed to:
Joanne Heraty; joanneheraty@gmail.com

Photography inquiries may be directed to:
Cristina Martinez-Canton; inastina@riseup.net

From farmer to agro-ecosystem conserver

posted by Karen Hampson, main text by Niraj Prasad Koirala

As part of ILEIA's 25th anniversary celebrations, we ran a photo competition. We received a number of entries, many of which were accompanied by short stories. I thought they were too interesting to be left sitting on my desk, so in the coming weeks I will be posting some of these inspiring tales from the field here. First is this story and photos sent to us by Niraj Prasad Koirala from Nepal.

"The photos reveal the story of a farmer named Mrs Mayadevi Adhikari of Chitwan district. Seeing her farms I was amazed. There I found 1000 species of plants and animals. Besides this, she has adopted a new method for making compost manure. A hollow cemented pot is placed on blocks and the raw organic material are placed in it from the top hollow portion. In the bottom hollow portion there is a steel net which prevents the downward movement of manure. After the manure ripens, the net is removed and manure is taken out as shown in last picture.

She has also practised making eco-friendly vermicompost. Around the house there is a stream of water where fishes are kept. She also practises bee keeping, which is very beneficial for the agro-ecosystem. The top picture shows Mrs Mayadevi with her paddy field. In the paddy field she has kept fishes and cultivates azolla. So her farm is purely biological and not harmful.

I think if farmers get adequate chance and knowledge, the future of family life based on agriculture is very good. They can be an innovators and agro-ecosystem conservers just like Mrs Mayadevi. So knowledge and chance has changed her from an ordinary farmer to an agro-ecosystem conserver."

Niraj Koirala is a student at Tribhuvan University, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science(IAAS) Rampur Agriculture Campus Rampur,Chitwan District, Nepal.

Competition time!

posted by Karen Hampson

I have noticed a preponderance of competitions lately. I think they are useful to know about for (at least) two reasons: they provide an opportununity for organisations to access funding or other support, and they are a source of inspiration and good ideas for the rest of us.

Here is a quick round-up of some I found interesting:

Development Marketplace. This is administered by the World Bank, and they run various regional and global competitions. I found some of the 26 winners of the 2009 global competition related to climate change, "100 ideas to save the planet", really interesting and inspiring. Many are related to sustainable agriculture, and count on the participation of indigenous peoples.

The Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI™) focuses on social entrepreneurs, ranging from education initiatives to ICT initiatives and projects related to economic developement and equality. The 2009 winners were a mixed bunch of creative ideas. Those selected have access to long-distance mentors, giving support to develop and improve their ideas, project or programme. 

The SEED Initiative aims to support locally-driven enterprises in sustainable development. Award winners come from all over the world. The website is clear and easy to read and you can sign up to receive newsletters to stay informed about announcements.

World Challenge 09 is also interesting - it is organised by Shell, Newsweek and BBC World News, and aims at supporting enterprising and innovative local businesses or projects. Twelve projects have been announced as finalists, with the winner to be announced in December. I enjoyed the one from Indonesia, about preparing organic compost from the tons of organic waste produced in vegetable markets.

Finally, a new competition: the Louis Malassis International Scientific Prize for Agriculture and Food. This is a prize awarded to individuals, recognising "their exemplary and promising contribution in promoting agricultural innovation in order to improve food and agricultural systems sustainability". Nominations are open until January 20, 2010.

All the sites contain lots of information about past winners and future competitions. Did I miss any other competitions? Let me know if you are aware of or represent a similar contest, and I will add you in here. Email me at: k.hampson (at) ileia.org or add your comment below.

LEISA Network's new website on documentation

contributed by Jorge Chavez-Tafur and Frank van Schoubroeck

Worldwide, thousands of NGOs, government agencies and farmers' organisations carry out work in support of small-scale farming. This work is often inspiring and innovative. Yet a lot of it goes unnoticed outside the farming communities, because most fieldworkers do not feel confident to report it to the outside world.

LEISA magazine partners have developed various methodologies to support field workers put their successes and challenges on paper. They have developed different tools to report and analyse the relevance of the experience for small-scale farming. In the process, they learned what works for field workers, what not, and why.

All these lessons are being summarised in a website-under-construction. This website shows how you can systematically approach field-work reporting. It provides information about methodologies, tools, cases, and references to other websites and documents with practical tips. You can visit the website, get inspired, and leave comments. Your documenting experience thus can become part of our "learning to learn" approach on working with small-scale family farming!

Chech it online.

Now out: Kilimo Endelevu Africa (KEA), vol. 1 issue 1

posted by Bertie

A joyous welcome to the youngest LEISA edition: Kilimo Endelevu Africa (KEA)!
ALIN, the Arid Lands Information Network, is a Kenya-based organisation working for community development. ALIN recently joined the LEISA Network and has now launched its Kilimo Endelevu Africa (KEA). This East-African edition is the eighth in the row of LEISA magazines, and like the other editions this one also contains success stories about small-scale farming and articles on agricultural technologies involving little or marginal external inputs, but building on local knowledge and traditional technologies.

Kilimo Endelevu Africa (KEA) is published quarterly by ALIN and ILEIA.
The theme of the first issue is "The role of rural entrepreneurship in development". Click here for more info or to download the issue.

Radio Scriptwriting Competition on Smallholder Farmer Innovation

posted by Bertie
Source: Farm Radio International

A few weeks ago, Farm Radio International launched the Scriptwriting Competition on Smallholder Farmer Innovation. Already 65 participants from more than 20 different countries have signed up.

The Scriptwriting Competition is open to organisations and individuals working with radio in Africa. Broadcasters, radio stations, production organisations, radio projects, farmers' associations with a radio show, etc. are all invited to submit their radio scripts to Farm Radio International before November 1, 2009.

The competition is committed to promoting gender equality and encourages scripts that feature innovations by women and men who are involved in farming and food production. To assist participants with writing the radio scripts, a free, two-month on-line scriptwriting training course will be offered, starting on August 24, 2009. For those with limited internet access, the course will be available on a CD-ROM.

The script is to be prepared by talking with local farmers. Scripts can take a variety of formats – for example, dramas, interviews or two-host conversations.

Each participant can submit one script for the competition and this script must be an original piece of work written specifically for this competition. It must be in English or French, be between 500-2000 words, and include references to information sources used to prepare the script (e.g., farmers, agricultural institutions, NGOs, documents, etc.). Please note that only one script per participant is accepted! However, there can be more than one participant per radio station or organisation.

You have until November 1st, 2009 to submit your script, so there’s no need to stress. In a week (August 24) the online Scriptwriting Competition Course will start. If you follow the course you will learn how to create inspiring radio pieces about smallholder farmer innovation and write them down in script format.

To read more about the competition, click here.
To read more about the online course, click here.