European Tribune - Comments - Family gardens, school gardens and urban gardening against the actual food crisis

Family gardens, school gardens and urban gardening against the actual food crisis | 21 comments (21 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: gardening against the actual food crisis (4.00 / 5)

Thanks Helen. You are completely right : the recent "Green Revolution"in the drylands of Malawi is at least partly due to small-scale horticulture by the rural population. NGOs play a very important role in this (r)evolution. Their successes should inspire donors, and not only the largest ones,to provide substantial financial aid for duplication of these "best practices" at the largest national and even international scale.

Food aid can only be a temporary relief, because it is never eliminating the causes of the drought catastrophe. Think at my variant of the Chinese proverb : "Don't bring these people food, teach them how to grow it".

Prof. Dr. Willem Van Cotthem Beeweg 36 - B 9080 Zaffelare (Belgium)

by willem vancotthem (willem.vancotthem@gmail.com) on Tue May 6th, 2008 at 03:34:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: gardening against the actual food crisis (none / 0)

One of the stories that hangs in the back of my mind from years ago is that of an ecologist who discovered a bush bean in Central America that not only produces a nutritious bean crop, but provides a microclimate for the growth of other crops such as maize and, when they have been cropped, provide food for goats which then fertilize the area for next years cycle.

Was this a figment of my imagination ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue May 6th, 2008 at 01:55:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: gardening against the actual food crisis (none / 0)

Hello Helen. Sorry for the delay of this reply, caused by a busy schedule. A number of crops (beans, peas, etc.) belong to the leguminous plants, known for their ability to stock nitrogen from the air and to transform it into proteins, which are then broken down to nitrates, fertilizing the soil. Such nitrogen fixating crops are very useful indeed. They should be grown at a larger scale to fertilize the soil, particularly in the drylands. So, it is not your imagination !

Prof. Dr. Willem Van Cotthem Beeweg 36 - B 9080 Zaffelare (Belgium)

by willem vancotthem (willem.vancotthem@gmail.com) on Sun May 11th, 2008 at 05:59:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Family gardens, school gardens and urban gardening against the actual food crisis | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

. Home
. About
. Contact
. New User Guide
. FAQ
. Search
. Search (Google)
. Archives (Wiki)
Art, Economics, Energy, Environment, EU Politics, Mech & Tech, By Country

Username:
Password:

. Make a new account
. Reset password

Recommended Diaries

LQD: Deutsche Bahn privatization derails
by Magnifico - Oct 11
25 comments

The New Reality of Iranian Power
by marco - Oct 10
18 comments

Nationalisation is the solution
by Jerome a Paris - Oct 8
136 comments

An Endorsement, a Condemnation and an Election Reflection
by BobHiggins - Oct 11
1 comment

Poor Captain's Almanac
by Captain Future - Oct 10
8 comments

Sex and The City
by Magnifico - Oct 10
2 comments

Jörg Haider dies in car crash
by jandsm - Oct 11
40 comments

Danish news roundup
by JakeS - Oct 12
8 comments

Recent Diaries

Danish news roundup
by JakeS - Oct 12
4 comments

An Endorsement, a Condemnation and an Election Reflection
by BobHiggins - Oct 11
1 comment

Another World IS Possible.
by ManfromMiddletown - Oct 11
4 comments

LQD: Deutsche Bahn privatization derails
by Magnifico - Oct 11
25 comments

Jörg Haider dies in car crash
by jandsm - Oct 11
20 comments

The Inconvenient Existence of Abdel al Ghizzawi
by danps - Oct 11
1 comment

Sex and The City
by Magnifico - Oct 10
2 comments

Socratic economics: Tariffs and capital controls
by JakeS - Oct 10

The New Reality of Iranian Power
by marco - Oct 10
9 comments

Making the economic crisis personal: What do you tell family ...
by marco - Oct 10
14 comments

Poor Captain's Almanac
by Captain Future - Oct 10
8 comments

LQD: Roubini alert on global financial meltdown
by Melanchthon - Oct 10
28 comments

Iceland Teeters on the Brink
by Norwegian Chef - Oct 9
19 comments

Early Friday Photography Blog No 56
by LEP - Oct 9
41 comments

Coming Lithuanian elections
by das monde - Oct 9
4 comments

2008 International Design Awards
by gmoke - Oct 9

A GOOD CHANCE AT THE HALF CENTURY.
by SHKarlson - Oct 8

McCain, Obama Nominate Buffett?
by MarketTrustee - Oct 8
19 comments

Why are derivatives legal?
by Lupin - Oct 8
7 comments

Spanish preventive bail-out to conquer Europe
by kcurie - Oct 8
42 comments

More Diaries...

Debates

Campaigns

Occasional Series