1 Agricultural Missions, Inc. and Partner Visits in Delegation to World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya Rural Kenya & Uganda.

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Agricultural Missions, Inc.

and Partner Visits in

Delegation to

World Social Forumin Nairobi, Kenya

Rural Kenya & Uganda

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Our Delegation

Kenyan farmers

Ugandan NGO staff

AMI, Presbyterians, Methodists – US, Haiti, El Salvador

Federation of Southern Cooperatives

Florida Farmworkers

MRCC and NFFC

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WSF Nairobi 2007

7th WSF v. WEF

People all over world fighting neoliberalism – privatization, elimination of social supports, & opening of “free” markets to capital

WSF a space for inspiration & sharing of new visions & strategies for a better world.

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Opening Rally

Legacy of African liberation movements

Mzungu Aenda Ulaya  (White/Foreigner Go Away)

Mwafrika Apate Uhuru (Africa Takes Freedom)

Small percentage of population touched

“They turned into governments.”

Generation gap

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Opening Rally

Wahu Kaara

Women giving learned presentations, women giving powerful speeches, women in leadership roles wherever we turned.

Kenneth Kaunda urged rejection of neo-colonialism & an end to “all forms of exploitation of person by person in any shape or form.”

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Social Movements

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Social Movements

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Social Movements

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Social Movements

Strong presence from European and African labor unions

Decent work for a decent life

Fighting privatization

Building strong, democratic, worker-controlled unions

The unions need the social movements and vice versa

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Social Movements

Government workers in Kenya face the same basic struggles as government workers in the US.

Low pay and benefits, cutbacks, privatization.

Working with youth to build consciousness to overcome corruption.

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Social Movements

South Africa!

General Workers Union.

Democratic and Worker-controlled unions make workers strong!

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Social Movements – USA!

Grassroots Global Justice alliance of U.S.-based grassroots groups organizing to build power for working and poor people.

Committed to building a strong enough movement to prevent the US government and US corporations from suppressing popular movements and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.

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Social Movements – LVC!

Nairobi, January 20th, 2007 – The Seventh Annual World Social Forum kicked off today in Uhuru Park in Central Nairobi, Kenya, in front of a crowd of tens of thousands of social activists from Africa and the rest of the world. 

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Social Movements – LVC!

Juana Ferrer of Via Campesina at the Opening Ceremony of the Forum, with her interpreter Maria Elena Martinez. Photo: Pedro Café

We are the peasants, the farmers of the world, united in our struggle…  We fight against those who try to undermine our riches, cultures, and people.

We will fight together, comrades of the world!  We will globalize the fight!  We will globalize the hope!

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We reaffirm here at the World Social Forum – from the heart where humanity was born – our desire to fight, together with you.

Our unity is our strength, the force which we will use to defeat the Empire, its institutions, and its politicians.

Via Campesina Opening Mistica

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La Via Campesina at WSF

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AMI – Food Sovereignty

Standing outside Gate #14 of the Kasarani Sports Stadium with ears of organically grown white corn and a sign that said:  "Food Sovereignty: Strategies for Transformation" …  But come they did, about 120 people from dozens of countries North and South, East and West.

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AMI – Food Sovereignty

On the panel facilitated by Agricultural Missions, Inc (AMI) were women and men speakers from tough African American farm communities facing agrarian extinctio, rural villages in Bungoma District of  Western Kenya hammered by governmental neglect and depleted soils, farm labor camps in Florida, US, small-scale farmers from Missouri, and a respondent speaker working with small farmers in South Africa.

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AMI – Food Sovereignty

The role of food aid in undermining food security and trumping food sovereignty in African countries;

The common interests and varied complementary struggles among farmers in the industrialized north with those of rural peoples in the more agrarian south;

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AMI – Food Sovereignty

The importance of gender equity and empowerment in community development;

Erasing the stigma from eating millet, diverse tubers, bananas and other hardy resilient African crops,

Ways of breaking down the hegemony of corporate fast food culture and export dumping regimes. 

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Global Campaign for

Agrarian Reform in AfricaJanuary 23, Nairobi. La Via Campesina launched the African part of the Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform today during the World Social Forum in Nairobi. ..

One of the objectives is the fight against hunger.

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Global Campaign for

Agrarian Reform in AfricaWe are making advances in Latin American and this example can be followed in Africa.

We must advance in this continent, the poorest in the world... recover the natural resources (water, land, seeds, mines, etc.) on behalf of the people.

In South Africa alone, there are around 15 million landless people.

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Global Campaign for

Agrarian Reform in AfricaDiamantino Nhampossa from Mozambique, a representative of the National Union of Farmers (UNAC) and coordinator of La Via Campesina in África, highlighted the struggles for the liberation of the African people.

“500 years ago, colonialism took our lands. Since the decade of the 80s, our lands are being seized by the World Bank and now the only way out is to mobilize and carry out campaigns like this one, to motivate the people to struggle for their rights.”

- Kenyan farmers at Via Campesina Workshop

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Global Campaign for

Agrarian Reform in AfricaThe Via Campesina delegation participated with around 50 delegates coming from various countries:

South Africa, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, Angola, Congo, Brazil, France, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Nepal, Madagascar, Thailand, Honduras, Nicaragua, Norway, Mozambique, Spain, Indonesia, etc.

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Global Campaign for

Agrarian Reform in AfricaAt the end of the event, native seeds from Mayan corn sent by the Zapatistas from Mexico were handed over to the men and women farmers of Africa.

Rafael Alegria:  "This edition represents an opportunity to strengthen the African people.  'Another world is possible!' is the motto of the WSF, and after six years we can be sure that another countryside is possible."    

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Social Movements

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Social Movements

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Social Movements

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Are the Poor Welcome?

The poor at the world social forum could not afford to eat at the food stands and restaurants that were inside the venue in Nairobi. A former governmental official who was guilty of torturing Kenyans under colonial rule owned the most profitable stand.

After daily organized protest of the high costs of food, finally the protesters (the poorest from the slums) socialized the restaurant. They took the food to share with other poor WSF participants.

Via Campesina Tent

Kenyan coffee farmer meeting La Via Campesina

Via Campesina Tent

The Brazilians brought in the Minister for Racial Equality from the Lula government who spoke about their “Zero Hunger” policy and the new efforts at racial equality. 

Via Campesina Tent

Kenyan and African farmers talk about building the movement and joining Via Campesina.

GGJ Workshop There is movement in the belly of the beast.

Labor – JwJ

Economic justice – MWC and TWU

Asians for Environmental Justice

Racial Justice

Youth – Southwest Organizing and USAS

Gender? Farmers?

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Kenyan Landless Alliance

Over 200 Africans attended this workshop

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Kenyan Landless Alliance

African communities presenting cultural and informational presentations demonstrating their plight due to the rulers, the climatic conditions, the poverty.

The World Bank is on their Board.

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AMI Critique of Gates/Rockefeller “Green Revolution for Africa”

Winston Carroo

Gertrude Kenyangi

Peter Rossett

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Protesting EPAs!

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Protesting EPAs!

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Protesting EPAs!

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Protesting EPAs!

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Assembly of Social Movements

Samir Amin calls on movements to get off the defensive and go on the offensive.

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Assembly of Social Movements

Danny Glover

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Kenyan National Park

Ostrich & Black rhinos

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Kenyan National Park

Lion stalking gazelles

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Rift Valley

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Kenyan Countryside

From Nairobi , we endured a 12-hour bus ride on horrible roads to reach Bungoma district in western Kenya where some of the farmers and NGO activists in our delegation are based. 

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Kenyan Countryside

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KamusindeChristian Community-Based Organizations

Martin says one day this will be a college – a liberation college.

And prior to that, KCCBO will help organize a Kenyan-Ugandan social forum.

US social movements need to get on board these local social forums.

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KamusindeChristian Community-Based Organizations

Some of the churches in Africa have taken the lead in creating and building community organizations.  Going door-to-door.  Talking with people to learn what it is that people are ready to organize around.  Creating organizations that, in some cases are still called Christian organizations, but that are inter-denominational.

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Kamusinde Showing Off the Young People

This is one of the poorest districts in Kenya, with 56% of the population below the poverty level, which I understand to be $1 or $2 per day.  Yet, except for HIV/AIDS, the people are relatively well fed and healthy because of the productivity of the local peasants.

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Kamusinde Showing Off the Young People

Martin and Stephen join in.

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Kamusinde Showing Off the Young People

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Hakemah Youth Organization

Mother Africa

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Hakemah Youth Organization

Great play created by the youth

-Religion

-Sex and Aids

-Gender relations

-Treatment of girls and marriage

-Neo-colonialism

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Promised Land Students

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Winston & Aid

Winston was actually embarrassed by how the various groups in their reports and proposals made it sound like they were so dependent on help from AMI and him personally.

He said, “look at what you have accomplished!95% on your own, with only a little bit of help, here and there, from the outside.” 

The big NGOs have helped create this dependency culture in Africa.

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Jane’s Community

The entire community welcomed us with music, dancing, and hugs.

The community organizations call themselves “Self-Help” or Mutual Aid groups.  They are village-based, generally have 20-30 members, majority women, some men, and youth of both genders. 

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Jane’s Community

Jane and husband welcoming the delegation.

Most people are engaged at least in subsistence agriculture, and efforts to increase food production for local consumption and commercial opportunities are a major focus of all the organizations. 

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Jane’s Community

Teaching gringos the Kenyan shoulder dance.

These organizations generally also work on health, in particular HIV/AIDS and malaria, and other basic community concerns, including women’s issues. 

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Jane’s Community

The musicians –

Every community has its musicians and dancers.

Generally young men and some young women.

They pay them for special occasions like this.

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Jane’s Community

More shoulder dancing in Kenya.

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Welcome!

From Benedict and his wife.

Most of these community-based self-help groups are called Women’s Groups, and women are generally the majority of members and the leadership. 

Benedict’s FarmMakulukulu Self-Help Group

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Benedict’s FarmMakulukulu Self-Help Group

This movement stems from the social conditions of women in Africa:

they have been oppressed and subjugated to men,

but are responsible for taking care of the home.

When they get together, they also take care of the village. 

Most of these groups have come into existence at the initiative of NGOs and/or churches, especially since the U.N.’s international focus on women over the past 15-20 years.

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Benedict’s Farm

The countryside is dotted with small plots of sugar cane, sweet potatoes, greens and vegetables, bananas, and other crops.

Here Benedict explains the different varieties of cassava.

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Benedict’s Farm

Benedict’s sons explain their methods for planting, cultivating, and fertilizing maize.

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Benedict’s Farm

A small confined goat-raising operation. Confinement simplifies feeding and waste gathering. Goats are raised here for milk.

Those raised for meat only are less likely to be confined.

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Benedict’s Farm

Claiming Audrey to be a daughter or sister of Kenya.

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Benedict’s Farm

Primitive kitchen.

Soot is another major occupational health hazard for women – another gender issue – especially with these more primitive kitchen facilities.

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Benedict’s Farm

A slightly more advanced kitchen.

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Benedict’s Farm

The most advanced kitchen on Benedict’s farm.

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Benedict’s Farm

This is one of the largest sugar producing regions in Africa. Sugar cane is the main commercial crop. 

The sugar mill owners cheat the farmers, make questionable deductions on quality, and delay payments to the farmers, previously for as long as 3 years.

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Benedict’s Farm

The farmers have formed a cooperative to pressure the mill on their behalf, but that organization itself has reportedly been mismanaged and corrupted, with the farmers most involved getting a better deal but not all the farmers. 

Payments are now being made with 2 or 3 months of harvest. 

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Apiary - Benedict’s Farm

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Benedict’s Farm

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Benedict’s Farm

Despite the poverty level, the farmers believe it is not possible to obtain enough organic material to use organic methods on larger plots of crops, so they do find ways to purchase chemical fertilizers. 

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Benedict’s Farm

Composting

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Benedict’s Farm

Benedict, wife, and 3 sons.

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CREADIS Community Research in Environment & Development Initiatives

CREADIS is a research partner with COADY International Institute, and Oxfam, on ABCD, leading to a report later this year.

Asset Based Community Development (ABCD)

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CREADIS

Local Outreach in Sustainable Agriculture (LOSAP)

Constituency funds

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CREADIS

Democratic Governance Support Programme (DGSP)

Constituency funds

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Our Delegation Expanded!

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Bungoma Farewell

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Bungoma Farewell

Kenyan shoulder dance

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Kenya-Uganda Border

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Lake Victoria

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Lake Victoria

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Lake Victoria

Source of the Nile

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Lake Victoria

Ghandi’s bust

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Nswungyezi Women’s Group

Mkolare District

Uganda

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Nswungyezi Women’s Group

Dancers leap high off the ground in unison, descending earthward, planting both feet on the ground with all the explosive energy and power possible within their bodies and spirits.

This says more clearly than words themselves:

"This is what we stand for... what we already stand on: the land itself. We shall not be moved!

Uganda

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Nswungyezi Women’s Group

Dancers leap high off the ground in unison, descending earthward, planting both feet on the ground with all the explosive energy and power possible within their bodies and spirits.

This says more clearly than words themselves:

"This is what we stand for... what we already stand on: the land itself. We shall not be moved!

Uganda

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Nswungyezi Women’s Group

These women grew maize and all the staples primarily for local consumption.

SEAW had also helped them to get started in raising aloe vera for commercial purposes. Good prices are available for the leaves – AIDS medicines – and for starts.

Uganda

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Nswungyezi Women’s Group

The whole community turned out.

Uganda

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Nswungyezi Women’s Group

Small portion left of original forest.

Foreground shows seedlings that SEAW had helped get from a government reforestation program that is granting land use rights for forest edge dwellers.

Uganda

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Uganda

This women’s group had actually built this building, in part to house the machinery for use in grinding flour from maize in place of current stone grinding.

The donor had cut & run, so they asked AMI to help get the electricity going, training, and business plan.

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Uganda

This women’s group had actually built this building, in part to house the machinery for use in grinding flour from maize in place of current stone grinding.

The donor had cut & run, so they asked AMI to help get the electricity going, training, and business plan.

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During the presentations, a drunk man, known by the women, came into the building and was somewhat disruptive. They kept him there to keep him from going to abuse his wife.

Uganda

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Uganda

This group was beginning a solar drying project for plantains & other crops.

Preservation of food for commercial sale is a significant problem in these communities.

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Uganda

Gertrude Kenyangi translates for the chairperson of this group.

They had a dairy cow, goats, and diverse crops, and were marketing crafts as well as produce.

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Uganda

The men listened attentively – following women’s leadership.

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Uganda

AMI had sponsored scholarship for these two young men from Kenya, and two young women from Uganda, at KIOF.

Here they discussed the particular varieties and methods for raising and marketing passion fruit.

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Uganda

Sampling of the group’s produce.

A discussion began to go through our delegation.

Why, when we see such fertile land and good productivity of the peasants, is there also so much hunger in Africa?

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Uganda

One of the few hogs we saw.

We saw many trucks loaded with cattle destined for meat markets on the highways.

However, these were larger farmers. There seemed to be little or no system for getting peasant livestock out of local villages.

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Uganda - Banana ‘middle men’

Bananas, or plantains, were the main crop in this part of Uganda – for commercial distribution as well as local consumption.

Young men on bicycles served as a “middle man” picking up product from farmers and delivering to a bigger man with a truck.

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Uganda - Banana ‘middle men’

When it was suggested that a next step for one of the Women’s groups would be to take their own bananas to the village, gender issues leaped to the fore.

Women don’t ride bikes. Men can’t be trusted to bring the money back.

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

What keeps agricultural products from getting to hungry people?

Most Africans emphasized “lack of leadership” – lack of government priority on resources to support increased productivity among the peasants.

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

Tuber common in tropical climates – Colombia, Hawaii, as well as Africa.

Resources needed include irrigation, preservation, transportation, but primarily a price that give peasants an incentive to produce a surplus.

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

Some of these cows were offspring from the first dairy cows provided to this group by AMI.

The surplus milk is sold to neighbors. This farmer feeds about 10 people.

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

Formerly, there were government boards and programs to ensure a minimum price to farmers and to get products from the farms to the cities.

Maize and other staple crops, plantains, meat, dairy, etc. From 1980s, these programs were privatized and/or corrupted.

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

Ubiquitous bananas. Well-tended mulching under the trees.

They also make a beer and a gin out of bananas. If a household allows a guest to pass through without drinking, rats will invade the household.

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

This young man is the elected LC1 Chair for this village.

He has just recently received this cow, an offspring from Winston G. Carroo.

A rabbit hutch in the background.

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

The LC1 Chair’s wife and children.

Given their small land, they struggle to keep the children fed and to pay their school fees.

Possibly he could become the “middle man” for the group?

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

The musicians and dancers.

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

The musicians.

Uganda

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Nyakahanga Women’s Group

The dancers.

Uganda

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Good-bye to the Kenyans!

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The Equator!

Onward to USSF 2007!

June 27 to July 1

United States Social ForumAtlanta, Georgia

Community Organizers • Trade Unionists • NGO representatives Students & Youth • Elected Officials • Teachers • Peace & Justice Activists

Come gather for a weeklong conference filled with dialogues, workshops, debates, marches, rallies, and cultural events.

Show our fellow citizens‘Another World is Possible’