Roger Samson REAP - Canada Box 125 Maison Glenaladale Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada, H9X 3V9 T: (514) 398-7743; F: (514) 398-7972 W: www.reap-canada.com; E: [email protected]The Agro-Ecological Village Development Model: Experiences in the Philippines, China and the Gambia
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Roger SamsonREAP - Canada
Box 125 Maison GlenaladaleSte. Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada, H9X 3V9
The Agro-Ecological Village Development Model: Experiences in the Philippines, China and the Gambia
REAP-CanadaHelps rural communities in
Canada and developing countries meet the
challenges of ecologically sound production of food,
fibre and fuel.
The organization began its participatory on-farm
research and farmer-to-farmer training on ecological farming in Canada in 1986.
Agro-Ecological Village (AEV) Development Project Partnerships
Aim to improve the economic & social well being of marginalized farming communities & women, while also protecting & enhancing the natural resource base
SNSADP Project, Philippines (1997), PDG and the MAPISAN Farmers Alliance WCAEV Development Project, China (2002), Ministry of Water Resources, Peoples Republic of China GAEV and GEAD Development Project, Gambia (2003), NATC and Village AID
Agricultural Problems in the Philippines Extreme weather
Soil erosion and poor soil fertilityDeforestation and loss of watersheds
Agrarian land reform struggles Monoculture production systems
Agricultural Problems in North Central China
Severe erosion Loss of soil organic matter Overgrazing and excessive use of wood & crop residues for household energy Low rainfall and risk of drought Vulnerability of the environment to desertification and global warming Salinization
Agricultural Problems in the Gambia
Agricultural production decreasing due to deteriorating soil fertility & rainfall
Monoculture production of peanutsAll crop residues are removedFree ranging goats destroy vegetationForest cover has seriously declined
Why The Agro-Ecological Village?
A holistic and integrated approach that builds the social, ecological and technological infrastructure of
communities.
Addresses the challenges of food security and improving livelihoods by rehabilitating the natural resource base through ecological farming systems
development & farmer to farmer training.
The Agro-Ecological Village An interdependent community of individual households that
are largely self-reliant through the creation of ecological food, fiber & energy systems.
The Agro-Ecological Village (AEV) Rural Development Approach
AEV ApproachEmphasizes local self-reliance through the development of diversified and ecological agricultural systems Empowers farmers through participatory assessment, training and research that is farmer ledLowers cost of rural development
Conventional ApproachFocus generally is on expanding exports of cash crops Loans used to “fuel” rural developmentFocus is on production with limited attention to natural resource issuesProblems identified by outside experts Training provided using “top down” approaches
The Agro-Ecological Village
Ecological SystemConventional
SystemFood Supply
Farm production of principal food crops and vegetables
Imported prepared foods and animal feeds
Soil tillage Perennial crops, animal draft power Annual crops, tractors for cultivation
Seeds Community seed banking and plant material improvement
Hybrid seeds, transgenic GMO seeds
Soil fertility Biological N fixation, compost, crop rotation, green manures
Marketing Household food security & income crops for local markets
Mainly cash crops for exports
Agro-Ecological Village Development Activities
1. Baseline Data Gathering & PRA
2. Institution Building3. Capacity Building4. Farm Planning and
Development
1. Baseline Data Gathering & Participatory Rural Appraisal
Assess the communities status with agro-ecological and socio-economic surveys Through a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), the community analyzes & deepens their understanding of their local situation.
The project team and local villagers identify causes & possible solutions to local problems, through PRA and Participatory Action Planning (PAP).
2. Institutional BuildingEnsure communities are sufficiently well organized before project activities are initiatedGround project activities with community leaders & organizers who facilitate the communities awareness, understanding and uptake of the project
3. Capacity Building
Farmer to farmer training network
Ecological Training Modules
Gender Development
Farmer-to-farmer trainingDevelopment of participatory Farmer to Farmer Training networkSelection of first liners and second linersTraining of trainers
in farm development and effective training techniques
Inclusion of women as trainers
Participatory Training Modules Training materials need to be customized to local needs
identified through the PRA and through on going assessments as the trainings evolve.
The process can begin with a basic ecological farming module including:
Sensitize communities around gender equality Involve active participation of both genders in project activities as trainers and participantsIncrease women's role in decision making in communities Ensure gender issues are incorporated into all project activities.
Gender Development
4. Farm Planning and Development
Farm planning and “Learning Farms”Soil and water conservationFood FootprintAppropriate Technology
Learning Farms A farm in the community that
is used for education and farmer led research while remaining a “working farm.” They can include:
Adaptability TrialsCrop ImprovementOn-farm DemonstrationsCommunity Seed banks and tree nurseriesFarmer-led plant breedingLivestock Management
Adaptability Trials The testing of new crops or varieties to assess their
adaptability to the environmental and management conditions on small farms.
Crop Improvement in North Central China
In the Western China AEV Project in Gansu Province, farmers tested a total of 43 different varieties of 7 field crops. They are now scaling up production of the leading new varieties.
Farmers collect and preserve seeds to conserve genetic diversity Farmers also learn how to propagate plant material and develop plant material improvement programs
Farmer-Led Plant Breeding
Farmers learn how to breed varieties adapted to their local environment and growing conditions.
In the Philippines, one achievement has been the development of ECO-RICE varieties that combine SRI techniques, Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) and ratooning.
In ecologically devastated areas, free-range livestock management can cause irreparable damage.
Farmers learn ecological and sustainable methods for:Benefits of intensive/ semi-intensive managementFodder Crop ProductionAnimal health and nutrition
Livestock Management
Soil and Water ConservationContour farmingDrip Irrigation
CheckdamsWindbreaks
Food Footprint1. Assess the quantity of food
consumed annually and the landbase needed to produce the households basic foods
2. Diagram seasonal fruits and vegetable production and identify gaps
3. Discuss opportunities for creating a healthier diet
4. Identify strategies to maximize efficiency of land use based on optimizing production
Appropriate Technology
Farmers need access to low cost appropriate tools for developing their farms ecologically. REAP has worked to help support farmers organizations manufacture their own tools.
Appropriate Technology In the PRA process, communities identify
their most urgent and basic technological needs.
To help solve the fuelwood crisis in the Philippines, REAP developed the Mayon
Turbo stove, a low cost, advanced combustion rice hull stove.
The AEV model is a logical evolution for rural development programming. It integrates the best management practices in rural development with sustainable knowledge in ecological farming systems training and development.