Garden Organic's Christmas Appeal 2007:
Our International Programme
Help families in the developing world
improve their lives through organic growing
Small-scale farmers facing devastating drought and conflict, the young widow left to head up her household, the grandparents with grandchildren orphaned by HIV/AIDs, – all are striving to feed their families and their communities. All are part of the 70% of people in countries across the developing world who depend on agriculture for their livelihood.
In 1986, our International Programme was set up to support resource-poor farming communities by researching, developing and providing information to promote organic farming that will help build levels of food security and resilience. To date, we have reached over 1 million people in countries across the developing world and are working in the UK to influence policy makers on the crucial contribution that organic agriculture can make to people's lives.
But, as we all know, there are still many more people, struggling to make a living from the land, who could benefit greatly from organic agriculture. During the last year in particular, we have seen an exponential increase in demand for our information resources from smallholder farmers. We have stretched our resources to the limit to meet the huge increase in demand for our web-based downloads – from 7,800 a month in January 2006 to over 32,000 a month in October 2007.
To meet the forecast increased demand for our international work during 2008, we need to raise both our profile and our funding. Would you generously support us so that we can reach more people with organic expertise that will develop local markets, share improved methods of affordable agriculture and lead to the establishment of local advisory centres that will assess local conditions and provide support more rapidly?
Please support our Christmas Appeal
2007 and help impoverished families
across
the developing world share the
benefits of organic growing.
Thank you from all of us at Garden Organic
Thank you from all of us at Garden Organic and from the families across the developing world who will
be able to share in the benefits of organic agriculture, because of your support.
Garden Organic members: please look out for an update on our International Programme in future editions of The Organic Way.
Some examples of where our work has helped in developing countries:
In times of peace, raisins were one of Afghanistan's major exports. But on-going conflict destroyed many vineyards across the country and restricted trading opportunities.
Our solution: Support small-scale farmers from Kandahar to revive this trade through the production and export of organic and fairtrade raisins.
Result: Organic and fairtrade raisins are being shipped, rather than air freighted, to countries unable to produce raisins themselves, including the UK. The farmers, who risked their lives to tend their vineyards throughout even the worst of the troubles, will receive a higher and guaranteed price for their grape harvest. Organic techniques are being applied to vineyard farms. Neighbouring farmers are copying innovations introduced to improve the post-harvest quality of raisins, such as locally-produced drying mats used to avoid contamination of the harvest.
In common with farmers in other developing countries, small-scale farmers in the east of Cuba are falling victim to chronic drought.
Our solution: In collaboration with the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Cuba, we are advising on sustainable techniques for improving water retention, increasing harvests and generating additional income. Subsequently, farmers' groups have been set up to experiment with rainwater harvesting techniques, drought-tolerant varieties of crops and methods of increasing soil moisture conservation.
Result: New village vegetable markets have been opened up to sell the produce from the increased harvests. Added value – the quality of drinking water has improved.
Originating in Central America, Prosopis, a drought-resistant tree with multiple uses, was introduced into Kenya in the last century. Unfortunately knowledge of these uses and benefits was not introduced with it and it is now seen as an invasive weed.
Our solution: Our International Programme has been championing the values of the versatile prosopis tree for over 20 years. We worked with the Kenyan Agroforestry Research Institute to promote the organic management of prosopis and to explain its benefits to communities living on the margins of desert areas.
Result: Prosopis has now become a source of timber, charcoal and wood products, as well as livestock fodder and cooking flour. It has the potential to be a vital food source in times of famine, as well as a means of generating much-needed income.
Impoverished schools in developing countries struggle to provide children with a daily meal and water. Traditionally, children walk many miles to and from school and, all too often, this is the only sustenance a child will receive.
Our solution: Our International Advisory Ser vice produces free specialist information and practical advice, including easy-to-follow illustrated guidelines, to help resource-poor farmers and their families to adopt affordable, organic techniques. We are now developing child-centred resources that can be used in schools to help children improve their nutrition, exchange seed materials, feed back information to their homes and recognise the value of the traditional knowledge held in their communities. Schools will also be able to benefit from this support by setting up their own garden areas to provide food for their students.
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