Biotech Ag Helps Women in Africa Get Rid of Weeds
Weeds out, improvements in.
Lives of 135 million women could be improved
says Croplife Ag Specialist.
Here is another point of view about how
to handle weeds as well from
"The Secret Life of Plants,"
by Peter Tomkins.
Date: 2/25/2010 7:28:33 AM ( 14 y ) ... viewed 1755 times
5:26 AM
February 25, 2010
This is a great Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/CropLifeFdn
Herbicides help farmers in Subsahara Africa
Helping the Lives of Women in Africa through Ag improvements
About The Project:
Food production problems in Africa are once again front page news. However one of the most serious threats to African food production- the problem of weeds competing with crops-is not being addressed in the ongoing assessments. Currently, African farmers lose 20-100% of their potential crop production due to uncontrolled weeds. The primary method of weed control by smallholder farmers in Africa is hand weeding with short-handled tools; backbreaking work done primarily by women. Because of labor cost and shortage and other demands on farmers time, not enough weeding is being done or is being done too late to prevent serious yield losses. Farmers are reluctant to apply fertilizer because weeds would be further stimulated and even more hand weeding would be required. Research has shown that, if smallholders used herbicides, hand weeding time could be virtually eliminated. Farmers would have significant time availability to plant additional crops, apply fertilizers, and harvest more crops.
News Conference:
On Thursday December 10th the CropLife Foundation held a press conference to release a new report entitled, Africa's Weed Problem: Increasing Crop Production and Improving the Lives of Women." This report chronicles the trials and tribulations African women have to endure every year in order to control weeds in smallholder farms. This backbreaking labor ruins women's spines and keeps children from receiving proper schooling. The Foundation hopes its report will raise awareness on this issue and will spur governments, NGOs, and internatonal development agencies to further investigate the issue of weed control in Africa.
You may find all the materials given out at the press conference here
http://www.croplifefoundation.org/africaweedcontrol.htm#newsconference
HERE IS ANOTHER APPROACH
USING VINEGAR AND SALT
http://www.ehow.com/how_2318970_rid-weeds-cheap-naturally.html
HERE IS ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW
ABOUT WEEDS
Secrets of the Soil:
New Solutions for Restoring Our Planet
by Peter Tompkins, Christopher Bird,
Christopher Baird, and William Thomas
Earthpulse Press, 1998
Every child should know the "Secrets" of this book, and be familiar with nature’s inherent self-nurturing and self-healing powers. After sharing the secrets of weeds, in Chapter 13, our family became more attentive and interested in the "reasons" our weeds came to the garden. The premise of the chapter is that weeds grow in the soil, not just because soil conditions are good for weeds, but because weeds are nature’s way of rejuvenating and restoring the soil.
Weeds also alert us to when the soil is in decline. Knowing the exact weed in place in your garden can tell you what to expect in the soil. Take a good long look at your garden this year, and listen to the weeds crying out to you what your soil conditions are, before you casually rip them out. Hard ground needs a certain weed to bring about loose fertile soils, just as a sandy light soil attracts another kind of weed. Weeds are sentinels that give us warnings, which we should heed.
There are some heavy duty spiritual corollaries, as well. For example, the authors maintain that the "weeds" in our own lives are designed not to choke us out, but to bring about the right "soil" conditions for our own growth.
Whether you are interested in biodynamic farming, composting, revitalizing dead soils, increasing crops with the use of sound, growing and saving seeds, the value and proper use of weeds, releasing paramagnetic forces in rock dust, applying radionic principles to crop growth and pest control, or other approaches that blend physics with metaphysics, this book is the primer for casual gardeners and professional farmers alike.
http://planetvermont.com/pvq/v8n2/book-review.html
SHIFTING THE NATURE OF THE WORLD
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1578350
![http://curezone.com/upload/Blogs/Your_Enchanted_Gardener/Seed_for_Dialogue_planted_2.jpg](http://curezone.com/upload/Blogs/Your_Enchanted_Gardener/Seed_for_Dialogue_planted_2.jpg)
THE DIALOGUE BEGINS HERE
ON THE PLANT YOUR DREAM BLOG
Robert Fraley, the father of agricultural biotechnology,
spoke on "Sustainable Solutions for Doubling Crop Productivity by 2030"
at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
176th Annual Meeting in San Diego. AAAS is the most prestigious
science organization in the nation with members rooted in
national policy. After his talk, I approached Robert Fraley with the idea
that It's time for GMO and Organic Lovers to talk.
I approached him with the idea of lessening
tension through dialogue.
Robert Fraley, Executive Vice President
and Chief Technology Officer at the Monsanto Company.
the man who has influenced the lives of more than 12 million farmers
on more than 282 million acres in twenty-three countries worldwide.
said yes to the idea.
He planted a beet seed in a sugar cane
bagasse pot to grow out the intention
as did four other key players through the day.
I handed him a copy of the
Monsanto Company literature
that was placed on the seats.
I asked him to write me a note.
He wrote:
"Leslie,
Let's close the gap!'
Robert Fraley
Add This Entry To Your CureZone Favorites! Print this page
Email this page
Alert Webmaster
|