Dear Barb, Circling Dawn in eastside Vancouver has such a program. I had arranged to get seeds to Russia many years ago. Mojave used to be the coordinator. I don't know if she still is. Cheers, Michael
----- Original Message ----- From: Aurora Farm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 9:28 AM Subject: "Seeds key to rebuilding devastated farms". > Merla: > > Thank you very much for posting this. The actual headline was: "Seeds key > to rebuilding devastated farms". Here at Aurora Farm we have been trying > for weeks to find a way to get some seeds to Afganistan, into the hands of > the smallholders. Our offering would be a pittance alongside the 100s of > tons of seeds this article says is needed, but ours are grown by Rudolf > Steiner's methods and include healing herbs and food-for-the-soul flowers. > Even this very specific article does not give us much help in getting seeds > there. We've contacted Abundant Life Seed Foundation's World Seed Fund, and > have had no response yet. We contacted James Twyman, the Peace Trubador, > who was scheduled to go there, and received the reply that they couldn't > even get James into the country, much less our seeds. > > Any ideas, anyone? Seed Savers Exchange? > > Woody and Barbara > Aurora Farm is the only > unsubsidized, family-run seed farm > in North America offering garden seeds > grown using Rudolf Steiner's methods > of spiritual agriculture. http://www.kootenay.com/~aurora > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Merla <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Monday, February 25, 2002 8:26 AM > Subject: Restoring soil and dealing with drought in Afghanistan > > > >I was so glad to see that BD is active in India. Are there any BD farming > aid groups that > >could help in Afghanistan? (see article below) I would think that the > radionics people could > >be very helpful in a drought. Some good BD food might go a long way > toward easing all the > >anger and anguish in that area of the world. Are there organic projects > like the one in India > >in developing and least developed countries? > > > > > > > >> * * * * * * * * * * * * > >> > >> Financial Times > >> > >> ASIA-PACIFIC: Seeds are key to rebuilding devastated farms: A massive > plan > >> to replace seeds lost to drought and war has been unveiled, writes John > Mason > >> Financial Times; Feb 14, 2002 > >> By JOHN MASON > >> > >> The long-term recovery of Afghanistan's farming, devastated by three > years > >> of extreme drought and 23 years of war culminating in the recent US > bombing > >> campaign, depends on one thing above all else - seeds, say leading food > >> scientists. > >> > >> Plans to launch the largest-ever programme to replace a region's lost and > >> damaged seed stocks were announced yesterday by a consortium of respected > >> international agricultural research institutes and others. The > consortium's > >> goal is to create the critical mass of seed needed for Afghan farmers to > >> then produce their own seed supplies and so achieve food security. Some > >> 125,000 tonnes of seed are required, a target that could be reached > within > >> three years, say scientists involved. > >> > >> Adel El-Beltagy, director-general of the Syrian-based International > Centre > >> for Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), which is leading the effort, > said: > >> "Right now, the seed situation in Afghanistan is critical. We believe the > >> majority of the country's seeds were lost when farmers planted the 2001 > >> crop. When the rains failed for the third year in a row, it put an end to > >> their ability to stay on the land." > >> > >> The trick the scientists are trying to pull off, under difficult > >> circumstances, is to build the foundations for a long-term, sustainable > >> recovery. What they hope to avoid are the short-term emergency responses > of > >> some development agencies that often fail because they are technically > >> inappropriate. > >> > >> "If Afghanistan is going to get back on its feet, and if we are going to > >> diminish dependency on food aid programmes, development programmes are > >> going to have to make sure that they provide Afghan farmers with > >> appropriate technology and policies," said Mr El-Beltagy. > >> > >> However, launching such a programme in the current climate in Afghanistan > >> has risks, Mr El-Beltagy concedes. Uncertain political stability outside > >> the capital of Kabul and minefields and other physical legacies of years > of > >> war provide constraints. "Mines are risks we are well aware of. After the > >> temporary Afghan government, there will be a permanent government. We > will > >> link up with them and try to have a proper dialogue. But there are risks, > >> yes," he said. Although Dollars 12m has already been committed to the > >> project, further funding will also be required, he said. > >> > >> Seeds will include those of traditional varieties of wheat, maize, > barley, > >> chick peas and lentils, which have been used for centuries. > >> > >> In 1992, Afghanistan's national agricultural gene-bank, which stored > seeds > >> and other plant material, was destroyed during the civil war. However, > >> samples of some, if not most, of these seeds will be replenished from > >> gene-banks run by the consortium's members, such as the Mexico-based > wheat > >> research institute. > >> > >> Restoring the seed supply is seen as so critical that 75 per cent of the > >> consortium's budget will be spent in this area. Other money will go on > >> improving goat and sheep herds, almost half of which have been lost, > >> restoring soil and water management and reintroducing native fruit and > >> vegetable crops. > >> > >> The work will involve working closely with other agencies to address > other > >> issues, such as the shortage of men able to rebuild and work the land. > >> > >> Abdul Raman Manan, former director of Afghanistan's national agricultural > >> research service, said the country had been self-sufficient in food until > >> the Soviet invasion. > >> > >> "Agriculture is at the heart of our culture and our history. Over the > >> centuries, Afghan farmers domesticated 18 important food and > horticultural > >> crops, including wheat, peas, carrots, melons, apples and pistachios," he > >> said. Not only did the country have its own seed and credit systems, it > >> enjoyed a reputation in neighbouring countries for its superior fruit, he > >> said. www.ft.com/afghanfuture > >> > >> Copyright: The Financial Times Limited 1995-2002 > >> > >> --- > >> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus] > >> > >> ============================================================ > >> How to Use this Mailing List > >> ============================================================ > >> > >> You received this e-mail as a result of your registration on the wto-info > mailing list. > >> > >> To unsubscribe, please send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of > the message type: > >> unsubscribe wto-info > >> > >> For a list of other commands and list options, please send email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> In the body of the message type: > >> help > >> > >> Please direct content questions about this list to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > >> Please direct technical questions about this service to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > >> --- > >> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus] > > > > > >
