Roger Samson

REAP - CanadaBox 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: rsamson@reap-canada.com

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 fertility

Deforestation 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 peanuts

All crop residues are removed

Free ranging goats destroy vegetation

Forest 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 System

Conventional System

Food 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

Purchased chemical N,P,K fertilizer

Pests Mechanical weeders, crop rotations, intercropping, bio-controls, compost

herbicides, insecticides, fungicides

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 Building

3. Capacity Building

4. 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 initiated

Ground 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:

Soil Fertility Management Cropping systemsWeed managementPest & disease managementSoil & water conservation

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 conservation

Food Footprint

Appropriate 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.

On-Farm Demonstrations Farmers demonstrate

E.F.S. (Ecological Farming systems):

Crop RotationsGreen ManuresMultiple CroppingCompostingLive Fencing

Community Seed banks and Tree Nurseries

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.

Summary

Thank you!