9482: Re: 9458: Re: 9445: RE: 9422: Open Discussion (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LeGrace Benson <legrace@twcny.rr.com>

Re: Growing your own food.  There are people in Haiti who do grow a part of
their own food.  There are those cannot possibly do so. Just think out what
is needed in order to grow enough food to feed three people.  Start with a
piece of ground --or in the case of the free-range chickens and pigs (one of
whom I encountered in the entrance of the Museum of Haitian Art one
afternoon)--the general run of some place.  Go to seeds, tools, fertilizer
or (at least) compost. Go to planning for sustained year-round harvesting of
diversifird crops. Go to access to water when and where needed. Need I go
on? At any point you will encounter people who do not have access to some or
any of the means to grow enough to feed themselves.   Changes are happening
against great odds, with some of the most dedicated agronomists and
community workers I have ever encountered. There are, in fact, some
government planning documents concerning agricultural and land-use planning
which, if implemented, could result in significant, even startling change.
People trying to grow their own carrots one by one could easily illustrate
the famous scene in Gone With The Wind.
I encourage all on this list to become as well-informed as possible about
agriculture and agricultural economics in Haiti and the Americas.  The
problems are interesting and not at all simple of solution.  

LeGrace Benson ( from a perspective of Cooperative Extension Services)