Upcoming events

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the ECHO International Agriculture Conference held in Fort Myers, FL!  We hope that you will make plans to join us for this year's conference.  The event brings together some of the world’s most influential voices dedicated to eradicating hunger and improving lives.

Speakers will share practical solutions to agricultural challenges, personal experiences and strategies for improving the lives of millions who daily face the threat of starvation. The event offers an open exchange of information, connecting the people and ideas that can make a real and sustainable difference.

Conference accommodation and meeting rooms for morning and evening sessions will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (Crowne Plaza) in the Bell Tower district of Fort Myers. Afternoon workshops and demonstrations will be held at the 50-acre ECHO farm in North Fort Myers, which has one of the largest collections of tropical fruits and vegetables in the United States.

Those interested in preparing for short to long-term involvement in international agriculture development are encouraged to participate in this five-day course.  Topics and discussions will be centered on improved food security and agricultural livelihoods for small-scale farmers in developing countries.  Participants will be introduced to the complexities related to poverty and community development.  They will also be introduced to principles and practices that contribute toward maintaining healthy and productive soil as well as improved water management and crop production (e.g., annuals and perennials).   The vital role of livestock and appropriate technology is also incorporated into the course.   During the week, activities will include presentations, farm-based practicums, consultations with ECHO staff and opportunities for research in the ECHO Resource Library. 

Who the course is for:

This course will especially benefit those who are considering short- or long-term involvement in international agricultural development work. It can also be of benefit to those who have been on the field doing development work for a few years but who would like to take a step back and re-evaluate their approach. Those who could benefit from this course include short-term or career missionaries, international project volunteers (e.g. Peace Corps), leaders of relief-oriented organizations, or missions committee leaders of churches involved in agricultural projects overseas. 

What is offered:

This course covers a broad range of topics relevant to those starting out in agricultural development in a tropical environment.  The purpose of this class is to expose you to several different ideas and concepts.  Although a significant amount of time will be spent looking at examples on the ECHO Farm, given the breadth of topics covered, extensive hands-on farm work should not be an expectation of taking this course.

Invitation to ECHO East Africa  Symposium

12th - 14th  February 2019

Greetings! You are cordially invited to join us for the ECHO East Africa Symposium 2019. We hope that you will make time to gather with us at this very important and effective meeting. It will be a valuable time of learning, information sharing and networking for those working and serving in the East Africa Region

Highlights

The ECHO Symposium will provide a network and training opportunity for those involved in alleviating hunger and poverty in East Africa. Three mornings of plenary sessions featuring knowledgeable and experienced speakers will be followed by afternoon workshops and discussion groups led by regional agricultural development workers and experts. Topics are currently being discussed for the event. 

Potential topics and speakers for the sessions will include presenters from East Africa! 

Conservation Agriculture

Horticulture 

Innovation in Farming Practices and Techniques

Best Livestock Practices

Good Development Practices

Environmental Concerns

Symposium Dates
11th February  - Check-in and Fellowship
12th - 14th February- Meeting Days
15th February - Optional Post Symposium Tours, and Check-out

Presenters Wanted

There are a limited number of speaking and presentation positions available for this event. If you are interested in presenting at the Symposium please fill this Presenter form- Sustainable Agr. Symposim

This course will dive into the agricultural systems that are used on small tropical farms. Learn how to utilize perennial crops to your advantage! This course will give hands on experience to those who are interested in kick starting a small tropical farm system.

This interactive and practical course will span one week, covering:

• Agroforestry
• Underutilized Tropical Crops
• Fruit Tree Management
• Nursery Management
• Propagation
• Conservation Agriculture
• Foundations for Farming
• Seed saving
• Seed banking

The training will be more in practical how to help people living with hiv/aids, also people with albinism.  The contribution of  nutrition in treatment in many diseases.

During the seminar our philosophy will be your food should be your medicine and your medicine should be your food.

anamed (Action for Natural Medicine, see www.anamed-edition.com) in Germany invites development  workers, missionaries, doctors, nurses, scientists etc. to attend our training seminar in Natural Medicine, as long as places are available.

Join our diverse team of permaculture instructors led by Scott Gallant for this annual life-changing 2-week experience. The course covers the core Permaculture Design curriculum and emphasizes creating diverse multi-functional human landscapes based on ecological patterns. Utilizing Rancho Mastatal as a living classroom, the class will mix lectures and hands-on work, exploring design solutions for both temperate and tropical regions.  Putting Permaculture into practice, the course concludes with students working in teams to create their own permaculture site design. This course is applicable to anyone with an interest in designing resilient and regenerative futures as well as professionals in the fields of architecture, planning, ecology, education, farming and community development. The whole-systems design thinking outlined in the course will give participants the tools to re-design and improve their surroundings; from gardens, farms and homes, to livelihoods, relationships and communities.   See : http://ranchomastatal.com/permaculture-design-certification-workshop/

To learn about who this course is designed for, learning outcomes, what to bring, and much more, please read our PDC Course Information Book.

Syntropic Farming is a farming revolution grown out of Brazil and made famous by Ernst Gotsch and the Life in Syntropy short documentary. Syntropic Farming seeks to cultivate resilient ecosystems that are abundant, financially viable and heal abused land. It asks us, as stewards of the land to live in harmony with nature. It asks that we learn from nature through imitating natural processes in order to produce food. This results in abundant systems which grow healthy soils, sequester carbon, produce a diverse array of yields, regenerate the ecosystem and that don't require long term external inputs. Syntropic Farming is a holistic approach, working with nature’s processes and the dynamics of ecosystems.   See :   http://ranchomastatal.com/syntropicfarming/

This six day course, taught by Fernando Rebello and Thiago Barbosa will provide students with an introduction to syntropic farming theory, methodology and practice.

This class will leave students with examples of how syn-tropical agriculture is applied to vegetable, fruit, grain, and livestock farming and how these are incorporated into agroforestry systems. The class includes a hands-on component where we will be installing a small syntropic farming demonstration at Rancho Mastatal. No farming experience is necessary.

The course will specifically cover the following topics:

• Introduction to the principles of syntropic agriculture.
• Ecosystem considerations. How do we create syntropic systems according to our climate, soils, water, and vegetation?
• Implementation and management strategies.
• Vegetable production. Patterns and succession of species over time.
• Fruit growing. Staple crops, pruning, stratification strategies, savanna ecosystems and their management.
• Grain production. Combining forest species with grains, spacing, and production perspecetives.
• Livestock incorporation.
• The syntropic farming movement and how to get involved.

ECHO offers over 350 varieties in its Florida seed bank requiring diverse approaches to growing, processing, and storing seeds. This five-day course will begin in ECHO’s seed production plots to help participants better understand how crops are managed and harvested. Techniques related to both wet and dry processing of seeds will be practiced, as well as, essential tasks such as germination testing. Long-term seed storage approaches including vacuum sealing and cold storage will be explored, emphasis will be placed on seed saving technologies and approaches for challenging tropical locations.

Those interested in preparing for short to long-term involvement in international agriculture development are encouraged to participate in this five-day course.  Topics and discussions will be centered on improved food security and agricultural livelihoods for small-scale farmers in developing countries.  Participants will be introduced to the complexities related to poverty and community development.  They will also be introduced to principles and practices that contribute toward maintaining healthy and productive soil as well as improved water management and crop production (e.g., annuals and perennials).   The vital role of livestock and appropriate technology is also incorporated into the course.   During the week, activities will include presentations, farm-based practicums, consultations with ECHO staff and opportunities for research in the ECHO Resource Library. 

Who the course is for:

This course will especially benefit those who are considering short- or long-term involvement in international agricultural development work. It can also be of benefit to those who have been on the field doing development work for a few years but who would like to take a step back and re-evaluate their approach. Those who could benefit from this course include short-term or career missionaries, international project volunteers (e.g. Peace Corps), leaders of relief-oriented organizations, or missions committee leaders of churches involved in agricultural projects overseas. 

What is offered:

This course covers a broad range of topics relevant to those starting out in agricultural development in a tropical environment.  The purpose of this class is to expose you to several different ideas and concepts.  Although a significant amount of time will be spent looking at examples on the ECHO Farm, given the breadth of topics covered, extensive hands-on farm work should not be an expectation of taking this course.