ECHO International Agriculture Conference Presentations

2016

Presentation Slides

ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2016 - Presentations

ECHO International Agriculture Conference - Group Photo 2016 (Tall)

ECHO International Agriculture Conference - Group Photo 2016 (Tall)

ECHO International Agriculture Conference - Group Photo 2016 (Wide)

ECHO International Agriculture Conference - Group Photo 2016 (Wide)

ECHO International Agriculture Conference - Group Photo 2016 (Square)

ECHO International Agriculture Conference - Group Photo 2016 (Square)

Creation care through agricultural development - Scott Sabin

Creation care through agricultural development
Creation care is a unique way to better understand God and participate in his redemptive work in the world. Furthermore, while care of the environment may seem a secondary priority, those we seek to serve are particularly vulnerable to its degradation. Presenter: Since 1995, Scott Sabin has...

How linguistics can benefit agricultural development workers - Dr. David Ross

How linguistics can benefit agricultural development workers
This presentation explores the benefits of linguistic and cultural sensitivity to increase the effectiveness and acceptability of agricultural development projects. Two examples of well-intentioned development projects, which failed for lack of cultural understanding, are cited – one a...

Tropical legumes for sustained cropping on marginal soils - Dr. Tim Motis

Tropical legumes for sustained cropping on marginal soils
Through generous support from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, ECHO completed a five-year (2010-2015) research project in Limpopo Province of South Africa. The central question addressed was “How can smallscale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa continue to produce food with limited resources for...

The value of sustainable tourism as a complement to agriculture activities in rural community development - Colin Richard

The value of sustainable tourism as a complement to agriculture activities in rural community development
This presentation will examine the value of sustainable tourism as a complement to agriculture activities in rural community development settings. The United World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) identifies tourism as “one of the strongest drivers of world trade and prosperity,” and the majority of...

Silvopastoral systems in Brazil - Felipe Pinheiro

Silvopastoral systems in Brazil
This presentation will focus on the potential use of silvopastoral systems (SPS) in Brazil to fight the increasing of land degradation and will describe the specific characteristics of SPS in the different ecological regions of the country. We will also consider management aspects, ecosystems...

Upland maize production systems: Strategies for sustainability - Dr. Josh Ringer

Upland maize production systems: Strategies for sustainability
Market forces in Southeast Asia have encouraged the proliferation of Hybrid Maize (Corn) production systems among marginalized smallholder farmers throughout upland areas. This presentation will describe that system and how the system can become more efficient in order to increase financial...

Evaluation: How can we help farmers do better? - Bob Morikawa

Evaluation: How can we help farmers do better?
Knowing how farm communities are doing, and how a community development project is impacting farm families is critical to community and project success. This workshop will discuss evaluation strategies and share practical lessons learned on conducting effective evaluations.

Designing polyculture and companion plantings for tropics and drylands - Daniel Halsey

Designing polyculture and companion plantings for tropics and drylands
Understanding the dynamics of ecological design and agricultural practices connect at the point of design. Travel with us through our design process to create an ecologically balanced and appropriate diagram to implement, whether on small acreage or vast hectares of land. Learn the steps and...

DO NOT PUBLISH Greenhouse and aquaponics projects – design & development in a developing world setting - Rex Barber

DO NOT PUBLISH Greenhouse and aquaponics projects – design & development in a developing world setting
Rex will be sharing two case studies related to greenhouse construction for the benefit of smallholder farmers. One concerns a large greenhouse kit that was designed and built in a closed country using earth-bags for the wall system. The second is a greenhouse and aquaponics training facility in...

Increasing smallholder resilience through agroforestry - Dr. P.K. Nair

Increasing smallholder resilience through agroforestry
Resilience refers to the capacity for ecological systems to persist and absorb changes. Climate-change resilience encompasses a dual function, to absorb shock as well as to self-renew to cope with new circumstances. Agroforestry offers both mitigation and adaptation strategies for enhancing...

Financial literacy for development workers - Tina Ugland

Financial literacy for development workers
This is an introduction to basic bookkeeping and accounting concepts. It will be presented in an easily understandable way that is meant to demystify accounting terms and concepts. The objective is to provide a level of understanding that will create a foundation for the accounting work that you...

Biochar for soil restoration and environmental management: An integrated food-energy systems approach - Dr. Roy Beckford

Biochar for soil restoration and environmental management: An integrated food-energy systems approach
Dr. Roy Beckford presented findings from a research project that investigated an intervention strategy. The first goal was to determine the practicability of rebuilding soil horizons on eroded parent soils using blends of biochar and compost to create anthroposols, through a process called...

Green manure/cover crops - Dr. Tim Motis

Green manure/cover crops
Dr. Motis presented an overview of the use of tropical legumes as green manure/cover crops. Drawing on findings from ECHO research, this talk will cover 1) benefits of legumes, 2) basic characteristics and growth requirements of some commonly grown legumes, and 3) ways to integrate these into...

Culturing beneficial microbiology for farming - Stacy Reader

Culturing beneficial microbiology for farming
The goals of this presentation are to exhibit how microorganisms and microbiology benefit ecosystem health and explore in what ways farmers can use microorganisms and microbiology to increase the long-term health of soil, crops, or animals.  The use of microbiology for soil restoration by...

The basics of biogas for smallholder farmers - Dr. Ann Wilkie

The basics of biogas for smallholder farmers
Anaerobic digestion, or biodigestion, involves the microbial degradation of organic materials in an oxygen-free environment. Feedstocks for anaerobic digestion include livestock manures, crop residues, culled fruit and vegetables, food waste, and other organic by-products. The process produces...

Pure water does grow on trees! - Rick Kemmer

Pure water does grow on trees!
Are you curious about how moringa seeds can remove 90-99% of the impurities from dirty water? Come and see it in action! While we are thrilled with what moringa seeds can do on their own, we are working to develop an even better process utilizing functionalized sand (a combination of crushed...

Water-harvesting principles & the story of an African rain farmer: Design guidelines for regenerative water and fertility management - Brad Lancaster

Water-harvesting principles & the story of an African rain farmer: Design guidelines for regenerative water and fertility management
“You must plant the rain before you plant a seed or tree!” proclaimed rain farmer Mr. Zephaniah Phiri Maseko of Zimbabwe. By doing just that, he and his family turned a wasteland into an oasis, raised groundwater and well levels even in dry years, reduced flooding in wet years, and enhanced the...

Videos

ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2016 - Videos

The basics of biogas for smallholder farmers

The basics of biogas for smallholder farmers
Anaerobic digestion, or biodigestion, involves the microbial degradation of organic materials in an oxygen-free environment. Feedstocks for anaerobic digestion include livestock manures, crop residues, culled fruit and vegetables, food waste, and other organic by-products. The process produces...

Biochar for soil restoration and environmental management: An integrated food-energy systems approach

Biochar for soil restoration and environmental management: An integrated food-energy systems approach
Dr. Roy Beckford presented findings from a research project that investigated an intervention strategy. The first goal was to determine the practicability of rebuilding soil horizons on eroded parent soils using blends of biochar and compost to create anthroposols, through a process called...

Creation care through agricultural development

Creation care through agricultural development
Creation care is a unique way to better understand God and participate in his redemptive work in the world. Furthermore, while care of the environment may seem a secondary priority, those we seek to serve are particularly vulnerable to its degradation. Presenter: Since 1995, Scott Sabin has...

How linguistics can benefit agricultural development workers

How linguistics can benefit agricultural development workers
This presentation explores the benefits of linguistic and cultural sensitivity to increase the effectiveness and acceptability of agricultural development projects. Two examples of well-intentioned development projects, which failed for lack of cultural understanding, are cited – one a...

Increasing smallholder resilience through agroforestry

Increasing smallholder resilience through agroforestry
Resilience refers to the capacity for ecological systems to persist and absorb changes. Climate-change resilience encompasses a dual function, to absorb shock as well as to self-renew to cope with new circumstances. Agroforestry offers both mitigation and adaptation strategies for enhancing...

Tropical legumes for sustained cropping on marginal soils

Tropical legumes for sustained cropping on marginal soils
Through generous support from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, ECHO completed a five-year (2010-2015) research project in Limpopo Province of South Africa. The central question addressed was “How can smallscale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa continue to produce food with limited resources for...

Wild fruits in Central Asia: Local use by farmers and international interest in the application of natural diversity in addressing agricultural problems of disease and weather

Wild fruits in Central Asia: Local use by farmers and international interest in the application of natural diversity in addressing agricultural problems of disease and weather
The Tian Shan mountains that straddle Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan on the west and China’s Xinjiang Province on the east are home to the Earth’s greatest collection of wild fruits of the rose family. Apples, pears, plums, apricots, and others are found in wild groves and forests and...

Water-Harvesting Principles & the Story of an African Rain Farmer - Design Guidelines for Regenerative Water and Fertility Management

Water-Harvesting Principles & the Story of an African Rain Farmer - Design Guidelines for Regenerative Water and Fertility Management
“You must plant the rain before you plant a seed or tree!” proclaimed rain farmer Mr. Zephaniah Phiri Maseko of Zimbabwe. By doing just that, he and his family turned a wasteland into an oasis, raised groundwater and well levels even in dry years, reduced flooding in wet years, and enhanced the...

2015

Presentation Slides

ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 - Presentations

3 benefits and 3 cautions regarding producing and selling value-added food products - Peter Marks

3 benefits and 3 cautions regarding producing and selling value-added food products
Peanut Butter! Hot sauce! Dried fruit! Goat jerky!? Adding value to agricultural products by preserving, processing, and/or packaging them can be very tempting when one considers only the selling price.  This workshop will engage participants to consider how adding value can also add risk....

A holi(y) intelligence: Regenerating soils, souls, and society  - Tre’ Cates

A holi(y) intelligence: Regenerating soils, souls, and society 
A different type of intelligence is needed to address the complexity of our current world, Tre’ will discuss the connection between holism, faith, and the needed regeneration in our soils, souls, and society. Presenter: Tre’ is the COO/CFO of the Savory Institute in Boulder, Colorado....

Aquaponics for community development - Phil Reasons

Aquaponics for community development
Phil Reasons, drawing from Morning Star Fishermen’s 22 years of experience, will be sharing about the benefits of an integrated aquaponic farming environment.  Solar-powered, off-grid aquaponics farms that produce over four tons of produce and protein each year will be highlighted.

CEFA: Planting hope in the Central African Republic - Roy Danforth, Evangelical Covenant Church Missionary

CEFA: Planting hope in the Central African Republic
CEFA, or the Center for Experimentation and Formation in Agriculture, is a teaching and research agriculture center where almost 150 acres have been planted in various kinds of fruit trees, improved varieties of beans, corn, cassava, and other field crops.  The farm also features new methods of...

FONDAMA Yard Garden Program - Mark Hare

FONDAMA Yard Garden Program
Mark’s presentation will demonstrate how the Haiti-based FONDAMA Yard Garden program helps people make small, daily changes that are consistent, persistent, and positive without being intrusive.  We will look at examples of how the program helps people recognize the power they have to learn to...

From chaos to transformation: Leveraging the unexpected for positive community impact - Susan Stewart

From chaos to transformation: Leveraging the unexpected for positive community impact
Are you someone who plans?  Have you ever had your plans disrupted by the unexpected – farmer or family change, community change, government change, or disaster?  How do you feel about change and disruption – is it a threat or an opportunity?  Let’s explore together how disruption and even...

Growing our way to health: The intricate links between global health and agricultural development - Christy Hanson, PhD

Growing our way to health: The intricate links between global health and agricultural development
The cyclical relationship between agricultural development and human health can hinder or drive economic development.  In this presentation, Dr. Hanson will explore the impacts of poor health on agricultural productivity and yield; and the inter-connected role of food scarcity and malnutrition on...

Lessons learned from an ex-post evaluation of the introduction and promotion of grain amaranth program in eastern Africa: 1998-2008 - Stephan Lutz and Angela Boss

Lessons learned from an ex-post evaluation of the introduction and promotion of grain amaranth program in eastern Africa: 1998-2008
This workshop will give participants an opportunity to learn more from a evaluation done six years after finishing a 10-year promotion of amaranth initiative that World Renew spearheaded in East Africa through their partnerships, especially in Kenya and Uganda.  It will go over the scope,...

Literacy: Key to improving the quality of life - Christopher Albano, Ed.D.

Literacy: Key to improving the quality of life
Sometimes the easiest way to change someone’s life is by teaching a basic skill. For people that have never been taught to read and write, literacy is the key to unlocking a new world, a better life, and a brighter future; including benefits to smallholder farmers. Christopher Albano, Ed.D. is...

Starting and managing a US 501c3 non-profit organization - Peter Marks

Starting and managing a US 501c3 non-profit organization
Many individuals who choose to engage in volunteer international service work consider launching a small US 501c3 non-profit for the purpose of fundraising and program development. We’ll discuss the ins and outs of running such an organization. How do I apply to form a non-profit? How is it...

The cheers and challenges of “Conservation Agriculture” programs implemented with small-scale farmers in identified dry and drought prone areas, with a particular focus on Kenya and Zambia - Stephan Lutz and Angela Boss

The cheers and challenges of “Conservation Agriculture” programs implemented with small-scale farmers in identified dry and drought prone areas, with a particular focus on Kenya and Zambia
This talk will focus on the positive results we have obtained and hope to further achieve by using Conservation Agriculture (CA), as well as the main barriers and challenges faced in implementing CA in differing contexts. We will explore how CA can be scaled-up given the context-specific nature...

Trying something new: Factors in farmer adoption or non-adoption of new practices - Sara Delaney

Trying something new: Factors in farmer adoption or non-adoption of new practices
Small farmers around the world are cautious when making changes to the practices they use or the crops they grow; especially as their family’s food and income depend on the harvest. However with challenges such as decreasing soil fertility or erratic rainfall, they are increasingly willing to...

Vegetable gardening in development and relief - Selecting seeds, selecting strategies - Peter Marks

Vegetable gardening in development and relief - Selecting seeds, selecting strategies
Vegetable growing can provide nutrition and livelihood for those isolated by poverty, recovering from crisis, and/or diversifying their food and income options -- but gains are not automatic. What should be considered in designing and deploying vegetable gardening programs? What seed...

Village savings and lending as a gateway to the dissemination and adoption of innovations in agriculture - Angela Boss

Village savings and lending as a gateway to the dissemination and adoption of innovations in agriculture
Village Savings and Lending Associations (VSLA), a form of micro-banking in rural communities, allows smallholder farmers to acquire the capital required to invest in their agricultural enterprises, while also serving as a gateway to learn about new innovations in agriculture. This presentation...

Cyantesmo Paper for Detecting Cyanide - Dr. Tim Motis

Cyantesmo Paper for Detecting Cyanide
Some tropical crops contain cyanogenic glycosides, toxic substances that release hydrocyanic acid (HCN; also referred to as cyanide) when cells are crushed. Consuming these plants without cooking them can cause cyanide poisoning, with varying effects depending on cyanide levels and how long a...

Maize – Legume Intercrop Based on IITA 2-4-2 Design - Dr. Tim Motis, Elizabeth Langford, Bob Hargrave

Maize – Legume Intercrop Based on IITA 2-4-2 Design
Dr. Motis and Betsy Langford were introduced to the 2-4-2 system by Dr. B.B. Singh at the Ukulima Farm research station in South Africa in Feb. of 2015. They subsequently planned and conducted this experiment with other legumes at the main ECHO campus in North Fort Myers, Florida.

Videos

ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 - Videos

A holi(y) intelligence: Regenerating soils, souls, and society

A holi(y) intelligence: Regenerating soils, souls, and society
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 A different type of intelligence is needed to address the complexity of our current world, Tre’ will discuss the connection between holism, faith, and the needed regeneration in our soils, souls, and society. Presenter: Tre’...

Aquaponics for community development

Aquaponics for community development
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 Phil Reasons, drawing from Morning Star Fishermen’s 22 years of experience, will be sharing about the benefits of an integrated aquaponic farming environment.  Solar-powered, off-grid aquaponics farms that produce over four tons...

Sambah Naturals and Zambeezi: Agricultural missional business in Zambia

Sambah Naturals and Zambeezi: Agricultural missional business in Zambia
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 Sambah Naturals has developed a co-operative of nearly 1,200 farmers in the Northwestern Province of Zambia.  This network of missional businesses seeks to create profits to fund Zambian missionary efforts. Their organic and fair...

From chaos to transformation: Leveraging the unexpected for positive community impact

From chaos to transformation: Leveraging the unexpected for positive community impact
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 Are you someone who plans?  Have you ever had your plans disrupted by the unexpected – farmer or family change, community change, government change, or disaster?  How do you feel about change and disruption – is it a threat or an...

Vegetable gardening in development and relief - Selecting seeds, selecting strategies

Vegetable gardening in development and relief - Selecting seeds, selecting strategies
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 Vegetable growing can provide nutrition and livelihood for those isolated by poverty, recovering from crisis, and/or diversifying their food and income options -- but gains are not automatic. What should be considered in designing...

The cheers and challenges of “Conservation Agriculture” programs implemented with small-scale farmers in identified dry and drought prone areas, with a particular focus on Kenya and Zambia

The cheers and challenges of “Conservation Agriculture” programs implemented with small-scale farmers in identified dry and drought prone areas, with a particular focus on Kenya and Zambia
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 This talk will focus on the positive results we have obtained and hope to further achieve by using Conservation Agriculture (CA), as well as the main barriers and challenges faced in implementing CA in differing contexts. We will...

Trying something new: Factors in farmer adoption or non-adoption of new practices

Trying something new: Factors in farmer adoption or non-adoption of new practices
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 Small farmers around the world are cautious when making changes to the practices they use or the crops they grow; especially as their family’s food and income depend on the harvest. However with challenges such as decreasing soil...

FONDAMA Yard Garden Program

FONDAMA Yard Garden Program
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 Mark’s presentation will demonstrate how the Haiti-based FONDAMA Yard Garden program helps people make small, daily changes that are consistent, persistent, and positive without being intrusive.  We will look at examples of how...

Growing our way to health: The intricate links between global health and agricultural development

Growing our way to health: The intricate links between global health and agricultural development
Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 The cyclical relationship between agricultural development and human health can hinder or drive economic development.  In this presentation, Dr. Hanson will explore the impacts of poor health on agricultural productivity and...