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North America Regional Resources

About the Impact Center

ECHO NA DroneThe mission and purpose of ECHO North America Regional Impact Center (North America RIC) is to equip small-scale farmers, missionaries, and development workers worldwide to combat hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Here at ECHO North America, individuals are trained with practical and cost-effective ways to reduce hunger through agricultural practices.

Upcoming Events:

In April you can join us at ECHO North America in one or both of our Tropical Agricultural Development courses.

ECHO NA: TAD I July 2024NA RIC 2024 Training Calendar

 

Connect With Us Through

  • In-Person Training: ECHO offers various study options located at our North America RIC in North Fort Myers, Florida. We currently offer two training courses thoughout the year: Tropical Agricultural Development I and Tropical Agricultural Development II, which are five days in length hosted here on the farm. We also provide a space for outside instructors to use our facilities to host their trainings here on the farm. 

 

  • Conference: The plenary speakers, breakout sessions and workshops provide opportunities for learning with others devoted to eradicating hunger and improving lives through agriculture, clean water, and community development. Speakers share their agricultural challenges and successes, personal experiences, and transferrable principles for improving the lives of millions facing food insecurity daily. The highlight is networking with like-minded practitioners, researchers, and educators. 

 

  • Farm Tours: We currently have two tours that take place on the farm: ECHO Global Farm Tour and ECHO Appropriate Technology Village Tour. During the Global Farm Tour you’ll experience farming at its most creative, with unique demonstrations, plants, and techniques being used to help farmers and urban gardeners in developing countries. During the Appropriate Technology Tour you’ll discover how simple technologies can improve food, water, and shelter for millions of people. These technologies include transforming sand into water filters, manure into energy, and bicycles into power tools. For more information or to schedule a tour please use the links provided: 

 

  • Seed Bank: The goal of the ECHO Global Seed Bank is to serve as a resource for development workers who wish to experiment with underutilized crops as they work to improve the lives of small scale farmers and gardeners. The seed bank maintains a collection of hard-to-find seeds that thrive under the often difficult growing conditions of the tropics and sub-tropics.

 

  • Internships: Our 1-year internship equips college graduates with the academic theory and practical skills related to agriculture and community development. This year helps prepare interns to serve as international missionaries and development workers. Upon successful completion, they receive a Certificate in Tropical Agriculture and 13 graduate credits through ECHO’s partner, Dallas International University (DIU). After 1 year at ECHO, interns may have the opportunity to participate in a 6-month field experience at one of ECHO’s Regional Impact Centers.

 

 

Services

  • Host trainings to gain applicable agricultural knowledge and skill to better serve others in need
  • Host annual conferences to share agricultural knowledge and build network connections
  • ECHO seed bank provides packaged seeds to network members in need
  • Provide garden and agricultural displays for different terrains found world-wide
  • Offer technical responses to agriculture questions to network members through ECHOcommunity.org
  • Give farm tours to interested guests to learn more about ECHO's mission and the fight against hunger

Contact:

Dr. Grace Miller

Dr. Grace Miller

Phone Number

239-567-3375

Email Address

gmiller@echonet.org

NorthAmerica@ECHOcommunity.org

Physical Address

ECHO North America Regional Impact Center

17391 Durrance Rd.

North Fort Myers, FL 33917

North America Updates

Annual Sugar Cane Harvest at ECHO North America Regional Impact Center 2024-03-19

Several weeks ago, we held our annual sugarcane harvest at the North America Regional Impact Center. Many staff and volunteers contributed to make for a successful 2024 harvest. Each year, this process provides interns, staff, and volunteers with the opportunity to learn how to turn raw sugarcane into a shelf-stable syrup. This year we harvested over 425 kg (938 lbs) of sugarcane which yielded 142 kg (313 lbs) of fresh juice by weight, or 134 L (35 gal) by volume. The 134 L of raw juice yielded 26.5 L (7 gal) of syrup.

While the process is relatively simple, it requires many hands when utilizing turn of the (20 th) century tools and techniques. First the sugarcane is harvested and washed, then it is pressed in a manual-powered cane mill. After the juice is collected, it is poured into a large cast iron cauldron. The juice is brought to a continuous boil and closely monitored as it slowly reduces to syrup. Upon reaching the target sugar content, the hot syrup is carefully bottled into glass jars.

Take a look at some pictures of the process!

2024 sugar can harvest

Sugar cane pressBoiling syrup Sugar cane syrup

ECHOcommunity Updates [ Read all ]
ECHO North America TAD 1 April 2024
Upcoming TAD Event Opportunities in April 2024 at ECHO North America!

Upcoming events: North America

ECHO North America: Introduction to Tropical Agriculture Development - July 2024
Mon, 8 July 2024 » Fri, 12 July 2024

ECHO North America, 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 focus 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 healt...

ECHO North America: TAD II: Food Forests, Garden Design and Planning
Mon, 16 September 2024 » Fri, 20 September 2024

ECHO North America, United States

This is a five day, hands-on course that will focus on food forests and garden design. By taking this course you will learn how to design and start a food forest in your own backyard. You will also learn practical ways to design a garden using items such as old tires, milk cartons, and swimming pools to be able to start a garden anywhere. Attendees should be able to leave the course with knowledge about how to plan and prepare for a food forest or garden and have the tools and ability to s...

The 31st Annual ECHO® International Agriculture Conference 
Tue, 12 November 2024 » Thu, 14 November 2024

ECHO Global Farm and Crowne Plaza Fort Myers Gulf Coast Hotel, Ft. Myers, USA  , USA

SAVE THE DATE Plenary speakers, breakout sessions, and workshops will provide opportunities for learning with others devoted to eradicating hunger and improving lives through agriculture, clean water, and community development.  Speakers share their agricultural challenges and successes, personal experiences, and transferrable principles for daily improving the lives of millions facing food insecurity. The highlight is networking with like-minded practitioners, researchers, and educators. ...

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