Register now! Early bird rates end August 31!

How can we help small scale farming initiatives thrive in Asia? We can provide low-cost, innovative options that allow people to grow both their crops and their knowledge, expand their operations, and thrive!

Join us October 17-20 for 4-days of networking and opportunities to share ideas, technologies appropriate for small scale farmers, and lots of practical demonstrations at the ECHO Asia Seed Bank & Small Farm Resource Center!

In addition to morning plenary speakers, we will conduct afternoon workshops at the ECHO Small Farm Resource Centrer, an evening poster session, a seed exchange, and a 1-day site visit to an area best practice site!

Celebrating 30 years of learning together

Welcome to the 30th annual ECHO International Agriculture 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 daily improving the lives of millions facing food insecurity. The highlight is networking with like-minded practitioners, researchers, and educators.    The conference is from November 7-9 in Fort Myers, Florida.  An optional one-day post-conference workshop at the ECHO Global Farm on November 10 will cover Korean Natural Farming (KNF).  Come celebrate 30 years of networking and learning together.  

Faith and Farming is a scripture engagement initiative, connecting the Bible with everyday farmers experiences. It has two goals, to help those working on the land to:

1) engage with all of the Bible in the language that they use as they work on their farms or with their animals, and
2) make a connection between their faith in God and their day to day work, so that their whole life is impacted and reflects God’s greatness in everything they do and say.

To do this, the Faith and Farming programme highlights and learns from the many farmers in the Bible, including God Himself, the very first "farmer" who planted the Garden of Eden.

The LEAD Community of Practice, in partnership with ECHO Asia, is excited to be hosting the first Faith and Farming training event in Asia. This training event has been contextualised for an Asia-Pacific context, but as with all training, much of the material covered will need to be sensitively considered and potentially adapted for implementation in your own unique work setting.

Note: This training event is open to people of differing faiths and no faith, and as a community of practice we recognise the benefits of diversity when dealing with complex topics. However, for this event in particular it is important to note the training will be based on stories and principles from the Christian Bible. Please consider carefully whether this is an event that you will be comfortable participating in fully.

Event Goal:

Participants return to their places of work with a better understanding of the connections between their faith, farming and agriculture more broadly, and are equipped and motivated to share their learning with others.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the event participants will have...

1. A basic theological understanding of the connections between Faith and Farming,

2. Reviewed and considered what the Bible has to say about farming and agriculture more broadly, and what the implications are for us as we work with the land in a sustainable way,

3. Considered what it means to be a follower of Jesus and a farmer and the implications for Scripture Engagement initiatives,

4. Seen firsthand a selection of sustainable farming techniques demonstrated at the ECHO Asia Global Farm,

5. Begun to plan what their next steps are for incorporating their learning into their own work and context.

And by six months after the event participants will have run one training event in their own location, with the support of others as needed.

This 1-week course is designed for development workers, missionaries, and volunteers looking to engage their communities with low-cost, high-impact agricultural ideas and techniques. Participants will be introduced to various agricultural practices and technologies through classroom time and hands-on activities on the farm, learning to 'use what you have to make what you need.'

This course is considered an 'introductory survey course' and will present a broad overview of many options suited to smallholder agricultural contexts in Asia.