Can Africa feed her children.

Can Africa feed her children. Su Kahumbu Green Dreams/FNEA Ltd info@organic.co.ke

In 2005 - 800m people in developing countries suffered from malnutrition whilst 1 billion in developed countries (mainly the US) suffered from Obesity. (Michael Pollan in Omnivores Dilemma) The diets in both the groups mentioned above depend largely on one crop-Corn. Diversity within our diets provides nutritional diversity and thus great health. Diversity is the cornerstone of Organic production.

Organic Agriculture in a nutshell. • Holistic approach to agriculture recognising, appreciating, working with and complimenting natures intricate balances. • The most important aspect of Organic agriculture is soil health. • Healthy soils produce healthy crops. Simple  • FACT: Soil fertility increases with addition of organic matter and decreases with addition of synthetic fertilizers resulting in non productive soils. The Green revolution will sink Africas farmers into debt UNLESS it harnesses green technologies.

Green Dreams farm Tigoni 1999

The Organic Shop – Speciality Shop

Certified Organic in urban supermarkets and green grocers-premium priced NB Consumption of organic not limited to the elite, tons of ‘Non certified’ organic products sold in rural markets every day

Garbage to food in 105 days in Africas largest slum ! Kibera Youth Reform Group Organic farm in Kibera provides organic vegetables to the surrounding community. Contact Moha +254 721 163 719

Small scale organic producers

Profile of organic Small Scale Producers. • Average age 50yrs • Average size of farms : 2 acres • Mode of production: Rain fed irrigation • Financially challenged –many cannot afford synthetic inputs • Organic input material rich – Have access to biodegradable materials and animal manures thus are capable of increasing soil fertility sustainably and affordably almost year round.

New technologies Cost effective drip irrigation

Soil Fertility-Compost Making

Vermiculture

Farmers have access to TOF magazine, TOF Radio, i-TOF centers and infonet internet platform educational tools as well as support from organic institutions .

For Africa to feed herself, we need to reinvent agriculture with an emphasis on attracting the Youth to work hand in hand with the farmers/landowners providing them with agri services.

Modern day risks of pesticides to farmers, wildlife and the environment. . . Pics courtesy of http://stopwildlifepoisoning.wildlifedirect.org

Consumers and tax payers bear the costs. • Kenya’s The Standard newspaper on Friday, 30 Oct 2009 reported death of 3 year old Nelson Kimutai on Monday, 26 October 2009. Baby Nelson mistakenly injested Furadan, a lethal pesticide still widely used in Kenya yet banned in most parts of the world. • Poisoning of fish in Lake Naivasha- a mystery solved by the CEO of FPEAK? Conflict of interest . • Illness in flower farms due to pesticide poisoning simply upon contact • Thousands of Indian farmers have committed suicide to date due to financial stresses caused by an agricultural system that does not work, Africa should learn from history. • How safe is conventional agri really? It is a short sighted production method enriching the big business input providers resulting in value depletion of food, health and environment.

Future real Green Policies • African Governments need to recognise the diverse benefits of organic production as one of the safest , affordable and most sustainable solutions to not only continental food security but also ‘positive’ climate change. They need to develop policies that promote and incentivise organic agriculture.

Food For Thought • Eating is an agricultural act. Wendell Berry • How and what we eat determines to a great extent the use we make of the world Michael Pollan –Omnivores Dilemma • We’re still eating the leftovers of World War two Vandana Shiva Thank You • Su Kahumbu • Green Dreams, Food Network East Africa Ltd • info@organic.co.ke +254 721 100 001 • www.greendreams.edublogs.org

Can Africa feed her children.