Sustainable farming in Bolivia
10:15 am By la Macha · Bolivia|Environment
19 Aug 2009This article from the BBC about farmers in Bolivia who are using farming methods of their ancestors to create sustainable farming techniques was very interesting. It made me think about how people in the U.S. have absolutely no similar history to draw on for our own farming methods–mostly because we’ve never done anything sustainable or environmentally friendly–ever. And we’ve done all that we can to destroy sustainable methods of surviving in indigenous communities in the U.S. for centuries.
The system is based on building “camellones” – raised earth platforms of anything up to 2m high, surrounded by canals.
Constructed above the height of flood waters, the camellones can protect seeds and crops from being washed away.
The water in the canals provide irrigation and nutrients during the dry season.
Pre-Columbian cultures in Beni from about 1000BC to AD1400 used a similar system.
So while other countries are talking about canals and irrigation and camellones–the U.S. is talking about militarization and destruction. When the hell are we in the U.S. ever going to wake up?
Hola!
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4 Responses to Sustainable farming in Bolivia
Sustainable farming in Bolivia « Raven’s Eye
August 19th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
[...] Sustainable farming in Bolivia [...]
Katie
August 19th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
La Macha,
I haven’t even read this article yet–just the first part of the first sentence–but I want to go on a tangential rant–I hope you don’t mind.
I got pissed off yesterday when I read that the University of Minnesota has a department that tries to get Hmong farmers to move away from “conventional AND TRADITIONAL” (emphasis mine) farming practices and into “organic and/or sustainable” ones.
WHAT…THE…FUCK.
I mean, sure, I’m sure there are plenty of Hmong farmers around here who’ve talked to white neighbors, been visited by Monsanto representatives, etc. and sold American “conventional” pesticides and use them.
But the “and traditional” part?!?! As far as I know, their traditional methods don’t even INCLUDE pesticides! I mean, all it takes is 1 summer of a Hmong farmer or two putting up a “no chemicals” or “no sprays” sign on their table for practically all of them to realize how well those phrases help them market and make little signs for their tables. That happens at every market in this region. I don’t think it’s that they all switched to “no chemicals” in a year–I think it’s much more likely that the majority of them have always been growing w/o chemicals and finally put up a sign.
And Hmong “traditional” is what the University of Minnesota wants to claim THEY know how to be more “sustainable” than?
Yeesh.
Katie
August 19th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Anyway, shorter…why the heck do people have to be told by the newspapers to believe that traditional cultures can do FINE at sustainability w/o modern scientists’ help?
Link Cariño | Hissip
August 29th, 2009 at 8:17 am
[...] farming in Bolivia can be a [...]