ECHO is a non-profit organization whose vision is "to bring glory to God and
a blessing to mankind by using science and technology to help the poor."
Our goal is to provide easy access to ECHO documents and other information
for those who are working in agricultural development. If you have a specific
technical question related to your work in agriculture and appropriate
technology, we have staff members who will try to find an answer for you. Send
your request to
. Be as specific as you can and explain the
setting in which you need this information.
This web portal contains a wealth of information on
small farm tropical agriculture. Follow the links on the left to find ideas for
growing food under difficult conditions, to learn about underutilized plants and
find out how you can order free trial packets of seed to evaluate these plants
in the communities where you work.
System of Rice Intensification mentioned in the NY Times.
The "System of Rice Intensification" (SRI)
appears to be revolutionary, and there are reports of widespread adoption. Our
only reservation is that some rice scientists are skeptical; finding it difficult
to understand how such large yields can be achieved, often on soil of low
fertility. We will have an in-depth look at this issue at our December 2008
conference followed by an EDN article in 2009.
For a sense of the debate visit this recent article about
SRI's main promoter posted by the NY Times on June 17, 2008. "Food
Revolution That Starts With Rice"
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 18 June 2008 )
Monday, 05 May 2008
Stem rust rises again
by Martin Price
The Gates Foundation has made a US$26.8 million grant to Cornell University to launch a global partnership to combat the rust diseases of wheat, particularly the virulent stem rust strain from eastern Africa, Ug99. The new project will involve researchers from Cornell, the International Center for Improvement of Corn and Wheat (CIMMYT) and the Syria-based International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), FAO, and the national agricultural research programs of Ethiopia and Kenya. Among other activities, the project will seek to replace susceptible varieties with seed of durably resistant varieties and to introduce genetic immunity to rust from rice to wheat.
CIMMYT write, "The stem rust race Ug99, identified in Uganda in 1999, is the only known race of P. graminis tritici to be virulent against the resistance genes that have kept wheat crops safe for decades. The presence of the new rust was confirmed in the Arabian Peninsula and Sudan in 2006, and in Iran in 2007. Prevailing wind patterns predict its spread to the vast wheat-growing areas of North Africa, the Middle East, and Central, West, and South Asia. Most major wheat cultivars in this migration path are susceptible to Ug99, so annual losses of as much as USD 3 billion are possible. The effects on rural livelihoods and geopolitical stability would be incalculable, particularly given the current global food shortage crisis."
