WWOOF

I was recently introduced to an amazing organization called WWOOF. World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms was started in 1971 as a way to connect people from all over the world to share more sustainable ways of living. In return for volunteer work on the hosts' farm volunteers receive a place to stay, meals, and numerous opportunities to learn about the organic lifestyle.

Volunteers do not pay for their stay and hosts do not pay their volunteers for work.

WWOOF hosts can be found in almost every country around the world. So, no matter what your interest I'm sure there is a farm, community, gardener or SOMEONE who fits your desire.

You can find more information by visiting wwoof.org

The program I am most interested in is in the West African country of Sierra Leone. WWOOF has a school garden program in SL that is teaching children how to grow their own food. The food is then served to the children and staff of the school and any surplus can be sold to keep the school running, or sent home to feed the often impoverished students' families.

Anyone who knows me knows my soft spot for children. And, anything we can do to teach sustainable farming/living in Africa will be one less way Monsanto can invade the lives of people in developing countries.

Monsanto is already hard at work developing GM rice and wheat specifically to market to developing countries. I would love to see Sierra Leone and other African nations reject what Monsanto has to "offer"

According to one article Monsanto is trying to be the "johnny appleseed" of Africa. They are marketing a "high yield" hybrid maize containing fertilizer and herbicide. The maize is being called Xoshindlala a Zula word meaning to chase away hunger. Not shockingly, this is not an aid project either, Monsanto is marketing and selling this crap (yea I said it) for profit to African farmers. So, here they go - trying to convince yet another group of farmers that monoculture is the wave of the future.

Another reason to go WWOOF in Africa? Monsanto also has it's hand in the "relief" food America sends to African nations. Monsanto PROFITS from hunger in Africa due to their government contracts to provide relief food. Monsanto would hate to see Africans learning to farm on their own and SUSTAIN rather than maintain life as they are doing currently.

The UN recently released a report saying that Africa's best hope for the future is organic agriculture. Yet the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed S.384, the Global Food Security Act, that would require "research on biotechnological advances appropriate to local ecological conditions, including genetically modified technology" as a condition of US aid.

Instead of cynically cloaking corporate welfare for chemical companies like Monsanto in agriculture aid packages, why not support the United Nations Environment Program's Green Economy Initiative?

A new survey by the UN Conference on Trade and the Environment and UNEP in East Africa found that over 90 per cent of studies show that organic or near organic agriculture had benefits for soil fertility; water control; improved water tables, carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

This allows farmers to extend the growing season in marginal areas. The research in East Africa was among 1.6 million organic or near organic farmers from seven countries working on 1.4 million hectares.

Other findings include an increase in crop yields of 128 per cent since switching

In other disturbing news - Monsanto is attempting to forge a partnership with the CARE organization - a high profile US based food-aid agency. It seems the goal of the meeting is to use the food aid agency to test and distribute their genetically-altered seeds among poor farmers. What a load of bullshit. If CARE goes along with this they are making a terrible mistake.

So please, join WWOOF and help promote SUSTAINABLE living.

For information on statistics I have posted please visit the following websites for full articles.

http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=376
http://www.scribd.com/doc/13670789/Voices-from-Africa-African-Farmers-Environmentalists-Speak-Out-Against-a-New-Green-Revolution-in-Africa
http://e360.yale.edu/content/digest.msp?id=1550