Week 9

This week Team Wolfpack pent on a field trip to ECHO Educational Concerns For Hunger Organization.


Field Trip Questions:
 • Contrast the low technology methods used at ECHO to typical high technology agribusiness methods. Why does ECHO focus on low technology solutions? 
 Low technology methods are used to minimize the release of CO2 gas. The use of many of the new high technology can be harmful to our health. ECHO focuses on the use of low technology to demonstrate ways to do agriculture and be environmentally friendly. 


 • What are some farming methods ECHO demonstrates for third-world urban growers who have no access to land?  
Treadle pumps- Pumps water from lakes or rivers. Less expensive. 
Solar Dehydrators- To preserve fruits and vegetables.
Tippy-tap- Hand washing device; to reduce the spread of disease, such as diarrhea. 
Biogas Digester- Made with drum/barrel units that collect and pressurize methane gas, that can be used as fuel 
Solar Cooker 
Barrel Oven 


 • Compare the long-term sustainability of methods used at ECHO to those used at typical, chemical-based agribusiness operations. 
ECHO uses the agroforestry approach, which integrates trees, plants, and animals in a conservative, long-term, productive system. Some of the benefits from this approach include: Increased efficiency in land use, and short-term food production. The methods used in ECHO are definitely advantageous to one’s health. 


 • Organic agriculture is based on the idea that good soils make strong plants. How does ECHO develop good soils? 
Developing good soils can be difficult, and ECHO demonstrates the different techniques to do this, It is important to understand the removal and replacement of trace nutrients and trace elements.


• What is so special about the moringa tree? How can it solve nutritional problems in third world countries? 
The moringa leafs can be powdered and added to food to have a higher nutritional value. In Senegal, it helps babies of mothers that can’t make milk. The moringa’s seed has a coagulating property that can make it 90% drinkable, and leaving it in the sun for 6 days makes water 99% drinkable. Another use of the moringa would be the oil used to rub arthritic joints to relieve pains for a period of time. 


 • What’s so special about the neem tree? Why is it referred to as the “village pharmacy?” Does it have other purposes other than its use for human consumption? 
The neem twig has antibacterial and antifungal functions. Indians chew on neem twigs as toothbrushes. It can be used as pesticide, and flea control in pets.


• ECHO has a duck pen located above a pond used for aquaculture. Explain why it was placed there - -what is the link between the ducks and the fish in the pond? 
Acquiring protein that can used in a short period of time is very important, There is a symbiotic relation between the duck and the tilapia that live in the pond. The tilapia eat duck dropping.


• Discuss synergies between plants and animals/humans. Why is all life on earth dependent on plants, and therefore soils? 
Animals and Humans living on terrestrial environments need Oxygen to survive, and plants (through photosynthesis) provide us with oxygen, We also benefit from eating different plants for nutritional means. It is important to have good soils to grow these plants so that we can benefit from them.


• Explain how you can become a more thoughtful consumer of agricultural products. 
 ECHO demonstrated the different nutritional value of various plants and trees, I am now more aware of the use of the neem tree and moringa tree. "