[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: irrigation project



I agree that imposed western ideas do not always work, but I 
disagree that native systems of agriculture are always 
"sustainable" Often, (in Africa at least, where I have worked and 
know best),agricultural expansion was done extensively, i.e., 
they simply moved onto new land when their present plots were 
depleted. This worked because populations were low enough that 
new land was available. now this is no longer an option, and 
increases in production (needed to feed increasing populations) 
must be done intensively (more yield per existing 
hectare).(Unless we want to cut down more rainforests, one of 
the biggest unused sources of arable land, not an idea I favor) 
"Western" agriculture has been researching ways to raise yields for 
many years, some ways more sustainable and eco-friendly than 
others, and it is not unreasonable to assume that they've come up 
with something after (all these years and dollars spent) that 
could benefit Nicaraguans.
I also agree that irrigation is a ridky business, and I'd need 
to know more about this project to judge its merits, but 
dismissing all 'western" ideals or techniques out of hand is as 
bad as accepting them out of hand. 
Thanks for the intersting perspective. you made some good points 
and I enjoyed it.
 DC

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Conner
Center for Rural Studies
207 Morrill Hall, UVM
Burlington, VT 05405
(802) 656-3021
FAX: (802) 656-0776
dconner@zoo.uvm.edu

On Mon, 9 Dec 1996, P. Ellis wrote:

> 
> Reply to message sent by Tom Ford requesting translation and
> irrigation assistance in Nicaragua:
> 
> Greetings!  You and your colleagues sound like well-meaning folks;
> however, I would like to offer some cautionary advice.  Please 
> understand that I support first-world to third-world interaction
> as a positive and potentially beneficial experience for all involved. 
> 
> However, Wendell Berry has written about the agricultural practices
> of native peoples in both the U.S. and South America.  Two of the
> groups he wrote about, which seem relevant to this situation, were the
> Hopis and native Peruvian farmers.  The Peruvians have successfully
> farmed steep hillsides for several thousand years and the Hopis used to
> use a cachment system to retain and divert water at the bottoms of gullys
> during flash floods in the desert southwest.  (I think Berry wrote about
> the Hopis, I may be wrong, but it was a tribe in the desert southwest).
> 
> Anyhow, it seems ethnocentric to approach a rural population in another
> country with the intention of giving them what we call "sustainable
> agriculture."  I hope that your friends would consider their first
> priority to be simply observing the daily agricultural practices
> employed in the area (perhaps for thousands of years!) and then consider
> offering suggestions which may improve the local food system.  Any
> sustainable agriculture practices which work in North America might not
> be entirely suitable for use by a rural/native/third-world population
> in South America.  It would depend on their system as it presently
> exists and on available resources.  (eg:  Tractors would be useless if
> no diesel fuel is readily available or if the farmers are too poor to
> buy it).  Also, if your friends will only be there for three weeks it 
> may be useful for them to remember change is difficult, especially
> any change offered by outsiders.  These people have some sort of system
> in place and, quite understandably, they may resent interference in and
> criticism of that system.
> 
> Admittedly, I am a skeptic because the historical record is not very
> favorable when it comes to Westerners bringing their "great ideas" to
> third-world populations and, in some cases, this assistance has caused
> populations to suffer more after having been helped than before.  What
> will be the indirect consequences of your friend's assistance?
> 
> Since Nicaragua is in Cental America (?), why recommend irrigation?
> Is there a problem with sufficient rainfall in this particular area?
> What are the rates of topsoil formation in Nicaragua in this area?  
> Is the area steeply sloped or flat bottom-land in a valley?  What is
> the saline/mineral content/distribution in the local water supplies?
> I think that these are important questions and I hope your friends take
> the time to find out some of the answers.  Irrigation is an easy solution
> to a complex problem.  The indirect consequences of irrigation could be
> worse than not having irrigation.
> 
> In the western U.S., irrigation is widely practiced.  However, in the 
> west, irrigation is also problematic in that, in many cases--not all,
> irrigation is not the most efficient means of using water resources.
> It is my understanding that the depletion of large aquifer reserves
> in the U.S. will be/is a (future) problem that has gone unrecognized
> by most.  (eg:  Ogala aquifer levels have dropped in the last 20-30
> years--check current research on this topic for additional information).
> In the west, irrigation has also resulted in local power struggles over
> water--who has it, who needs it, who controls it, and how much it will
> cost, etc.
> 
> My greatest concern with regard to irrigaiton is that is can result
> in topsoil depletion.  Even in places with healthy topsoil, irrigation
> can negatively impact topsoil due to the runoff which occurs.  In "The
> Environmental Sourcebook," 1992, Edith Stein stated that topsoil 
> erosion is "seven times the rate of natural soil formation."  She
> gave the following estimate as the amount of soil eroded by wind 
> and water -- "2.7 and 3.1 billion tons of soil from U.S. cropland
> every year."  Additionally, in an article entitled, "Achieving Soil
> Sustainability," from The Journal of Soil and Water Conservation,
> 1992, pp. 156-7, Joe Friend made a strong claim that soil is not
> renewable within our lifetime.  He views soil formation as a 
> geologic process which occurs on a geologic time scale.  He also
> gave a figure which I found astonishing -- that the process of
> natural soil formation can take 150 years to develop one inch of soil.
> 
> Masanobu Fukuoka has written two books, "One-Straw Revolution," and
> "The Road Back to Nature."  It is my understanding that his view
> incorporates the use of interplanting, mulching, and legumes (to 
> promote natural nitrogen formation in the soil).  He calls his system
> "do nothing" farming, although he has been criticized for the labor
> his system requires.  But, this system (or aspects of it) may be
> useful for the farmers in Nicaragua.
> 
> Also, Bill Mollisen and David Holmgren developed a sytem called 
> "permaculture," a system which is "people intensive . . . with long
> term aims of improved productivity and lower energy consumption,"
> which I have quoted from an article by Gillman and Grimaux, entitled,
> "Utopia as Judgement," Ceres, Vol. 24, 1992, pp. 15-23.  Mollisen
> and Holmgren wrote a book together entitled, "Permaculture One," and
> Mollisen went on to write a second book entitled, "Permaculture Two."
> Also, I think that there is a representative of this view which is
> a subscriber and who could provide you with additional information.
> 
> Additionally, dryland farming techniques, which include some of
> Fukuoka's practices -- mulching and intercropping/interplanting --
> have been successfully used for thousands of years.  In the
> Mediterranean, in ancient Rome, intercropping was practiced by Roman
> farmers (Prof. Bliquez, Lectures for CLA 320, Fall 1995, UW).  There
> has been a resurgence in interest in the use of dryland farming 
> techniques, and I believe that there are some very informed specialists
> in this area which subscribe to this list as well.  Dryland techniques
> attempt to use natural rainfall in combination with other approaches
> in order to grow crops without irrigation or, it irrigation is
> necessary, with the application of responsible and limited irrigation
> practices.
> 
> Finally, I viewed a documentary on PBS this last year, and I do not
> recall the title of the program, but it showed Chinese farmers that 
> cover their fields with rocks.  Yes, rocks.  Water resources are
> scarce in this particular area of China, so farmers prepare planting
> beds and cover the soil surrounding plants with rocks in order to
> preserve and to maintain moisture in the soil.  The rocks are carefully
> raked into place for the planting of seedlings and are raked away in
> order to amend the soil as needed.  I do hope that the Nicaraguan
> farmers do not face such severe water shortages, but I cite this story
> in order to demonstrate that with care and ingenuity farming is possible
> in even the most difficult environments.
> 
> Peace, P. F. Ellis, Senior, Philosophy, Univ. Of Washington
> 
> (future small-scale organic farmer, too)
> 
> 
> 
> 



References: