Land Degradation: Impact of Farmers

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Chris

Talk about soil CB, or black gold ... why is it called black gold?. Why is soil called 'dirt' in the US?

Talk about what soil degradation is? Talk about how it happens? What is the major cause of soil degradation? Talk about what can be done? Why is it of concern? What can the farmer do? .. what does the appropriate governmental agency need to do?. Or in the US, the agricultural extension of the Universities. How does one manage soil in the tropics? What types of soil is most prevalent in the tropics? Why do we get that reddish color? Why is it sometimes bone grey? How does one recognize impoverished land? Why do we need to concern ourselves with land degradation? Is it not so that soil is a non-renewable resource using human timescales as the authors of "Soil Degradation in the United States" state? (2004)

AG101, Chris. It all there. You act like it's some sort of new concept. It's an easy concept: if you don't take care of your soil, the soil will not take care of you. Heck, I remember learning about crop rotation, land laying fallow, step farming, etc. in elementary school. You post like it's a recent discovery.

And, seriously, in all your posts in this thread I've yet to see one that is DR related. I hope the Mods don't notice. Remember how you used to whack folks for doing that? Remember how you whacked me?

[Chris]

You guys, please go and read Fatal Harvest.
Also, go and do simple google searches in productivity small farms vs big farms. The landscape is changing and you do not know it.

Forgive me for leaving as I'd like to discuss ecology and soil. I'm quite happy to discuss it with anyone on any space in the political continuum as long as we can talk about soil. To some of us it is quite important and yes, it is as if it is a new thing on a daily basis. It is actually quite a major thing if you think that is where your food and wellbeing comes from. I get quite excited about this thing called soil that I'm told can so easily be explained in AG101. Why then do we have a food crisis on our hands?

[Keith R]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

And, seriously, in all your posts in this thread I've yet to see one that is DR related. I hope the Mods don't notice. Remember how you used to whack folks for doing that? Remember how you whacked me?

Beyond my original announcement of the GT blog entry -- which was DR-related in that it discussed how over one-third of DR land is rated as degraded and discussed what the DR is and isn't doing -- none of the entries by anyone on this thread have been DR-specific, including you (please, don't even try to suggest that by throwing "not even in the DR" in one post qualifies as keeping your comments DR-specific).

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Chris

Why then do we have a food crisis on our hands?

Because world gubmints get involved in the world market.

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Keith R

Beyond my original announcement of the GT blog entry -- which was DR-related in that it discussed how over one-third of DR land is rated as degraded and discussed what the DR is and isn't doing -- none of the entries by anyone on this thread have been DR-specific, including you (please, don't even try to suggest that by throwing "not even in the DR" in one post qualifies as keeping your comments DR-specific).

At least I tried, Keith, by the Real World DR example of how real local farm markets work. Other folks never mentioned the DR, but did mention what they're doing in other countries except the DR...

[Keith R]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

Because world gubmints get involved in the world market.

I can't remember a time when or a country where the government was not involved in the food chain in some fashion (subsidies, import quotas, quality controls, phytosanitary rules, etc). I think the causes of the current food crisis is far more complex than that, just as I think we cannot trace the food crisis and land degradation to single models of agricultural production (small farms, organic farms, corporate farms, etc.).

So let's all get back to the supposed initial issue: land degradation in the DR, its causes and what, if anything, can be done to address it that is not already being done.

[Keith R]

I might add, having visited a few farms in the DR over the years, I think there are many Dominican farmers who need a refresher course in proper care of the soil. Some still practice slash-and-burn agriculture. Many don't practice crop rotation, proper irrigation like they should.

Is there an ag extension service in the DR, and if so, how well-trained and well manned are they?

[Chip]

Originally Posted by Keith R

So let's all get back to the supposed initial issue: land degradation in the DR, its causes and what, if anything, can be done to address it that is not already being done.

I think we all know the causes; ignorance of degradation prevention and preservation methods and practices.

What can we do? Well other that being in the peace corp, a politician, or personally wealthy with the time it would take to get the message out, not a whole lot.

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Chip

I think we all know the causes; ignorance of degradation prevention and preservation methods and practices.

What can we do? Well other that being in the peace corp, a politician, or personally wealthy with the time it would take to get the message out, not a whole lot.

Edumacation. Works every time it's tried.

I have friends who are what, corn and soybean farmers. They all have Ag degrees from fine state universities. They run their farms like half executive, and half scientist.

One guy grows a specific kind of corn for Kobe beef. He's given the seeds, fertilizers and basic instructions from his customer. He's doing quite well.

[Chip]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

Edumacation. Works every time it's tried.

I have friends who are what, corn and soybean farmers. They all have Ag degrees from fine state universities. They run their farms like half executive, and half scientist.

One guy grows a specific kind of corn for Kobe beef. He's given the seeds, fertilizers and basic instructions from his customer. He's doing quite well.

You are quite right. But of course if the DR government can't even ensure a decent education for it's citizen's, what is the likelihood we'll see any change in our lifetime?