There is an old proverb… The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago... the next best time is now. everything in life begins with a seed… it is the same for a plant, a tree, or an idea. ~ Reynaldo Ochoa Reynaldo Ochoa is an inspiration to the people of Manu in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. For the past 20 years he has dedicated his life to finding new ways of living in balance with his environment. By encouraging farmers to plant trees with their crops and enabling families to grow fresh organic produce he is helping to forge a sustainable future for the region, both protecting the environment and allowing local people to flourish. It hasnt always been this way. When Reynaldo moved to the rainforest over 30 years ago he cleared the forest just like everyone else. When the soil could no longer produce crops he moved to new land and started again. After years of working like this he realized that if people continued in this manner there would soon be no forest left. And so he began learning about sustainable farming and started to experiment with his own land. He tried lots of different methods and eventually found a system that works. Now he uses the waste from his chickens to feed pond algae which, in turn, feeds the fish. The waste from his sheep he uses to fertilize the land for crops and he plants nitrogen fixing trees and vines to regenerate the soil. The system is akin to permaculture and works much as nature would without the introduction of a monoculture. Reynaldo helps farmers all across the region to plant trees with their crops as part of crees` agroforestry initiative. Agroforestry gives local farmers a short and long-term income from banana production and soft- and hardwood trees. The trees enable the forest to regenerate and also replenish the soil with nutrients, thus reducing the need to clear new land for farming. The trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere and can be used for carbon offsetting. Reynaldo helps share his knowledge not just by working with commercial farmers but also by helping local people start biogardens of their own where they can grow crops in an organic way. The aim is to help improve peoples nutrition and provide an income through the sale of any excess produce. Since he began, Reynaldo has started over 62 gardens and planted over 30,000 trees. He does not drive a car and uses bio gas in his home (produced from his own families waste!). As a pioneer in organic farming he lives a truly sustainable existence. Though he has been working in sustainable agriculture for more than 20 years, Reynaldo currently works with the crees foundation to help forge a sustainable future for the Manu region of Peru, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Reynaldo - Rainforest Hero has won Best short film at the UN Forest Short Film Festival, the UK Green Film festival and Inkafest in Peru! If you are interested in supporting Reynaldo`s work, click here: bit.ly/GROWafuture https://youtube/watch?v=_EnciuH_Lhs#t=301
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 22:28:48 +0000
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