The Snails' New Homes
Four Pens have been fully constructed. The size of each pen is 3ft by 9ft, with each sub-divided into two compartments. When completed, we will have a total of eighteen (18) compartments.
The Pens have been stocked so far with breeder snails. Each pen has 10 breeder snails, giving us a total of 40 snails currently. The four fully constructed pens are secured with cover and padlocks. The remaining five which are under construction are currently on hold, whilst the students are on vacation. Construction will resume when the school resumes in September, and are expected to be completed by the end of next vacation in December 2007.
By the end of December we are expecting to be having a total of approximately 180 breeder snails. The Snails are doing very well however we have had two deaths which we believe are due to transfer and relocation.
The lessons have earnestly begun with all enthusiasm, and the students as well as teachers themselves are happy with the programme. In this period the students were taken through – Introduction to Snail Farming. The beneficiary students have been divided into groups. In all we have nine groups of five and six with each taking charge of one pen. Currently only the Agricultural Science Students are taking part in the programme.
It has been agreed that, the whole programme will be tackled in a competition form. The best group will eventually receive an award for excellence.
SOCIAL IMPACT
1. Entrepreneurial skills for the students who would be leaving school in search of non-existing jobs. This will cut down unemployment
2. Economic empowerment – Anybody who gets to know about the project and practice the type of farming – Heliciculture, would make economic gains. More especially the women who would support their families.
3. Also, it is an initiative which can be classified as an ‘eye-opener’ to people who never thought about the gains of Heliciculture.
VISITORS
The programme is receiving attention from far and near, with contacts even as far as from the United States including Miss Joana kyei a Researcher on Snails Marketing and Processing. Miss Lydia Karl Afua Osei, a Graduate from the University of Ghana – Legon has been attracted by the project. She has joined the FARIAD Team as from August 1st, 2007 currently as an Intern and subsequently for her National Service Programme, which begins in October, 2007. Lydia as she prefers to be called said she is interested to demonstrate her capacity in the field of human rights, and education, to help the youth as well as women groups attain their ambitions. Also Mr. Masawudu Rashid a graduate in Agriculture from the University of Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale has also expressed his interest to join the team
We have recently received a visitor to the project site. Mr. David Aryitey is a banker by profession and a farmer from Aflao in the Volta Region, a border town to neighbouring Togo. He is very much interested in the project. He has invited FARIAD to Togo to start a project to enable student counterparts in Togo also enjoy the benefit and opportunities of the project. Moreso we need to tackle projects step by step,
posted by FARIAD at
2:09 AM
2 Comments:
i want to have a comprehensive information about snails, and to have a comprehensive pictures of how the snails are in the pent.
what are the already made food to speed-up their growth excluding fruit.
o
GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK
Workshops: USA - TX, MS, FL, CA, AR, NM, WA; México, Rep. Dominicana, Cote d’Ivoire,
Nigeria, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Haití, England, Nicaragua, India, Uzbekistan
Workshops in organic, no-till, permanent-bed gardening, mini-farming, mini-ranching, using drip irrigation, in English & Español
FUTURE ORGANIC FARMERS OF AMERICA
Let's Grow Organic Gardeners, Mini-Farmers and Mini-Livestock Farmers
FFA and vocational agriculture in high schools are an embarrassment to me as an ex-FFA member and vo-ag student. Almost none of the present day students in FFA/Vo-Ag are interested in agriculture. Since FFA is no longer Future Farmers of America, that is as it should be.
Gardening is being taught in more and more schools beginning in the elementary. These students will be more and more interested in gardening and farming as they progress into the upper grades. Some will want to mini-farm as adults and many will home garden. They can begin in high school. They can get additional education locally and/or online or they can attend one of the colleges/universities that offer a degree in organic farming.
I propose that we establish a new organization consisting of those students who are interested in organic food and fiber production. The number of students is not important. This is especially important in view of the present energy situation which will force this country to return to local food production. Even before 2008, there has been a growing grassroots movement to buy local, buy fresh and buy organic. The future is urban farming and that is where the students are anyway. Almost all cities [inter-urban, urban and peri-urban] have land that can be farmed [free]. Organic, no-till gardening, mini-farming takes little capital and only hand tools and power hand tools. The students can be in a public school, private school, charter school or home schooled. A chapter could be at a community garden, youth detention center or youth prison. I have a document on school gardening, free, to anyone who requests it. I have 2 DVDs on gardening and they may be ordered for $3 to cover my cost.
The average age of American farmers is the late 50s. A-G-R-I-C-U-L-T-U-R-E is an eleven letter "dirty" word in America today. Many of the new organic farmers are people leaving the unhealthy, high tech, non-satisfying lifestyle they had created for themselves. They know little about farming but are learning.
I began this with a list of about 250 people. I have a list of over 45 who are really interested.
FFA began with one teacher and some students starting the first chapter. I am looking for one teacher and some students who will begin the first chapter of the FOFA. Then I will email it everywhere so others will join. This will be a grassroots movement.
I am wondering if the name should be FUTURE ORGANIC GARDENERS/FARMERS OF AMERICA. I had in mind those high school students who are interested in farming/ranching but many lower grades are into gardening and interested. Or two divisions: FUTURE ORGANIC GARDENERS OF AMERICA and FOFA [HS]?? This can be decided later by those of you with chapters.
Respond to this email if you want to be on the list. I want this to spread to every school around the world.
Ken Hargesheimer, Box 1901, Lubbock TX 79408-1901,
806-744-8517, minifarms@gmail.com
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