COASTE | COMMUNITY
Just off Route 31 outside Fort Myers sits a gem of a plant nursery. In fact, the farm maintains one of the largest collections of tropical food plants in the United States. On any given Saturday morning, the place buzzes like a swarm of bees as gardeners and food growers “in the know” wade through rare, hardy, Florida-friendly landscaping, fruit and vegetable varietals, looking to enhance a backyard or add some home-grown goodness to the table. Along with their greenery, business is growing — at a rate of 10% from year to year.
Africa. For a vast network of aid organizations that include UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO), ECHO acts as a hub to share information about the latest discoveries and best practices in agriculture to meet the challenges of small farming around the world. Rick Burnette, ECHO Director of Agriculture and head of agricultural training, began development work in Thailand in the early 1980s, and was first introduced to ECHO as a result of his agricultural
development efforts there. He partnered with ECHO, sharing information and providing feedback for the seeds and techniques tried
This tucked-away 5o-acre plot of Southwest Florida soil serves as base camp for agricultural and appropriate technology training of aid workers in more than 165 countries.
But look beyond this charming tree stand and you’ll discover an active agricultural worksite with, yes, worldwide impact. The fact is, ECHO — Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization — is a 34-year-old
in the region over many years. He joined ECHO full- time in 2009, first as Regional Impact Center Director in Thailand, then transferring to his current role stateside last year. “The reality is that people in these affected areas are suffering from malnutrition and hunger, and they don’t know how they can change their situation,” Burnette reflects. “The techniques we gather from our networks and dispense to others teach farmers how they can use at-hand materials and practical farming methods to provide for themselves and become self-sufficient.”
Christian-based, non-profit non-denominational organization committed to reducing starvation and malnourishment among the world’s 925 million hungry people. This tucked-away 50-acre plot of Southwest Florida soil serves as base camp for the agricultural and appropriate technology training of aid workers in more than 165 countries. ECHO operates Regional Impact Centers in Thailand, Tanzania and Burkina Faso, and a long-term research station in South
23
Made with FlippingBook HTML5