Journal 3: ECHO Field Trip

ECHO Field Trip!

       On September 8, 2010 my University Colloquium class at FGCU went on a field trip to ECHO. ECHO stands for educational concerns for hunger organization. The thing I liked the most about this hunger organization was that they did not just hand food to the hungry. Instead, they supply the hungry countries with different seeds that are capable of growing in the land that they live in. After supplying the seeds, the organization shows the native people how to effectively grow the plants. For example, in an urban setting ECHO has provided new ways of growing plants in things like tires, kid pools, and with the help of things like soda cans and carpet. The home base for this organization is a fifty acre campus that is located in south Florida. It is a Christian based program that sets up internships for missionaries to go over to different countries and share their knowledge of seeds and farming. They have already reached over 180 countries by problem solving, providing seeds, educating and training, and networking with other hunger organization.
    Some interesting facts about this program is that they house their interns on the property. They have different plots for the different environments they will encounter when they are helping the poverty stricken countries. They have animals that live on the property that you would see in those types of living conditions. For example, ducks in rice patties. Ducks provide manure to fertilize the rice, eggs to eat, and meat for the starving people. SALT was another interesting concept that I learned. Sloping agricultural land technology which improves soil on hillsides that prevents erosion by providing natural barriers.

    Some interesting plants that plants are the moringa which is a plant that provides tons of nutrients to everyone and is a fast growing plant. Miracle fruit gives a sweet taste in your mouth so that everything tastes sweet for a while after. The neem tree provides dental hygiene, shade, soaps, cosmetics, lotions, and is also used as an insect repellent. One more interesting plant that was shown on the tour was the cranberry hibiscus. This is another fast growing plant that taste sweet and is easy to grow, making it ideal for people who are hungry.
http://www.echonet.org/ For more information this is the ECHO website!