#e.c.h.o.

1. Introduction:

Right off the bat, the introduction video taught me that ECHO is an acronym that stands for Educational Conservation Hunger Organization. I learned that this program works to help people all over the world to feed themselves. ECHO’s mission is to work towards strengthening the capacity of a diverse global network to defeat hunger and improve lives through sustainable foods and agroecosystem strategies. ECHO’s motivation is their faith in Jesus, as He first loved us as agents of restoration, and they seek to glorify God and love our neighbors. ECHO is driven by their mission to help food insecurity and hunger and do so by empowering education and training and teaching farmers about sustainable practices and low-cost solutions. ECHO focuses on community development and growth by helping communities improve their food security, help them generate income, and improve their overall lives and wellbeing.

ECHO has provided training for a tremendous amount farmers and agricultural specialists, which includes teaching them about more sustainable farming practices and techniques. For example, in East Africa, ECHO trains the farmers there by connecting their trainers through community groups, agriculture and farming schools, and other forms of sustainable foods teachings. ECHO’s efforts and incredible work have positively impacted the lives of millions of people all over the world, their name, work and life-supporting efforts having become recognized on a global scale. Another example is ECHO’s hands-on outreach, and a community development project is creating market gardening in Dédougou, a city in western Burkina Faso, where they are providing training in market gardening inspired by women to work together and earn extra income. They would do this by learning to produce and sell things like tomato paste, made from the produce from their gardens.

They serve over 190 countries, maintaining research headquarters here in Fort Myers, and impact center facilities all over the world, including in Asia, and West and East Africa. ECHO serves in roughly 200 countries, and to name them all would be quite a mouthful, but some of these countries include Bolivia, Brazil, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, Ecuador, Kenya, Thailand, Australia, Japan, Colombia, Haiti, Denmark, Switzerland, Canada, etc. ECHO has partnered with a lot of different groups and organizations to support communities all around the world, including Kenya. One way that ECHO has collaborated with an organization to support communities in Kenya is their project with AMPATH, or Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare. Their collaboration provided tele-teaching and mentoring, and education for healthcare workers in Kenya. This helped improve the care for people in resource-limited communities. This partnership also connects ECHO team experts with primary care clinicians in communities in Kenya and have the opportunity to participate in virtual clinics and mentoring sessions that discuss thins like patient care and discussions about new developments. These kinds of partnerships that ECHO has successfully impacted communities with has made significant improvements to healthcare outcomes in Kenya, as well as other communities around the globe. This partnership specifically empowers local healthcare workers in Kenya with education and skills necessary to improve their health and community wellbeing.

2. Reflection

A. I learned a lot during my time at ECHO Farm and my experience was extremely educational and visually rewarding. I learned about the difference between sustainable seeds and GMO seeds, which do not grow correctly and have a chance of not reproducing at all. I learned of the importance of open pollination, which can be done by natural variants such as insects, birds, the wind, and other mechanisms. This practice is super important for genetic diversity in an ecosystem, as well as the adaptation of plants to local natural conditions.

I learned about seed saving, which is part of maintaining the genetic diversity of crops, making sure that farmers have access to well-adapted seeds to grow in their local environment, ultimately reducing the dependency on buying seeds from commercial suppliers. I also learned about other things like adaptive technology for harvesting crops, rainwater harvesting, composting practices, agroforestry which integrates trees and shrubs in agricultural areas and improves the soil and biodiversity, and tropical food plants. ECHO had thousands of different fruits , vegetables, and other tropical food plants which range from plants to eat, to those used for medicinal purposes.

I learned about various sustainable agricultural practices and water management practices ECHO has utilized. I learned about the water pump system, and the photos on the left side show a manual water pump system, and we learned about the importance of water management in agriculture, which includes systems for effective water irrigation and collection, like water pumps. This system in particular is simple and requires low-costing technology that can allow for access to water and distribute it for farming purposes. I also experienced my first well or water pump and the use of it, which was well demonstrated by a classmate.  

I learned about the practice of using red clay mixed with some cement to make bricks, which is aligned with ECHO’s resource-efficient sustainability techniques. This technique can be used with red clay from the ground on certain areas, and local materials like plastic bottles or other recycled materials that can be used to build. This practice is cost effective and reduces environmental impact on the surrounding areas of communities. I learned several aspects of sustainable construction and using eco-friendly materials to build. For example, the hut is made from the red clay dirt from the ground, some cement and other organic materials like straw, in a sense creating adobe bricks for building. Adobe bricks are simply made from a mixture of Earth’s natural materials and water, but are great in terms of low-cost, energy-efficient, and contain excellent thermal insulation properties.

I learned about other kinds of sustainable practices and construction that can be utilized besides rec clay. For example, aside from building with red clay, we can also use bamboo and thatch structures to build. Bamboo has a lot of different qualities, from being able to be eaten, to used for construction. Bamboo is extremely versatile when it comes to using it for building and farming purposes, mainly because it’s sustainable, it grows fast, and it’s extremely durable. Because bamboo is such a great material to build with, ECHO has used it to create shelters, shaded areas, and extra supports around the area. The bamboo plant is also extremely beneficial to the environment it grows in, as it can prevent soil erosion, support biodiversity, and are highly effective at sequestering carbon.

I learned about pig pen construction, which is made from concrete and metal bars to provide durability and safety for the pigs. I learned of the importance behind sturdy animal shelters to be able to withstand all sorts of weather conditions and other factors that come into play. I learned a little bit about the hygiene and cleanliness that should be kept for healthy, happy pigs, like the water and food containers they eat from. The way it’s important for humans, it is also important for pigs and other animals to have access to clean and accessible food and water sources. This, of course, will help maintain their health, wellbeing, and growth. I learned that it is also better for pigs like these to be with other pigs for companionship, which makes sense considering they are social herd animals. When they are placed together rather than alone, the pigs will tend to be happier and healthier thanks to their stable friendships and other kinds of established relationships, like who mom and dad are and who their friends are.

I learned a lot about plant diversity and diverse flora and fauna. I learned about the Tropical Highlands that tend to be shaded habitats formed along the slopes of tropical mountains. I learned that these areas tend to be home to a vast number of plants and animals and are therefore extremely beneficial in terms of maintaining biodiversity. ECHO is home to thousands of plants like the Banana plant, and other kinds of vegetation. I learned about various different kinds of plants that are able to grow in the Tropical highlands, as well as the complex, but visually appealing, ecosystems that reside here. I learned about many different crops and plants that are grown in ECHO’s very own farmlands, which are completely safe, edible, and provide many nutritional benefits. For example, one plant I learned about was the Moringa plant, which actually provides many health benefits like Vitamin C, proteins, minerals, and antioxidants. Something interesting about this plant that I learned is the fact that there is no caffeine or any other stimulants in the plant, but it can keep you up all night when ingested.

On the topic of plants, I learned about the chaya plant, which interestingly enough is also referred to as tree spinach. This plant is very fast-growing and is extremely valued for the nutritional properties it possesses. For example, this plant is rich in all the Vitamins, A, C, and B, it’s protein-packed, and so full of calcium, iron and antioxidants that its considered more nutritious than actual spinach. I learned that the chaya plant has traditionally been used to treat ailments like diabetes, acne, eye problems, and kidney stones, and is believed to improve digestion. I learned about the Prickly pear plant, which is a type of cactus that grows big red and yellow flowers. I learned that this plant is traditionally used by the Mexican culture to cook, and it can also be used for medicinal purposes like controlling your blood sugar levels. I learned about Turken chickens, or naked neck chickens, which are raised here in ECHO’s farm for egg production and meat. The chicken in the coop in my photo collage is to show part of their sustainable poultry farming practices. We visited goats in their pen, and here I learned about the 5 M’s goats provide farmers with: Meat, Milk, Manure, Muscle, and Money. These represent the versatility and value of having goats for sustainable farming practices.

I learned about another plant called the Neem tree, which is extremely beneficial for your akin, hair and teeth. This plant provides tremendous health benefits, including antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal properties, it can kill lice in hair, and can be used to cook. I learned that this plant is used a lot in India to make curry, and in some parts of the world, this plant has been used by mothers to cure a child’s chicken pocks. I learned about semi-arid environments and ecosystems, as well as the characteristics that make it up like climate, vegetation and water availability and scarcity. I learned about the keyhole garden design which is made of bricks and is a sustainable and innovative gardening technique designed specifically for semi-arid plants. These gardens are designed to conserve water, enhance the soil’s nutrients and fertility, and increase crop yields under difficult climate conditions.

I learned about the techniques and strategies that go into urban gardening, utilizing things like container gardening, vertical gardening, and rooftop gardening. We visited some more goats and a dog that lives with them, and here we discussed more or less what goes into taking care of goats, as well as the benefits of raising them for their contributions of the 5 M’s. In many cultures, people use goats for meat since it’s lean and nutritious. The same goes for their milk seeing as there are tons of milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter products that are made frow goat’s milk rather than cow’s milk since it can be easier to digest and is also highly nutritious. Their manure serves as an excellent fertilizer that enriches the soil with the nutrients necessary to improve crop growth. Muscle refers to a goat’s surprising strength and capabilities of carrying heavy loads and things of that sort.  And of course, money refers to how profitable it can be for farmers to have goats on their farm. I thought it was quite funny because on our tour, I was told that the dog lives with the goats because he thinks he is one of them and almost serves as their protector, which I thought was so interesting and endearing. I learned about rainforest ecosystems and their unique flora and fauna, as well as the deforestation and climate change issues these ecosystems face.

B. Organizations like ECHO Farm are so important because food security is one of this world’s biggest problems. There are thousands and thousands of fathers, mothers, and children who tragically die from starvation, and even more that suffer from hunger and food insecurity. ECHO, and organizations like it, are so important because they promote sustainable living and agriculture, and they contribute to helping reduce hunger and improving food security and nutrition all over the world. They focus on natural environment conservation and sustainable resource management, as well as agroforestry, soil health and nutrition, water conservation and overall long-term sustainability and health of our planet. This organization works to find ways that can work for people with limited resources to meet their needs, and that can be done through things like education, healthcare, agriculture and food resources, clean water and accessibility to it, etc. ECHO is constantly implementing new innovative techniques that help individuals in challenged communities to generate income and generate food production and foster a sense of resilience and security. ECHO is important because it aligns its mission and values with the word and faith of God, spreading His word with every plate of food they serve and every seed they plant in its place. Organizations like this one are passionate about making a real difference in people’s lives and are especially important for securing an equitable and sustainable planet for our future generations.

C. Adaptive technology is very useful for farmers when it comes to adapting their agriculture to withstand and continue to grow throughout ever-changing environmental conditions. An example of this is vertical farming, which is essentially exactly how it sounds. This farming technique involves the process of growing crops in vertically stacked layers, typically grown in an indoor, controlled environment. It can be done in various ways, including in shipping containers, buildings, or multi-level greenhouses, where there are vertical arrangements or even towers of plants growing. This technique involves the use of hydroponics, which is essentially a system that helps the plants grow by spraying them with a nutrient-rich water solution. A lot of the time you will find crops like lettuce, kale, herbs like basil, cilantro, and mint, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and microgreens, which are young seedlings of vegetables and herbs.

D. Something I discovered at the ECHO farm that I will definitely apply to my own life would be the knowledge I gained about the Moringa plant and Neem tree. This is because I have tried all different types of products and antibiotics and medications to try and help with all kinds of things, from acne to better digestion. And learning that I can get all the health benefits my body needs by supplementing these plants into my daily life, whether it be by using it to cook or putting it on my face as moisturizer, can help me tremendously. Not only are these plants natural and the best thing to be put in and on your body, but it is also the most cost-effective considering it grows out of the ground, and I can buy some at the ECHO farm for a decent price, which is not expensive at all in my opinion. As a girl, I am always looking for products that will improve my skin, and make my hair grow healthier, and replenish the vitamins and nutrients that I may or may not be getting enough of in my diet. And to find out that I can get all of those benefits in one little plant for a cheap price is a very valuable piece of information for me, and I will be using this to my advantage.

3. Food Imprint