Farmer Dan's Answers
My sister and her family recently moved to Nairobi. I am wondering what type of rural produce they might see in their markets/stores and would like to know more about the larger obstacles that farmers face in Nairobi?
My wife and I are beginning to consider full-time missions in sustainable agriculture, but we are not sure where or how to begin. I have a Masters degree in Sustainable Systems that includes a strong background in the theory of sustainable agriculture, but little actual experience. We are most seriously considering work in Africa, perhaps Sudan or Swaziland.
Our small Mennonite church is in a mega city—London, U.K. Our home group is studying the Simply in Season study guide. Many of us buy organic produce whenever possible but ask whether this is a benefit of being in a financial bracket where we can afford to do this. People with low income in this city have little access to grow their own food and the cheaper produce in stores is mass produced non-organic food.
We have been reading a lot about the global food shortage which is happening right now. Particularly, we are hearing about the shortage of rice and high prices for rice. As North Americans, would you suggest that we continue to buy imported rice or buy only locally grown rice?
I am studying sustainable agriculture at a university. When I graduate I would like to join up with a group like MCC and help all those hungry farmers. I have been trying to decide between studying crop science or soil science. I am not sure what would be the most helpful.
I've heard that 80 percent of the food grown in Africa is grown by women and that they get very little of the agricultural extension services. Is that true?
According to an MCC brochure, $38 will feed a family of five in Bangladesh for a month. I am part of a family of five, and thought it would be interesting to see if we could duplicate that experience. What would that family of five be eating all month?
What do you think about the 100-mile diet? Should more of us be trying to eat local food exclusively?
Our local elementary school has a garden that we want to develop as a way of educating kids about eating locally. Problem is, most stuff grows during the summer not the school year. Suggestions?
I've heard a lot of talk lately about the "100 mile diet," where you eat only food produced within a 100 mile radius of where you live. What impact would this have on food producers in developing nations, since they will lose the North American market?
Some people in our congregation are opposed to our church supporting hunger prevention programs which provide animals that will ultimately be killed for food.
Using fertilizer on fields in Africa
70% of those chronically hungry are farmers. What will it take to change that?
How about "fairly traded" pork as a commodity that the church promotes?
Where will agriculture be by 2020 in North America?
Can you tell us more about how our eating habits intersect with our faith?
Jeff asks: My sister and her family recently moved to Nairobi. I am wondering what type of rural produce they might see in their markets/stores and would like to know more about the larger obstacles that farmers face in Nairobi?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Jeff,
It's amazing how much variety there is in the local markets around Nairobi. At our market here in Machakos (60 kilometres southeast of Nairobi), we find mangos, watermelon, avocado, apples (grown in the highlands), citrus, passion fruit, pineapple, other tropical fruits, all the veggies and greens and most grains.
If you have a little money you can get just about anything at the market. It's all freshly picked, often by the people who are selling it. And the prices are ridiculously cheap. It breaks my farmer's heart to see prices so low.
The low food prices are part due to the grocery store phenomenon that is sweeping across Africa. Grocery stores tend not to buy produce from local farmers, preferring the uniformity, continuous supply and cheap prices that large commercial farms offer.
Many small-holder farmers here can't send their children to school or pay medical bills because they can't make ends meet in this competitive market. To make matters worse, African cities like Machakos do not have sizable middle class populations that are willing pay a little more to support local farmers.
Bad roads, inclement weather and zero government support are other obstacles to making a decent living as a farmer around here. But if you ask framers what their biggest challenge is (and I do), they talk about low prices first.
You might want to encourage your sister and her family shop at local farmer's markets and to pay the full asking price for food. This would be one way for them to support local farmers.
Farmer Dan
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Scott asks: My wife and I are beginning to consider full-time missions in sustainable agriculture, but we are not sure where or how to begin. I have a Masters degree in Sustainable Systems that includes a strong background in the theory of sustainable agriculture, but little actual experience. We are most seriously considering work in Africa, perhaps Sudan or Swaziland.
Farmer Dan's answer:
Scott,
It's great to hear that you and your wife are considering agriculture work in Africa. In the coming years African farmers will be called upon to grow a lot more food for a growing and hungry population. Sustainable agricultural practices will likely play a large role in reducing hunger on this continent.
Of course it is always better to have some practical experience before heading off on an international assignment. However, the only way you can get real experience in this field is by actually going overseas to work.
So I would suggest that you can get your practical experience overseas - on the job. A growing number of jobs overseas require more experienced workers; however, there are still quit a number of overseas placements that would be suitable for someone with your level of experience and training. As long as you are honest and forthcoming with your prospective employers about the level of experience you have, you should be fine.
It just so happens that I was having dinner the other night with several young MCC agricultural workers here in Africa. I asked them what advice they would give you. Here are their responses:
- Learn more about agricultural training courses offered by ECHO, Echo (Educational Concerns for Hunger) is a Christian organization located on a demonstrated farm in Florida that provides practical pre-departure training and field support to agricultural missionaries.
- Talk to past and present professors about your overseas plans. Professors often support student overseas work by providing guidance both before you go and also during your overseas assignment.
- Bring your own technical books when you go. Good technical books are often hard to find overseas.
- Maintain access to on-line academic data bases in your field.
- Be prepared to network with other organizations (local and international) and other agricultural workers.
- Keep asking questions. Be prepared to feel dumb.
Farmer Dan
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Kathy asks: Our small Mennonite church is in a mega city—London, U.K. Our home group is studying the Simply in Season study guide. Many of us buy organic produce whenever possible but ask whether this is a benefit of being in a financial bracket where we can afford to do this. People with low income in this city have little access to grow their own food and the cheaper produce in stores is mass produced non-organic food.
Farmer Dan's answer:
Kathy,
If you use the same affordability argument on other ethically driven purchase decisions, then your group members would stop buying fair trade items as well (assuming they purchase fair trade already).
I understand the desire to not be associated with elitist products, but if enough people purchased fair trade and organic items, the prices should eventually be on par with conventionally supplied and grown food. Of course we are a long way from that eventuality, but I think it makes sense for your group members to part of the movement that is driving the growth of more socially and environmentally just food systems. I would recommend that you continue to purchase organic.
I'm not sure what to say about lower income people not being able to afford organic food. On our farm in Canada we make organic food available to lower income people by inviting them to work on the farm in exchange for veggies (transportation is provided by an inner-city social agency). This actually works reasonably well.
The "good food club" members who come to the farm also bring food into their neighbourhood to sell at affordable prices. I know this type of solution is very context specific and requires a willing farmer. Do you know any organic farmers close to London who may be interested in something like this? Otherwise I am short on answers. Maybe someone out there can offer a solution.
Farmer Dan
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Jonathan and Rachel asks: We have been reading a lot about the global food shortage which is happening right now. Particularly, we are hearing about the shortage of rice and high prices for rice. As North Americans, would you suggest that we continue to buy imported rice or buy only locally grown rice?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Jonathan and Rachel,
This is a very apt question. I'll say right away that I have no silver bullet solutions for you. The reasons for the global food crisis are so varied and complex that it would be wrong to suggest that a single consumer action would necessarily be part of the solution.
Boycotting imported rice may have short term negative impacts on overseas farmers, but positive impacts in the long run. That would be my educated guess, but I am simply not sure enough to make that into a definitive claim.
That said, I do believe there are some general principles that all of us can follow in our attempt to positively influence the situation. MCC has just signed on to a campaign that is calling for certain consumer actions in response to climate change. It's called the "cool foods pledge" (see link on mcc.org/food). If you follow this pledge you would cut down on purchasing imported food in general, including rice.
A growing number of food system experts are saying that shorter food supply chains (food localism) may be one of the long term solutions to the current food crisis. The "food sovereignty" movement (www.foodsovereignty.org/new) has been saying this for several years. These claims are disputed by some economists, however.
Farmer Dan
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Anna asks: I am studying sustainable agriculture at a university. When I graduate I would like to join up with a group like MCC and help all those hungry farmers. I have been trying to decide between studying crop science or soil science. I am not sure what would be the most helpful.
Farmer Dan's answer:
Anna,
I remember asking myself the same questions almost 25 years ago. Like you, I was studying agriculture and had dreams of working with farmers overseas. Eventually I chose crop science, not because I thought it would be more useful in the development sector, but because I love working with plants. I followed my heart and have no regrets.
Farmers in the developing world deserve development workers who are both skilled and passionate. Study what you are most passionate about. I believe there is an equal need for both crop and soil scientists, so you can't go wrong.
I will add that development is ultimately about people, not plants or soil. Skills in these technical areas can be incredibly useful in the development process, but they are essentially useless if they don't come with strong people skills. Development professionals are, as South African author Alan Kaplin puts it, "Artists of the Invisible". We work with relationships to cause positive change. Consider taking courses and making life decisions that will help you develop strong people skills, as you dig in the earth or plant a seed.
Farmer Dan
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Karl asks: I've heard that 80 percent of the food grown in Africa is grown by women and that they get very little of the agricultural extension services. Is that true?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Karl,
Indeed, the reality in Africa (and most of the rest of the world) is that farmers are generally women. In many African countries the percentage is actually higher than 80 percent. Although women often do much of the work, their husbands usually play a significant role in decision-making. Just today I was visiting a farmer here in Kenya. She clearly does the field work but said her husband makes the major decisions. So it’s import to target women in a manner that will also involve husbands.
My observation is that most farm extension services are aimed at men -- as you suggest. This has to change. Targeting a woman’s farming needs in a way that does not alienate the husband, is key. For example, here in Kenya MCC works in partnership with an organization that seeks to empower women by providing income-earning fruit trees. Traditionally, fruit trees are tended by women and lumber trees by men. So the local organization supplies and promotes both types of trees to ensure that everyone feels included. It's this type of consideration that is very important when providing any kind of service to women farmers.
Increasing a farm woman's income-earning potential is generally the best way to support her. Many MCC projects around the world aim to do just that. Examples include road construction in southern Ethiopia to improve farmer's access to markets and a campaign in Haiti that promotes consumption of local produce (cheap imported rice is a real problem for farmers in Haiti).
Farmer Dan
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Jan asks: According to an MCC brochure, $38 will feed a family of five in Bangladesh for a month. I am part of a family of five, and thought it would be interesting to see if we could duplicate that experience. What would that family of five be eating all month?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Jan,
What a great idea! I've been in Bangladesh and remember eating a lot of rice along with legumes like lentils, peas and beans. Most veggies are acquired from kitchen gardens or at the market. Food prices are probably lower than in industrial countries and the $38 price in the brochure is most likely based on the wholesale price that MCC's local partner gets for their relief work. Assuming you're from the U.S. or Canada, my guess is that this "fast" will be virtually impossible.
That said, I think it would be a great educational experience for your family to try to limit your grocery bill to $38 per month. Or maybe you could see how far into a month you can get on $38.
I like this kind of experiential food activity because it’s educational and helps participants be more mindful of people who deal with hunger and poverty every day. Who knows what great insight your family may come up with as a result of your fast. Go for it! And let me know how things turn out.
All the best.
Farmer Dan
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Angela asks: What do you think about the 100-mile diet? Should more of us be trying to eat local food exclusively?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Angela,
Sorry for not responding sooner. You caught me just as I was transitioning from Canada to Africa.
If you check the Ask Farmer Dan page you will note that I answered a question very similar to yours. I would add that I don't think buying food locally is the answer for everything. Cheese is a great example of a food that gets most of it's imbedded carbon (a measure of the amount of energy used to produce something) during the production process, not in transport to market. Buying organic cheese from 2,000 miles away has less imbedded carbon than local cheese produced conventionally. From a carbon perspective, food localism doesn't always make sense.
My near-term hope is to create a simple chart for average people to find out how much imbedded carbon is in many of the foods they eat. Watch for this at mcc.org/food. I'd encourage you to search the web for similar charts that may already be available. Please let me know if you find one (My web access is very slow here in Eastern Kenya).
My long term hope is that most foods will be labeled with imbedded carbon amounts. This is already done in the UK.
Thanks for the question.
Farmer Dan
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Marla asks: Our local elementary school has a garden that we want to develop as a way of educating kids about eating locally. Problem is, most stuff grows during the summer not the school year. Suggestions?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Marla,
It’s wonderful to hear that you’re educating young people in this way. What a great way to educate and inspire the next generation about the benefits of a more localized food system.
I spent three years in Africa working with teachers doing essentially what your elementary school is planning. Something my African friends did to extend their season was to keep small animals like rabbits and chickens on the school grounds. My guess is this isn’t an option in your case.
There is actually a lot you can do from September through to January or February with vegetables. Depending on your growing season, many vegetable crops can stay in the garden until late fall. These include carrots, beets, turnips, spinach, potatoes, kale, broccoli, cabbage and others. Plant the non-root crops late in the summer for fall harvests.
After a late fall harvest you can get the students involved in the storage and preservation of crops. Maybe someone nearby has a root cellar they would let you use. Or maybe you could improvise a root cellar on the school grounds. This would be a great educational tool. There is a lot of information about root cellars on the internet.
Crops like pumpkins and squash can be stored at room temperature. Store these in the classroom and in the winter send the students home with an assignment to get the cooks in the family to use them in a meal.
There are also opportunities in the spring. In most climates you can start fast-growing spring crops like lettuce, spinach and radishes for harvest in late May or June. You could also start longer-season crops in spring for harvest in the fall for the next group of students. This would provide students with a lesson on sharing and patience.
Happy growing.
Farmer Dan
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Jennifer asks: I've heard a lot of talk lately about the "100 mile diet," where you eat only food produced within a 100 mile radius of where you live. What impact would this have on food producers in developing nations, since they will lose the North American market?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Jennifer,
It’s true that farmers overseas would lose export markets if enough people decided to eat more local food. The important question is: Would the net effect be negative for small scale farmers?
There is a growing global movement of farmers and activists who believe that part of the solution to rural poverty includes giving farmers more control over every aspect of their livelihood, including their markets. One of the tenets of the Food Sovereignty Movement (as it’s called) is that local markets are generally more beneficial for small scale farmers than export markets. Google “Food Sovereignty” to find out more.
I think the net effect of the global food system is negative for most small-scale farmers. Opting out of that system by purchasing local food is a faithful response to the Christian injunction to seek justice as long as we also support farmers overseas by purchasing fair trade imported food.
Farmer Dan
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Libby asks: Some people in our congregation are opposed to our church supporting hunger prevention programs which provide animals that will ultimately be killed for food. They argue that humans should be vegetarian in order to be in harmony with God's creation. How do you think recipients of hunger prevention aid would respond?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Libby,
Many communities in developing countries depend on the killing of animals to survive, partly because there are no other sources of protein. Eating meat is also an integral part of many cultures. People in these communities (Christian and otherwise) would have great difficulty accepting vegetarianism as a religious act.
Your question reminds me of an ongoing concern I have regarding the relationship between funders and people we work with overseas. In my opinion funders need to be careful not to impose their beliefs on others. The imbalance of power in this style of relationship is just too great. You often end up with people saying or doing the things the donor wants simply to keep the resources flowing, not because it makes sense or will make a positive difference in the lives of the poor.
Imagine a Christian organization withholding rice from a hungry community until that community has heard the Gospel message. Even though this isn’t the way to bring people to a genuine faith in Christ, the temptation to take advantage of the power imbalance is strong. We need to guard against it.
Given your congregation’s beliefs (which deserve respect), I would encourage them to support overseas projects that don’t involve the killing of animals. MCC has many projects that would fit into this category.
Farmer Dan
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Jeff asks: Thoughts on fertilizer . . . Recently I've read that fertilizer has been overlooked in Africa for way too long - Africa's soils are depleted. According to Jeffrey Sachs, Malawi has had great success in feeding itself by subsidizing fertilizer. It had record-breaking corn harvests in 2006 and 2007. What do you think? Should MCC be advocating increased fertilizer usage?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Jeff,
Thanks for the great question!
I think promoting the widespread use of subsidized synthetic fertilizer by African farmers is just another in a long series of one-size-fits-all, silver bullet solutions for Africa coming from organizations outside of Africa.
You ask if I think MCC should be promoting increased fertilizer use in Africa. My answer is no, but my opinion is not the one that really matters. This is really a question for African farmers.
I had an opportunity last year to travel to several African countries, including Malawi, to ask farmers what they think about the subsidized synthetic fertilizer that is available in their communities. This was not a scientific survey, but what I heard from farmers was telling.
Most farmers I talked with in Malawi said they still need at least small amounts of synthetic fertilizer to maintain yields, but they are working to wean themselves off the stuff. They don't like being dependent on outsiders and they also don't like what the fertilizer is doing to their soil. They are using agronomic technics such as crop rotations with leguminous plants like peas that build soil fertility.
In one community, farmers are meeting on a regular basis in what they call "Farmer Research Teams" with the goal of figuring out how to grow food without the use of synthetic fertilizer. These same farmers fear that the low-cost fertilizer will undermine these efforts and cause them and their neighbours to abandon their research in favour of the quick, easy and high-yielding fertilizer solution. The temptation to use the cheap fertilizer is overwhelming. They say that cheap fertilizer in a community means farm-based research on sustainable farming practices won't happen.
So what should MCC be doing in this context? I don’t think there are any easy solutions but I do think we are well-positioned to ensure that the voices of African farmer's are heard in the halls of power. MCC supporters should advocate for a made-in-Africa solution to Africa's food needs. I also think MCC should continue supporting and working with farmers in Africa as they seek better ways to feed themselves and their neighbours.
Maybe you or others have ideas as well. I’d love to hear them.
Thanks again for the great question,
Farmer Dan
Read a report on this issue from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
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Malyssa asks: I was reading the statistics posted on the website, how 70% of those chronically hungry are farmers. What will it take to change that?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Malyssa,
Thanks for this very important question.
I recently asked an Ethiopian farm leader a very similar question and his response was, ‘Put farmers first.”
He was referring to the food system that brings abundant food to your table, but ignores the needs of farmers. In recent decades companies involved in the industrial food system have been getting rich, while farmers all over the world struggle for survival.
This is made evident in the fact that only about 10 cents of every dollar spent on food in industrialized countries goes to the farmer who grew it. Just a few decades ago that amount was closer to 50 cents. Farmers’ share of your food dollar has been seriously eroded and this is literally killing some of them.
One constructive response to this situation would be to find ways of eating that ensure farmers receive fairer wags. This could include actions like buying fair trade products like coffee or chocolate at 10,000 Villages, or buying food directly from farmers at farmer’s markets.
My Ethiopian friend was also referring to the fact that the international development community has significantly reduced its spending on agriculture in the last 30 years. For some reason, working with resource poor farmers on food production issues is no longer a priority.
I believe that organizations like MCC would do well to put more resources toward farmer-focused agricultural development.
Farmer Dan
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Carol asks: In our churches we promote "fairly traded" coffee and tea...and yet we don't address whether the commodities we use from North American farmers are "fairly traded". I know wheat is at a relatively high price now, so maybe "fairly traded" bread isn't so relevant, but I know a pig farmer who is not getting a fair price for his pork. How about "fairly traded" pork as a commodity that the church promotes? Farmer Dan, what do you think?
Farmer Dan's answer:
Carol,
I applaud your church for acting in the best interest of farmers overseas by purchasing fairly traded coffee and tea. This is an excellent way to fulfill Micah's call to "seek justice" (Micah 6:8).
I also know pork farmers who are struggling these days. Some are actually close to losing their farms.
The current downturn in the volatile U.S./Canadian pork market is compounded by the fact that a farmer’s share of your food dollar has eroded considerably in the last 20 years. During that period the retail price for pork has increased by about $2.50 per pound, while farmers receive only 8 cents of that increase. This is a sad and unfair situation.
I think what you're really asking is, Do struggling Canadian and U.S. farmers deserve the kind of consideration your church affords struggling farmers in developing countries by purchasing fairly traded coffee and tea?
In industrialized countries most farmers are business people who are invested in, and a part of, the industrial food system. The system itself does not recognize farmers as anything more than cogs in a machine that is ultimately about producing money, not food. Given this information alone, some people would say that industrial farmers deserve no more consideration than any other business person. I disagree.
Lost somewhere in the industrial food system is the fact that farmers grow food -- the stuff that keeps us alive. Farmers also hold in trust much of the ecosystem that nurtures and sustains all living creatures. Without a healthy and sustainable agricultural system (from farm to plate), we’re all in trouble. And it’s for that reason that I think that market forces alone should not dictate the prices farmers get. It’s in our collective best interest to make sure farmers can earn a decent living that allows them to take good care of themselves, the land and the beasts in their charge.
In my view, our Christian imperatives to love our neighbours and to take care of creation give us no choice but to respond. But how?.
One suggestion would be for you to consider buying pork at a farmers market, or via some other direct-buying mechanism. This will ensure that more of your purchasing dollar goes to the farmer. I'm not sure this should be an official program of your church, but people in the congregation could be encouraged to buy more directly from farmers. A couple of great by-products of this would be fresher food and a stronger relationship with farmers.
More localized food systems won't fix all that ails our food system, but at least it's a faithful start.
Farmer Dan
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Neil asks: I am asking you to be a prophet. Where will agriculture be by, let us say, 2020 in North America? What are some of the trends and what will the farm look like? Primary producer, merchant, consumer. What will the cost of food be? Will we have a farm system similar to the former communist Soviet Union, except owned by multinationals? Thank-you for you thoughts.
Farmer Dan's answer:
Neil,
We are already seeing food price increases that are attributable to the increase in fossil fuels and the use of grains crops for biofuels. There is the added pressure of the growing popularity of grain-fed meat and processed foods in places like China and India. Escalating production costs, lower supply and higher demand equals higher food prices.
You make an interesting point by linking the modern corporatization of farming to Soviet-styled collectivization. In both cases decisions about the land are made by people who have no real connection with the land and power is highly concentrated. It’s not a stretch to say that by 2020 large corporate farms will be even larger and will supply most of the food for the industrial food system.
There will be very few mid-sized farms left, but we will see a significant increase in the number of smaller farms (less than 100 acres) that specialize in meeting the growing demand for locally grown food. Food localism complements the expanding organic movement and is an appealing option for people who are concerned about the social, environmental and health costs of our industrial food system. I don't think this is a fad. The mid-sized farms that survive will be growing specialized crops like seeds and organic food.
At grocery stores consumers will know more about their food because organic and fair trade labeling will by joined by a carbon footprint label (this is already happening in Europe) a “food miles” label and probably other labels as well. The internet has made it easier for consumers to pressure the food sector to provide such information. More people will be purchasing more of their food at farmers markets and through other direct-buying efforts that meet the demand for locally grown food.
Farmer Dan
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John asks: Can you tell us more about how our eating habits intersect with our faith?
Farmer Dan's answer:
John,
A couple of examples of how we are all connected in ways that are hard to imagine:
* When you choose to pay more for fair trade bananas, you’re choosing justice instead of exploitation for banana farmers.
* Our eating habits are connected to global climate change. The food system in Canada and the U.S. contribute between a third to a half of the region’s greenhouse gas emissions. Buying local food and food grown with more sustainable production practices (like organic) would reduce the carbon footprint of your food considerably. This could eventually help farmers in developing countries currently struggling with climate change in the form of droughts, floods and other extreme weather events.
* Eating less meat would free up a lot of grain to feed the world’s growing population (most meat in industrial countries is grain-fed). Up until very recently experts have been saying there is more than enough food in the world to feed everyone. This is changing and we are going to have to find ways of feeding more people with the same land base. In the not too distant future, going vegetarian could become an article of faith for Christians.
Making intentional choices in your food purchases that you believe will bring more justice to God's people, is an expression of faith.
Check out the Simply in Season cookbook.
Farmer Dan
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