Fermented Leaf Fertilizers—Principles and Preparation

Fermented leaf fertilizers (FLF) are made of anaerobically fermented plant and/or animal resources and principally used for foliar plant nutrition, as they provide a quick nutrient supply, especially of micronutrients. Their use is most common in horticultural production as a complementary measure to organic basal fertilization in the case of nutrient deficiencies. Since FLF are commonly made of farm residues, their formulation varies according to the available resources and the treated crops. The most common raw materials are cattle manure, cow milk, cane molasses, and water. Within Latin America, the production of FLF is popular with smallholders. Most of these farmers produce them on-farm using adapted plastic barrels as fermenters. Industrial production is conceivable. FLF have been successfully tested in banana, bean, broccoli, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, maize, papaya, and spinach production. This review highlights the principles of this sustainable and promising organic fertilization strategy, emphasizing the preparation of FLF

Indigenous participation in intercultural education:learning from Mexico and Tanzania

Intercultural education seeks to create a forum for integrating Western scientific knowledge and indigenous knowledge to address local and global challenges such as biocultural diversity conservation, natural resource management, and social justice for indigenous peoples. Intercultural education is based on learning together with, rather than learning about or from, indigenous communities. In the best examples, problem-based learning dissolves the dichotomy between indigenous and nonindigenous, resulting in full partnerships in which participants share expertise to meet mutual needs. With reference to literature and two illustrative examples of intercultural education initiatives in Mexico and Tanzania, we present an original conceptual framework for assessing indigenous participation in intercultural education. This incorporates a new ladder of participation depth (in relation to both curriculum content and decision making) alongside separate considerations of breadth, i.e., stakeholder diversity, and scope, i.e., the number of key project stages in which certain stakeholder groups are participating. The framework can be used to compare intercultural education initiatives in differing contexts and might be adaptable to other intercultural work

Experiencias sobre la seguridad alimentaria en Yucatán, México

Se presenta una investigación-acción-participativa, en la Zona Maya de México. Se aborda el problema del desconocimiento sobre la seguridad alimentaria (SA). Objetivo: realizar un diagnóstico sobre la SA, y plantear alternativas de solución. Se encontró que la producción de milpa y huerto familiar, tiene: insuficiente infraestructura; problemas en los cultivos; falta de agua, caminos, transporte, asistencia técnica, recursos económicos y mercados alternativos; y problemas de consumo seguro de alimentos. Se encontró una biodiversidad agrícola de 50 especies; producción de bovinos y aves; poco excedente para venta. Los huertos familiares complementan su dieta; el estado proporciona apoyos insuficientes, y se ayudan con remesas que envían sus familiares desde Estados Unidos. La dieta del "buen comer" es variable en las comunidades. Se analiza la información con los ejes alimentarios: disponibilidad, accesibilidad, consumo y utilización de alimentos; y se proponen las alternativas.Participatory Action Research in the Mexican Mayan Zone is presented. The problem of lack of food security (SA) is tackled. Objective: to make a diagnosis of the SA, and suggest alternative solutions. It was found that the production of cornfield and homegarden, is: poor in infrastructure, with problems in their crops; and they have lack of water, roads, transportation, technical assistance, financial resources and alternative markets; and they also have problems of safe consumption of food. Agricultural biodiversity of 50 species were found; and production of cattle and poultry; they have little surplus for sale. Homegardens supplement their diet; the government provides insufficient support, and they complement their economy with the remittances of their relatives sent from the United States. The diet of "good eating" is variable in communities. The information is analyzed with food axes of availability, accessibility, consumption and utilization of food. Alternatives are proposed.Eje A6: Desarrollo Rural, Movimientos Sociales, Estado y AgroecologíaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Experiencias sobre la seguridad alimentaria en Yucatán, México

Se presenta una investigación-acción-participativa, en la Zona Maya de México. Se aborda el problema del desconocimiento sobre la seguridad alimentaria (SA). Objetivo: realizar un diagnóstico sobre la SA, y plantear alternativas de solución. Se encontró que la producción de milpa y huerto familiar, tiene: insuficiente infraestructura; problemas en los cultivos; falta de agua, caminos, transporte, asistencia técnica, recursos económicos y mercados alternativos; y problemas de consumo seguro de alimentos. Se encontró una biodiversidad agrícola de 50 especies; producción de bovinos y aves; poco excedente para venta. Los huertos familiares complementan su dieta; el estado proporciona apoyos insuficientes, y se ayudan con remesas que envían sus familiares desde Estados Unidos. La dieta del "buen comer" es variable en las comunidades. Se analiza la información con los ejes alimentarios: disponibilidad, accesibilidad, consumo y utilización de alimentos; y se proponen las alternativas.Participatory Action Research in the Mexican Mayan Zone is presented. The problem of lack of food security (SA) is tackled. Objective: to make a diagnosis of the SA, and suggest alternative solutions. It was found that the production of cornfield and homegarden, is: poor in infrastructure, with problems in their crops; and they have lack of water, roads, transportation, technical assistance, financial resources and alternative markets; and they also have problems of safe consumption of food. Agricultural biodiversity of 50 species were found; and production of cattle and poultry; they have little surplus for sale. Homegardens supplement their diet; the government provides insufficient support, and they complement their economy with the remittances of their relatives sent from the United States. The diet of "good eating" is variable in communities. The information is analyzed with food axes of availability, accessibility, consumption and utilization of food. Alternatives are proposed.Eje A6: Desarrollo Rural, Movimientos Sociales, Estado y AgroecologíaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: RESEARCH IN AN INTERCULTURAL CONTEXT

Although there are various well argued definitions about what sustainable development means, there is a lack ofinformation about its meaning in the particular context of anintercultural university. Generally, sustainability is a goal which could never be obtained completely; sustainability is an ideal while sustainable development means all concrete humans attempts to obtain such goal. There is a direct link between human needs and sustainable development. Therefore, the popular concept of describing sustainable development as an absolutely valid objective for everybody is an illusion. It is based on the failed idea that humanity counts with universal needs. However, this is only correct for the most basic human needs. Except of these basic requirements, there is huge amplitude of very diverse human needs, especially in socio-economic and socio-cultural belongings. The more populated the community to be evaluated is, the more difficult becomes to determine common interests and therefore the more representative evaluation becomes. In other words, sustainable development must be seen as a subjective process – always depending on the persons defining their own needs. This is a factor which definitely complicates measuring; on the other hand it forces researches to take position: they have to declare which subjects have the privilege to determine such needs. In the case of the intercultural universities, the selection of the determinants of sustainable development requires a profound knowledge of the rural communities which usually - in an occidental point of view - do not show huge social-economic variety, but well count with a diverse spectrum of nuances within their habitants, especially valid for political and socio-cultural aspects. This is why it is necessary to establish well developed links between researchers and the population of these small rural communities – a process which requires an ambient of reliance resulting from deep interaction between researchers and local people. Therefore, in this context the only way to realize investigation is participatory research. The academic individual involved in this process has all the right to be exigent selecting the adequate community. Anyhow, this requires a well argued choice neglecting the researcher´s own interests. The academic should be becoming a tool of the rural population´s interests

Desarrollo sostenible: la investigación en un contexto intercultural

Although there are various well argued definitions about what sustainable development means, there is a lack of information about its meaning in the particular context of an intercultural university. Generally, sustainability is a goal which could never be obtained completely; sustainability is an ideal while sustainable development means all concrete humans attempts to obtain such goal. There is a direct link between human needs and sustainable development. Therefore, the popular concept of describing sustainable development as an absolutely valid objective for everybody is an illusion. It is based on the failed idea that humanity counts with universal needs. However, this is only correct for the most basic human needs. Except of these basic requirements, there is huge amplitude of very diverse human needs, especially in socio-economic and socio-cultural belongings. The more populated the community to be evaluated is, the more difficult becomes to determine common interests and therefore the more representative evaluation becomes. In other words, sustainable development must be seen as a subjective process � always depending on the persons defining their own needs. This is a factor which definitely complicates measuring; on the other hand it forces researches to take position: they have to declare which subjects have the privilege to determine such needs. In the case of the intercultural universities, the selection of the determinants of sustainable development requires a profound knowledge of the rural communities which usually - in an occidental point of view - do not show huge social-economic variety, but well count with a diverse spectrum of nuances within their habitants, especially valid for political and socio-cultural aspects. This is why it is necessary to establish well developed links between researchers and the population of these small rural communities � a process which requires an ambient of reliance resulting from deep interaction between researchers and local people. Therefore, in this context the only way to realize investigation is participatory research. The academic individual involved in this process has all the right to be exigent selecting the adequate community. Anyhow, this requires a well argued choice neglecting the researcher´s own interests. The academic should be becoming a tool of the rural population´s interests.Aunque existen varias definiciones bien argumentadas de desarrollo sostenible, resulta necesario precisar este concepto para el contexto particular de una universidad intercultural. Generalmente, sostenibilidad es una meta que nunca puede ser alcanzada completamente; es solamente un ideal. Desarrollo sostenible son todos los intentos humanos concretos de acercarse a esta meta. Existe una vinculación directa entre necesidades humanas y desarrollo sostenible. Por ello, el popular concepto de percibir al desarrollo sostenible como un ímpetu objetivamente válido para todo el mundo es una ilusión. Está basado en la equivocada idea que la humanidad tiene necesidades generales en común, lo que sólo es correcto para las necesidades más sencillas. Aparte de estas necesidades básicas, se demuestra una gran amplitud de necesidades diversas sobre todo en los ámbitos socio-económicos y socio-culturales. Mientras más grande que sea la comunidad que evalúa el desarrollo sostenible más difícil será el intento de definir intereses comunes pero más representativa sea esta evaluación. En otras palabras, desarrollo sostenible es algo subjetivo, siempre dependiendo de quiénes definan sus necesidades. Eso complica su evaluación pero es positivo porque obliga a los investigadores a tomar partido quiénes realmente deben ser los sujetos que determinan dichas necesidades. En el caso de las universidades interculturales, la selección de los determinantes del desarrollo sostenible requiere un conocimiento profundo de las comunidades en consideración mismas que, aunque usualmente no demuestren gran variedad socio-económica desde un punto de vista economista occidental, sí cuentan con un amplio espectro de matices entre sus integrantes � eso sobre todo en aspectos políticos y socio-culturales. Resulta necesario un buen vínculo entre los investigadores y la población de estas comunidades el que sólo es posible en un ambiente de confianza como resultado de un proceso amplio de interacción. La manera de realizar proyectos de investigación en este contexto sólo puede ser a través de la investigación participativa. El académico involucrado en este proceso tiene todo el derecho de ser exigente en la selección de la comunidad adecuada, pero con la condición que en el proceso investigativo tiene que retirar sus propios intereses y convertirse en herramienta de los intereses de las personas y la comunidad seleccionadas

Indigenous participation in intercultural education: learning from Mexico and Tanzania. Ecology and Society

ABSTRACT. Intercultural education seeks to create a forum for integrating Western scientific knowledge and indigenous knowledge to address local and global challenges such as biocultural diversity conservation, natural resource management, and social justice for indigenous peoples. Intercultural education is based on learning together with, rather than learning about or from, indigenous communities. In the best examples, problem-based learning dissolves the dichotomy between indigenous and nonindigenous, resulting in full partnerships in which participants share expertise to meet mutual needs. With reference to literature and two illustrative examples of intercultural education initiatives in Mexico and Tanzania, we present an original conceptual framework for assessing indigenous participation in intercultural education. This incorporates a new ladder of participation depth (in relation to both curriculum content and decision making) alongside separate considerations of breadth, i.e., stakeholder diversity, and scope, i.e., the number of key project stages in which certain stakeholder groups are participating. The framework can be used to compare intercultural education initiatives in differing contexts and might be adaptable to other intercultural work