Preparing for a Biochar Study

Biochar is basically charcoal used as a soil amendment.  It is promoted as a means of improving soil and as an approach for sequestering carbon to help mitigate climate change.  

During the October 2011 ECHO Asia Agriculture and Community Development Conference, Dr. Karl Frogner introduced the concept of biochar and demonstrated how char can be produced from bamboo (see Dec 7, 2011 blog http://sustainabilityquest.blogspot.com/2011/12/echo-asia-biochar-trial.html).  Prior to that, in an ECHO Asia Notes article, Biochar: An Organic House for Microbes, Bryan Hugill described the role of biochar for both agriculture and carbon sequestration.

In May, Dr. Abram Bicksler, a faculty member of the Chiang Mai-based ISDSI (http://www.isdsi.org/) and research advisor for ECHO Asia, began setting up a planned biochar trial to be implemented at the ECHO Asia Seed Bank.  Finely ground bamboo char was mixed with ground  up, composted cow manure and set aside for a three-month long period.  During this time the bamboo char is expected to absorb nutrients and microbes from the manure.  Around September, the biochar/manure mixture will be established in select plant beds so as to monitor and compare the crop performance and soil properties of beds receiving biochar and those receiving only char or cow manure.

As with other ECHO Asia trials, we will be sharing results from this biochar study.

Moringa Variety Trial at the ECHO Asia Seed Bank

Due to moringa's impressive nutritional benefits as well as the water-purifying abilities of its seed, there is no shortage of interest in this crop.  ECHO distributes huge amounts of moringa seed each year.  However, there is still a shortage of information regarding the regional availability and suitability of moringa lines, whether those that have been selectively bred, such as PKM 1 and PKM 2, or landraces (local/traditional varieties developed mostly by local processes).

The ECHO Asia Seed Bank is pleased to host a moringa variety trial being conducted by Dr. Ricky Bates, Associate Professor of Horticulture at Penn State University.  In late May, Dr. Bates and members of the ECHO Asia team established seedlings from 20 lines of moringa.  From these selections, he hopes to select varieties that grow and perform particularly well in the sub-humid, tropical climate of northern Thailand.  We look forward to sharing results in the coming months and years.

Last Day of Training in Yangon by Ruth Tshin

Sack garden demonstration

We concluded the last day of our seed saving training in Yangon on Friday.  Covering topics of how to store seeds, the importance of germination, and information management, we continued discussions with MBC staff and farmers about linkages between seed saving and sustainable thinking.  Kimberly shared findings from her year-long study of managing pests in stored seeds and I put on my plant biology hat to talk about seeds as living potential and various ways to test seed quality through germination and planting out in soil.  Attendees continued to share their methods for saving and testing seeds with the group.

There is a hunger for practical, income-generating techniques here in Myanmar and we're privileged to be working with MBC as they continue to promote sustainable approaches with their farmers.  

One of our attendees stores onion seeds by letting a candle extinguish inside a closed container to create a light vacuum.

Another Day of Seed Saving Training by Ruth Tshin

Taking notes during our lively discussion

Putting seeds on the screen to dry after cleaning

Today we had more lively discussions as workshop attendees talked about economic barriers to sustainable practices in their communities. Kim taught the difference between annual and perennial plants, the effects of day-length on growth and details of pollination.  In the afternoon, I led a discussion about cleaning and drying seeds before our whole group pitched in to clean seeds from local tomatoes, pumpkin, ivy gourd and wax gourd.   So far, we've collected up to 15 varieties of seed to plant out at the seedbank, including  corn, bean, and pumpkin from Kayah State, and red sesbania from the Irrawaddy Delta area.

Kimberly teaching about day length and pollination

All hands on deck for the seed cleaning demonstration

Seed Saving Training with Myanmar Baptist Convention

By Ruth Tshin, Volunteer ECHO Asia Consultant

Ruth and ECHO Asia intern, Kimberly Duncan, are currently in Yangon, Myanmar conducting a workshop on seed saving.

Burmese farmers are heavily dependent on chemicals to meet market demands and there is little knowledge of chemical-free food production.

Celebrating 200 years in 2013, Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) has over 2 million members from 18 different language groups throughout the country.  The Christian Social Service and Development Department (CSSDD) functions like a development organization for its members, many of whom are farmers struggling to maintain their livelihoods amidst high chemical and hybrid seed costs.  As Burma continues to open up to the global market and respond to pressure from China, MBC's farmers need innovative methods to supplement their income.

In their efforts to continue developing their staff and members' understanding of sustainable farming practices, MBC graciously invited ECHO Asia to teach seed saving techniques at their headquarters in Yangon this week.  Today, we (Ruth Tshin and Kimberly Duncan) started off a 3 day training session listening to the challenges experienced in their communities.  16 men and 2 women from 5 areas of Myanmar, representing Pwo Karen, Sgaw Karen, Asho Chin, Southern Shan and Mon conventions, were in attendance.  We shared our successes producing open-pollinated seeds using natural methods, as well as lessons learned from our failures from the past 3 years.  Between bouts of power outages, we had lively conversation about local vegetables and seed prices, and ended the first day by distributing seeds from our seedbank.

One of the Karen CSSDD staff talks about challenges in his area

Talking about plants after we gave out our seeds

At the ECHO Asia Seed Bank, various types of seed are at the end of
the production cycle, being cleaned and dried prior to packing and
storage. Such seed currently includes jack bean, sword bean,velvet bean, chickpea and grain amaranth.

Sword Bean

Velvet Bean

Chickpea

Grain Amaranth

Jack Bean

Permanent Raised Plant Beds Under Construction

The finest looking people at the ECHO Asia Seed Bank were chosen to
show off the permanent raised plant beds under construction in the
"Cambodia" plot (our production plots are named for various Asia
countries). Left to right: Abram, Kimberly, Lue, Faith, Jen, Wah,
Ruth, Marcia, Ricky and Asaeng.