One can combat desertification and alleviate poverty in many different ways. My latest initiative in this field is to collect and recuperate seeds of vegetables and fruits, in order to send these cheap, but extremely valuable “sources of life” to development projects, where people living in difficult circumstances, have only limited ways and means to grow fresh food and fruit trees themselves. Seeds, normally landing in our garbage bins, can make them less dependent on exterior help.
To send seeds to them, also means “to send new life”, for every viable seed contains a living embryo, able to improve people’s life by delivering important vitamins and mineral elements, particularly in drought and desertification affected regions.
My “SEEDS FOR FOOD” action was launched in August 2007 (see
http://www.seedsforfood.org
and
http://zadenvoorleven.wordpress.com
where more details can be found on the English page “Seeds for Food“).
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In Joanna CRUDDAS’ article “SEEDS OF HOPE”, published in THE FINANCIAL TIMES
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/524beb96-6997-11dd-91bd-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1
support for my initiative was recommended. This is a significant step forward towards worldwide solidarity between people in developed countries and those in desertified, developing rural and urban areas. My sincere acknowledgement is going to The Financial Times and to Mrs. CRUDDAS for this most appreciated contribution to our good cause.
The message in the Financial Times was clearly understood by Anthony PUGH-THOMAS, Chairman of the Somerset Gardens Trust, who sends the following message :
“The interesting article in yesterday’s FT about allotments has prompted me to propose flagging both the Saving Seeds Project and the Allotments in Siberia project in one of our newsletters – but can you tell me a little more about these projects and do they have a website to which I could refer our members. A mention in the newsletter may not bring forward a large response but I thought that in both cases members might be encouraged to offer seed.
A Pugh-Thomas. Chairman. Somerset Gardens Trust.”
I convey my sincere thanks to Mr. Anthony PUGH-THOMAS for his interest in our seeds project and his promise to flag it in the Trust’s Newsletter. It goes without saying that publication in a newsletter will convince a number of people of the high value of this idea to “use seeds to bring life”.
More details on this action are posted on my blog
with a number of contributions in Dutch language, but also with different contributions on the English page : Seeds for Food.
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Please pass the good message to all your friends: dry seeds of vegetables and fruits are welcome at my personal address :
Prof. Dr. Willem VAN COTTHEM
Seeds for Food
Beeweg 36
B 9080 ZAFFELARE
Belgium
