farming

The return of the water buffalo

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:16:43 +0200

Suphanburi, Thailand. Posted on Flickr by "Poulet".

The world's scaling petrol prices and deepening financial woes have left no stone unturned. Even in the corners of Southeast Asia, where water buffaloes are grudgingly being brought back from retirement...

The rantings of an angry white farmer

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:39:39 +0200

Ben Freeth after the attack. Image from Justice for Agriculture (JAG).

While Mugabe's thugs continue to terrorise Zimbabwe, the abduction and brutal beating of a white farmer has reignited another of the country's long-standing polemics - what to do with the country's wealthy white settlers.

After talking to the press about conditions in the run-up to the election, Ben Freeth, along with his elderly parents-in-law, was kidnapped from his farm in south-east Harare by around 20 militias on Sunday evening (29 June). The three were then taken to a "political camp" where they were beaten and intimidated by around 50 of Mugabe's clan, Freeth said. He is currently undergoing surgery for head injuries.

Attacks on white farmers in Zimbabwe have been commonplace since Mugabe's instruction to redistribute land in 2000. But during the recent wave of violence that swept the country in the run up to the run-off last Friday, a growing number of settlers have been targeted.

John Worsley-Worswick

John Worsley-Worswick — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:13:20 +0200

Nom

Worsley-Worswick

Prénom

John

Blog ou Site web

Justice for Agriculture on Kubatana.net

Centres d'intérêts

Date de naissance

Description

I'm white Zimbabwean farmer whose land was taken under Mugabe’s violent land reform scheme instigated at the start of the millenium. I now head Justice for Agriculture, which aims to promote equality and peace in farming. The organisation has been citing violent acts under the land reform process since 2000.

My grandfather moved here in 1908. I bought my land from the government in 1987 after growing up on a family farm and working as a farmer my whole life. I had 700 hectares of land where there were 80 families living and working. We cultivated maize, cattle and tobacco. In 2000 they closed me down and in 2002 they kicked me out

langue

English

Profession

Farmer

Munyoro X

Munyoro — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:37:07 +0200

Nom

Prénom

Munyoro

Blog ou Site web

Centres d'intérêts

Date de naissance

Description

Munyoro is a farmer from the outskirts of Bulawayo. He prefers to remain anonymous.

langue

English

Profession

Farmer

A users’ guide to making cocaine

Julien — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:56:33 +0200

If you're trekking across the Colombian mountains we'd strongly recommend a visit to a "lab" - or a shed - where for a few pesos, farmers will tell you how to make cocaine.

Sandra Miller

Sandra Miller — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:40:02 +0200

Nom

Miller

Prénom

Sandra

Blog ou Site web

Life at Painted Hand Farm

Centres d'intérêts

Date de naissance

Description

Sandra Kay Miller is the owner of Painted Hand Farm, a grass-based sustainable farm raising cows, goats, poultry and produce using sustainable agricultural practices in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. She is active in a number of agricultural organizations and an avid proponent of farmers markets. Sandra is a freelance writer covering a variety of topics including technology, food, agriculture and women's issues.

langue

English

Profession

Farmer

Cristina Kirchner versus the pots and pans

Julien — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:21:41 +0200

Bang your pan at Evita!

"I banged my pan at Evita [reference to Eva Peron - allusion to Cristina Kirchner] ...and it felt good!"

Argentinean farmers are objecting to president Cristina Kirchner over tax increases on agricultural exports and her apparent intention to create a rift between the poor and the farmers. After three weeks of severe strikes, which have left the country paralysed, the workers have agreed to start negotiations.

Argentinean farmers are going back to work. The pan banging, road blocks and food shortages are over. And within a month, crop produce will be back on the shelves, giving Kirchner enough time to show her goodwill in negotiations. There's a lot of pressure on the government. The past three weeks have left a country that boasts "the best meat in the world", without any meat at all, never mind fresh produce.

Heckles started in the "campo" (countryside) shortly after Kirchner's government announced a tax increase on the export of soy products - a measure hoped to help curb inflation created by the hike in the price of raw materials on the international market.

Many Argentineans are now branding Kirchner's politics as "populist" because she's pitting the working classes against the farmers, who are presented as privileged, in the dispute. The president is accused of playing on fears created by the food shortages. "You can't be with the people and cut off their food supply" she said when the protests began.