Grassroots Africa knowledge service launched by a TAAI member

One of our members, Benny Dembitzer has launched new service GrassrootsAfrica. Several TAAI members have already joined in a voluntary capacity. Theaim is to provide a pool of advice and relevant practice to farmers insub-Saharan Africa. For those of us inBritain who are used to the BBC GARDENERS’ QUESTION TIME, the formula willsound familiar. Farmers will ask questions of everyday relevance to theirfarming practices and they will be provided with practical suggestions on howto cope. Of course, in sub-Saharan Africa things are not quite as simple, thereare serious barriers; language, distance, technology, to name but three.Therefore, for the time being, the service is being delivered in English,through intermediaries and via the internet. Grassroots currently has 35practitioners covering a wide range of topics (crops, water, organic fertilisers,seeds preservation etc). Also registered groups of intermediaries (mainlycooperatives and self-help help groups), who have a total membership base ofsome 120,000 farmers. If you or your friends are interested in helping, pleaselet Grassroots know. They want to create a critical mass that will help provide knowledgeand therefore power to the weakest of all, the marginal small-holder.3.4.14