Hello, Madison Folk!

         Three Saturdays ago (My! How time has flown!), after a wonderful morning getting support from people for the GROW Campaign at the Dane County Farmers Market with Elise, I left for a short study abroad trip to the CIMMYT research station near Texcoco, Mexico. CIMMYT is best known for the development of a high yielding variety of short wheat by its former leader, the late Norman Borlaug, which sparked the Green Revolution around the world. Today CIMMYT is a nonprofit research and education center than works to produce better yielding and more nutritious varieties of wheat and maize that are specific to the conditions that small farmers must overcome. They also do a lot of education of local farmers on how to farm more effectively and sustainably.

         What stuck out most to me about CIMMYT was how client-focused they are. Part of their mission is to empower and work with the typically impoverished farmers they serve, rather than trying to force their own ideals on them. Locals were seen as a source of knowledge and ideas (and often employed), rather than just a needy population that needs rescuing. This matches Oxfam’s mission in regards to the work they do abroad.

         Many hopeful and inspiring conversations were had during my time in Mexico. One of which was an older farmer’s response when I asked him if he used the conservation agriculture practices that CIMMYT was promoting. He replied that he did not, and when prodded further, he revealed that he didn’t do these vital practices that could increase yield and protect soil because he “didn’t know how”. He didn’t have access to the knowledge and technical support needed to improve his methods, at least until recently. It was encouraging and a little eye opening to hear first hand that the work many organizations are doing worldwide is so vital. Here in the US we often take the wealth of knowledge available at our fingertips for granted and tend to underutilize it. Organizations like Oxfam and CIMMYT are tremendously important because they empower people to be able to help themselves. 

         In Madison news, don’t forget to email us by Friday if you would like to make a difference here at home by volunteering with us this Saturday, September 8, at Second Harvest Food Bank here in Madison from 12-2. It’s sure to be a blast.

         More to come soon! Oxfam is going to the Growing Power Conference in Milwaukee this weekend, so we'll let you know what cool things we learn!