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Introduction - The Fundacion's Story
Of Bats and Ectoparasites
Learning to Preserve

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LEARNING TO PRESERVE (Continuation)
by Juanita Thigpen


"It is important not to break the coverage because the soil is very fragile in this area," says Canete.

To address these issues, the foundation helped area farmers establish agricultural committees, which have grown from two to 18 in the last eight years. FMB meets regularly with these committees and shares information with them about sustainable farming techniques. For example, FMB technicians have convinced farmers to plant yerba mate, a cash crop that can be grown in the forest. They've also encouraged farmers to plant trees along riverine areas and windbreakers to prevent sedimentation and erosion. Farmers are also learning about the importance of planting nitrogen-fixing legumes to maintain soil quality.

As part of this effort, FMB is also reaching out to the area's two predominant indigenous communities: the Ache and the Guarani. The Ache are a hunter-gatherer society and until recently knew little about farming. Now that they're leaving behind their traditional nomadic life-style, the Ache are beginning to settle in permanent colonies along the reserve's edge. The FMB extension workers recently helped the Ache plant their own gardens and are teaching them sustainable farming techniques.




"HERONS ON THE RAYA BALSAS"
© Teresa Mirando Ruiz
46x61 cm.
gouache on arches
The Amazon Project


The Guarani Indians, on the other hand, have been farming for centuries. FMB is finding that it has a lot to learn from them. After living in harmony with nature for so long, the Guarani have learned to take good care of the soil. For example, instead of plowing and dispersing seeds on the bare ground, the Guarani plant seeds by puncturing the ground with a simple stick. To avoid crop failures, the Guarani diversify crops. They also use some organic materials to control pests. Not only is FMB encouraging the Guarani to continue using these methods, extension workers are also sharing these ideas with Paraguayan campesinos, many of whom are of Guarani ancestry.

"The campesino begins to understand and value those methods, because in the old times their grandparents used that," says Canete.

"We are trying to teach them to appreciate their agricultural tradition," he adds.

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