October 3rd & 4th, 2020. Course in applied agricultural microbiology in Florence, Italy with Deafal

Last 3rd and 4th October 2020 Italian NGO Deafal and Rockinsoils organized the second edition of the applied soil microbiology course. The course combined theory and practice, building up from the basics of soil microbiology giving sets of tools to assess soil condition, humus and biology. The workshop on microscopy was especially interesting as allowed participants to identify different elements that play a role in the soil fertility such as minerals, biodiversity and organic matter in different stages of degradation.

Participants are now able to reproduce several types of soil beneficial microbes and to apply them accordingly to specific farm processes.

A film crew from Bosco di Ogigia filmed us this time. Have a look here

Photos by Filippo Bellantoni

Thanks to Deafal for making this course possible.

Course applied microbiology to Agriculture in Italy

Next February, I meet again with my friends of Deafal in Italy. Last time was in 2011. This time we organize a practical course in microbiology applied to agriculture.

In this course we will see how the microbiology works, how to evaluate it using different practical tools, from rice traps to microscopy.

Participants will learn how to reproduce the main functional groups of soil microbes sourced from local environment and use them to improve farm processes for the soil, the plants and the animals.

Course microbiology applied to agriculture. Indigenous microorganisms reproduction and uses for soil plant and animal.

This course will be given in Spanish or English simultaneously translated to Italian. More info

Course Organic farming for Cocoa in Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast is well know for its cocoa production. The Cocoa production in Ivory Coast traditionally aimed to produce large volumes to match the large demand of the internacional market. Now the prices of cocoa are volatile, farmers work to scape from insecurity by investing in quality and reaching niche markets such as organic to meet the new demands of the market.

In November 2019, Rockinsoils has been working with three large Cocoa cooperatives in Ivory Coast, training board members and technical staff -most of them also farmers- about organic crop production and soil management. This training allows cooperatives to start producing organic cocoa in small pilots and build local knowledge on organic cocoa production.

Most of the farm inputs needed for organic cocoa production are obtained and processed in the region from farm refuses and locally available rock and sea minerals. Currently, the cooperatives are starting up pilots with Young entrepreneurial farmers and test production this year. During 2 years the technical staff of the cooperatives will monitor the results. If the results are satisfactory, cooperatives will increase the technology to full scale. This project is made possible by Agriterra.

More info: ecakog