Agro-Biodiversity

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DISTRIBUTION OF GENETIC MATERIAL TO PROMOTE AGRICULTURAL BIO-DIVERSITY IN NICARAGUA

Project Bona Fide has been sharing seeds and plants since its inception in 2002. Traditionally this has been accomplished through informal social networks, friendships within the villages we serve, the people we work with, our annual seed and plant exchanges during the rainy season and plant sales to international expatriate clients. As of December of 2008 Project Bona Fide has taken advantage of more mature and robust tropical food systems, seed production, and a expanded nursery so that we now have the capability to reach far beyond our island of 40,000 people with our plant introductions.

Members of the Escuela de Campo, interns, and nursery employees are making a concerted effort to collect, dry and package seeds of plants of economic and food security interest to distribute to the general public of Nicaragua via our interactions and relationships with local nurserymen and nurserywomen. Cuttings and live plants are also available. In December 2008 we distributed via motorcycle delivery service (Chris’ motorcycle) eight new species to the edible fruit trade via Juan Jose Caldera, a prominent member of a nurserymen’s collective that provides employment for 120 people in the Catarina-Masatepe regions of Nicaragua.

Chris Shanks, the Project Co-Director has been leading these efforts by tirelessly collecting plants from all over the world for over 6 years. Bona Fide is now in a position to begin limited distribution of these useful plants via third party nursery cooperative members in order to ensure a far greater reach for our edible, medicinal, and multi-use plant success selected from our research trials.

PROJECT GOAL:

To continue to grow, research, select, and develop food systems and food plants to ensure a steady stream of genetic material for those interested in self-reliance, regenerative living and ABOVE ALL, FOOD SECURITY.

For more information contact Christopher Shanks.