In 2019 we were introduced to an experienced tropical ecologist and scientific researcher, Mike Hands. He established a revolutionary agricultural system of Inga alley cropping which he developed after years of scientific research into slash and burn farming.
The principle is that a farmer can plant rows of this nitrogen-fixing Inga tree species, capable of maintaining soil fertility and good harvests year after year. This hereby breaks the cycle of slash & burn, allowing families to gain long term food security on one piece of land.
Although the purpose of the Inga Foundation is not to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, we’ve been working with the Inga Foundation to help them quantify the amount of CO2 saved via their projects. This means they could become accredited for Carbon Finance when companies and individuals offset their carbon emissions. If successful this could provide long term funding for this very worthwhile project!
Introduction to the Inga Foundation
In 2022, the Foundation worked with the Inga Foundation to produce several films to help them raise awareness of this issue and their solution. This video short explains how the Inga Model delivers a sustainable, resilient rural livelihood that allows farmers an escape from poverty and an end to the practice of slash-and-burn.