One man’s mission to end world hunger could help save farms
Martin Price’s passion for gardening has taken him on a journey that has impacted the world in more ways than he could have imagined.
By Pia Jasinski
Martin Price’s passion for gardening has taken him on a journey that has impacted the world in more ways than he could have imagined.
His work to help eradicate world hunger has educated young and old about farmland restoration and preservation. He is the co-founder and first CEO of ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization) in North Fort Myers. The non-profit organization trains farmers around the world to be more effective in meeting the needs of their families and their communities through gardening and agricultural techniques.
ECHO’S mission since the early 1970s has been to provide solutions to end world hunger. It trains farmers to farm sustainably so that food is not wasted, and so that poor and vulnerable communities can prosper. It focuses on regions in Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Everything ECHO does is impacted by climate change, said Cecilia Gonzales, ECHO’s team leader for Latin America and the Caribbean. She speaks with farmers frequently.
“They [farmers] can do their best to grow produce in the right season,” Gonzales said, “but if they begin experiencing droughts or floods in the crops, imagine all the food wasted that won’t make it to the communities.”
Price said that knowing when to plant and harvest depends on the region. Price learned that firsthand when he moved to Florida from Ohio in the 1980s.
“I was ready to apply all that I have learned about agriculture at home,” said Price. “Turns out, what worked over there did not work in here.”
Price said people must learn to adapt not only to climate but also to the social, structural and economic circumstances. He cited the agricultural challenges in Detroit after the economy crashed in the mid ‘80s. Houses were destroyed, which degraded the farmland. In Ohio, where industries closed, land became polluted as a result of industry debris like lead paint, Price said.
“It is not necessarily safe to eat vegetables grown in those areas,” Price said.
One billion acres of farmland worldwide have been abandoned due to land degradation, according to the book “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming,” edited by Paul Hawken.
Restoring the abandoned farmland will cost time and money, but Hawken’s book estimates that the financial return would be $1.3 trillion over three decades on an investment of $72 billion, and that it could produce 9.5 billion tons of food.
Price, who has retired but still volunteers at ECHO, said he has adapted his gardening and agricultural practices as a result of climate vulnerability. “Adapt” is a key word for today’s climate crisis, he said. His latest focus is on rooftop gardens , a cheap and easy alternative to create more green spaces and methods to produce food anywhere above ground.
“You have techniques where the roots are growing separate from the soil. You place them in special containers with holes on the sides so they can’t get into the soil,” Price said.
A few gardening techniques can be applied at low cost anywhere in Florida, such as keyhole gardens, which consist of rings of bricks or stones where fresh waste and water are poured into the core. The moisture and the nutrients seep down the core into surrounding soil. Another technique is micro-gardening, which can be done in areas with limited space, including terraces and balconies.
ECHO’s biggest event is Farm Day, which attracts about 1,500 people every year. Price said the most popular talk is “ How to garden in summer in Florida.”
A vast majority of attendees at ECHO events are local farmers, local business owners and students. They’re applying their gardening and agricultural knowledge in southwest Florida, which is especially vulnerable to climate instability.
Price said he never intended for his practices to help farmers to adapt to a climate crisis.
“I just want to help those in need,” he said.
