It's Africa Calling, Act Four

October 8, 2007 – later that same night

Dear Friends, its Africa calling…

Act Four

While we were at the library, Panditji was talking to the Lord Mayor about other solutions that helped India solve the brain drain problem. After years of software engineers migrating to Silicon Valley of California, India reversed this trend with offering foreign direct investment (FDI) opportunities. Instituting friendly rules and laws that are attractive to wise investors and businesses, the FDI transformed Bangalore into today’s home for the brilliant minds of software engineers. This same program for foreign direct investments is available in Cameroon.

Many American and European investors seem to overlook African nations and miss the ‘fortune potential’ ready to be mined and made. In a matter of weeks, a huge opportunity will be birthed to this community and to friends looking to be investors. It is a farm for energy.

When Mr. Diesel invented the diesel engine, it was not designed to run on petroleum based oils. The original diesel engines used peanut oil as a source. Today, peanut oils and sesame oils are called “biodiesel” fuels. But in truth, peanut oil is the real and the original ‘diesel fuel.’ Imagine going to a farm to fill up the fuel tank on your Mercedes. It is a glimpse of the future.

The School of Energy Farming
Under the leadership of the Himalayan Institute, the School of Energy Farming will establish a training center and demonstration farm in the outskirts of Kumbo. All of Africa can come here to learn the modern dynamics of soil preservation and regeneration.

Africa has no need for chemical fertilizers and other aberrant enticements from the West and yet, every village is being gifted with these toxins at local farmer markets. The water tables and wildlife will eventually be foiled by these corporations, but it is not too late.

Worse yet are the Trojan horses of genetically modified seeds that will grow for only one season. When such seeds cross-pollinate with local gardens and farms; the yearly continuity of the food chain will be choked to death. Seeds will need to be purchased again every year for nothing will return spontaneously come Spring.

Mr. Boniface taught me well. He is a local master herbalist who received advanced training from a herbalist/physician who came each year from Germany. This published authority on herbal medicine provided Mr. Boniface with seeds for Artemisia – a plant that can single handedly wipe out malaria in the sick. Malaria kills 3000 kids every day in Africa; malaria is the biggest killer in Africa, much more than AIDS.

His artemisia grew well until… well, this year, when he told me that the German doctor gave him funny seeds. Sure enough, this year’s seeds were genetically altered. His teacher had created interest and business opportunity for our guy to grow herbs to cure Africa and now he has the guts to give him seeds that will only grow for one season. In time, such seeds could destroy the whole ecology of Artemisia. Mr. Boniface threw them away. The Trojan horse was dead upon arrival. Thank God!

The Himalayan Institute will build a school staffed by our PhD’s in agriculture – they arrive tomorrow. They will teach and inspire a marriage of ancient Vedic farming with the speed of modern farm implements. Powered by home grown biodiesel fuels – peanuts and sesame seed oils – our equipment and techniques will diminish the time for implementation of soil prepping, seeding and harvesting.

Africa can fuel Africa and Africa can feed Africa. The current 60 - 70% waste of unused food crops will come to an end. No more food rotting on fields and road sides. No more outrageous fees for petroleum that leaves the farmer idle. No more ancient plows that make the smallest acreage a huge time-consuming task.

The best biodiesel sources are seeds from long lasting trees – the Pongamia pinnata and Jatropha trees. Their livelihood is multilayered – providing soil retention, drought resistance with their deep roots, seeds for fuel, shade for people and animals, and wind blocks for open lands. These trees will also provide room for cover crops and companion crops to be grown in the same soil.

Energy farming’s greatest strength will be tree plantations that will reverse global warming and end our dependence on petroleum based fuels from people and places that threaten us all.

Site development of the demonstration farm is drawn and school enrollment is soon to begin. We have done it in India for years, now Africa can step up to the plate. Food and fuel will soon be here.

Our projects in Africa span from soil to soul. Energy farming will offer employment to thousands of farmers and nation-wide benefits for millions of people. Forty-five thousand villagers are currently doing energy farming in central India from programs inspired by the Himalayan Institute. They have planted over 20 million trees. That is a lot of shade.

Love is a tree that helps us all,

Blair