July 1, 2021 by admin

What was the trigger that prompted Walter Schroth to create dryGrow Foundation

What was the trigger that prompted Walter Schroth to create dryGrow Foundation
July 1, 2021 by admin

Walter Schroth created dryGrow

The beginning of dryGrow. Years ago, he met Carlos Tua Guava from Embrapa in Brazil. He has been researching his whole life for the improvement of agriculture and animal husbandry in the semi-arid areas in the northeast of Brazil. He summarized his entire research life by saying to Walter: Without a cactus, solid agronomy in semi-arid regions of the World is unthinkable.

Thousands of farmers were very motivated by his work to expand their cactus plantations with 20 to 60,000 plants per hectare or to create many brand new plantations in Brazil, even in the most intense form. This motivation increased productivity to 250 to 600 per ha/year. It is possible to feed 20 animals with a 1-hectare cactus plantation instead of just one animal on 6 hectares of pasture per year.

However, these new systems meant that the Cochinilla do Carmin spread over most of Brazil. This insect is very aggressive, especially in dry times, and destroys the Opuntia Ficus Indica plantations in no time. Therefore Walter Schroth proposed to strictly control the spread of parasites in new farms through the production of young plants by micro-propagation.

In the following years, hard work and scientific research were also done on the genetic side to develop varieties that are also economically insensitive to pests.

The primary purpose of the dryGrow Foundation is to create Opuntia and related genera for biomass production. We are pursuing this goal by delivering cactus plants of the most suitable varieties to the countries concerned.

dryGrows Cactus is obtained exclusively from in vitro cultures. The proprietary micropropagation protocols developed at dryGrow’s Sicily laboratory in collaboration with the Catania University. This approach mainly serves to prevent the spread of pests and diseases and the possibility of getting large amounts of propagation material, required for the planting of intensive plantations.

These experiences led to the first improvement of the work processes in the production of Cactus in 2013.

Since then, under the responsibility of Aurelio Siebert, a strong collaborator and friend of Walter Schroth, dryGrow has had a cactus plantation in Sicily with its laboratories and a demonstration center that is getting bigger and bigger.

dryGrow has already carried out projects in Madagascar, Brazil, Senegal, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique and also sustained these projects financially.

dryGrow is currently working with Catania University in Italy and the University of Florida – IFAS and several other universities in Africa to investigate a wide range of problems related to planting and feeding opuntias and related species on site.

All of this was only possible through Walter’s Big Heart and his extraordinary generosity. He wanted to be sure that dryGrow will survive in the future.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_ficus-indica

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  • X International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal: 72. Effect of tree tobacco leaf extracts on mortality rate of carmine cochineal
  • X International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal: 73. Dactylopius coccus Costa pest of beles, and ways for sustainable pest management and development in Tigray, Ethiopia
  • X International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal: 74. For an agroecological management of Dactylopius opuntiae (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae)
  • X International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal: 75. Cactus – the New Green Revolution in Drylands: Functional response of the lady beetle, Hyperaspis trifurcata preying upon Dactylopius opuntiae (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae)
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2 comments

Mohamaou Oumarou says:
May 9, 2022 at 5:40 pm

Hello,

I want to introduce cactus plantation in Far North Cameroon which is semi-arid area and currently destabilized by Boko Haram terrorist group linked DAESH. The cactus production will be for the purpose of livestock feeding. It will be a leading pilot project because there is no Cactus plantation at all and farmers ignore the benefits the can get from it. I have available land of about 4ha for the project which can be extended in case of success.

In case of success, the project can be extended to the neighboring countries Nigeria and Chad which are facing the same problem.

What is the procedure to benefit the support of DryGrow Foundation?

Best regards.
—————————————-
Mohamadou Oumarou
CEO
Agrifi&ld SARLU
+237694499411
mohamadou@engineer.com

Reply
admin says:
April 29, 2023 at 2:55 pm

Dear Mohamaou Oumarou,

Thank you for your message. Hopefully, this information helps establish communication. Our website shows that we are multiplicating healthy cacti for animal feeding to avoid spreading pests. Do you already have Opuntia at your place? Do you feed your animals with cacti? I wonder If you already have Cochineal in Cameroon.

To start: Create a more detailed project proposal outlining the steps to establish an Opuntia farm in Cameroon, including using Cactus as livestock feed and biomass for community empowerment, in a possible collaboration with the dryGrow Foundation.

Some Instructions:

1. Begin with a brief introduction to the project, highlighting the goals and objectives and potential benefits for the local community and the environment.

2. Provide background information on Nopal, including its uses, benefits, cultivation requirements, and any challenges or risks involved.

3. Outline the proposed project plan, including the following:

– Site selection and preparation: Describe the criteria for selecting the land and the necessary infrastructure and equipment needed for cultivation and processing.

– Planting and harvesting: Explain the planting and harvesting methods and the expected yield and quality of the Nopal crops.

– Livestock feeding: Detail the process of using Nopal as livestock feed, including the nutritional value and benefits for the animals, as well as any potential challenges or risks.

– Biomass utilization: Describe how the Nopal biomass will be utilized for community empowerment, including the production of biogas, biochar, and other value-added products.

4. Include a budget and timeline for the project, highlighting the estimated costs and revenue streams, as well as the key milestones and deliverables.

5. Conclude with a call-to-action, inviting the dryGrow Foundation to collaborate on the project and provide necessary support or resources.

6. proofread and edit the proposal for clarity, coherence, and concision.

Best regards,

Aurel Siebert – dryGrow Foundation

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About The Blog

Welcome to drygrow.org, a non-profit organization with a mission to create resilient communities in dry regions worldwide. Our foundation is dedicated to transforming current agricultural practices in semi-arid areas by utilizing adaptive plants and cutting-edge methods to improve people’s livelihoods and facilitate resilient communities. We believe that cactus is a traditional food and source of water for animals and people, and it is hardy and abundant, low-cost, and easy to grow. Our core values include sustainability, innovation, and community engagement, and we envision a world where plants, animals, and humans live in harmony. Founded by a team of experts with diverse backgrounds, we are committed to thinking outside the box of conventional agriculture for a sustainable future. Our achievements include developing sustainable solutions for families, organizing and financing research, and developing techniques to optimize Opuntia and Nopales cactus harvesting. We also engage with communities in arid regions to help facilitate harvesting for animal fodder and transfer knowledge and management know-how. We invite you to learn more about our foundation and participate in our mission to create a more sustainable future for all.

Recent Posts

X International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal: 70. Control of pest cactus and cactus pests in Africa and reproduction performance of Dactylopius opuntiaeJune 22, 2024
X International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal: 71. Control of pest cactus and cactus pests in AfricaJune 22, 2024
X International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal: 72. Effect of tree tobacco leaf extracts on mortality rate of carmine cochinealJune 10, 2024

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