Mission Sustainability

Soil-erosion, sedimentation of rivers and dams, etc. are serious problems in many rural areas of tropical and sub-tropical countries. I am working in the buffer-zone area of the National Park Yanachaga-Chemillen in the Central-Amazon region of Peru. Together with small-scale farmers I am searching for sustainable ways of soil-conservation, including the reduction of the run-off of valubale rain-water. Here we "discovered" the Vetiver System based on the unique vetiver grass. In comparison with other soil-conservation methods like stone-walls, etc. it is easy to aplicate and to maintain by the local farmers. My aim is - with the help of the local farmers - to extend the Vetiver System rapidly to other fields and regions.