Links
Our ideas are at an early stage but they have already led us to form partnerships and enter networking circles with other like minded organisations. Below are some links that we feel may be of interest:
Index
Current Partners
Other
Current Partners Research (GREEN)
- Biodynamic Agricultural Association - Oldest organic group established 1924. A UK registered organic certification body. Research partners.
- The Hiram Trust - Promote experiential education in the outdoor class room Research partners.
- The Waldorf College - Promote experiential education. Research partners
- Controlled Microbial Composting (Austria) - World experts in round filter paper chromatography (vitality testing). The Director Angelika Lubke is an advisor to the GGA.
- Surrey University - Dr N. I. Ward, Head of Chemistry is a world expert in trace elements and their effect on health. He is honorary advisor to GGA. Surrey University carries out all our trace element analysis for plant samples.
Education (Sowing the Seed)
Campaigning for better food
- Sustain - The Alliance of better food and farming – Representing over 100 national organisations. GGA are members and have contributed to the Children’s Food Bill campaign and Food and Mental Health project.
Self Certification (small and local)
- The Wholesome Food Association - UK wide, self certification scheme. Affordable alternative to organic certification for small scale producers. Based on building trust between grower and consumer. Matt Adams is a Director.
Other
Research
Education
Nutrition
Growing
No-till farming around the world
Also called ‘conservation farming’ there is an estimated 95 million hectares worldwide under no till farming but the UK is way behind! Mainly it’s practice is dominated by large agri-businesses such as BASF and Syngenta who unfortunately are associated with GM and tend to promote large monocultures but don’t let this put you off. It’s an exciting area of development that could ‘overturn’ 10,000 years of history and perceived wisdom. Of course the Good Gardeners Association has been promoting this approach long before farmers got interested. What will they want to learn from us next? Something about growing food for nutrition, perhaps! This is an area as yet not covered in the promoted benefits of no-till farming.
North/South America
Since 1987 the technology has experienced a 59 fold increase in Latin America from 670.000 ha to 40.6 million ha in the year 2004 against a 5.6 increase in the USA.
Australia
The Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association (WANTFA) formed in 1992 as the first no-till farmer group in Australia.
Africa
The African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) consists of practitioners and promoters who believe the adaptation and adoption of conservation tillage principles is a cost effective method of reducing and reversing the environmental degradation and food insecurity devastating Africa.
Europe
Conservation agriculture has an increasingly prominent role to play in world agriculture as farms seek to develop Integrated Crop Management (ICM) systems that benefit the environment and enhance farm profitability. Direct sowing and minimum cultivation systems are already in widespread use in North and South America and other parts of the world. ECAF can help Europe to catch up.
UK
A recent report in the Organic Research Centre newsletter (Aug 08, No. 94, Elm Farm organic research and advisory service) said that a village hall in Yatesbury, nr Marlborough was full to overflowing to hear a German farmer talk about how he and his father successfully pioneered organic non-inversion tillage. |
