33 results for tag: soil

Rochagem Congress Part 4: ‘Rocks for Crops’ in the World

Peter van Straaten and the Rocks for Crops multi-cultural collaboration with Lombok University, Indonesia.   Dr. Peter van Straaten spoke at the III Brazilian Rochagem Congress in November 2016 (which we have previously featured in a series of articles: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3). In his presentation, which was based on the article reprinted below, he challenged the audience to not only include geologists, soil scientists and agronomists in agrogeological research and development but also include farmers as equal stakeholders. Farmers are important as they can direct our efforts to a practical and sustainable ‘down to earth’ approach, so ...

Collaboration in the Caribbean – One Island’s Volcanic Ash Could Enrich Another Island’s Soil

Student and teacher John Mussington examining eggplant fruits to determine growth differences between plants grown in soil mixed with Monserrat volcanic ash vs the control.   A review of Chapter 19 from Geotherapy: Innovative Methods of Soil Fertility Restoration, Carbon Sequestration, and Reversing CO2 Increase.   In the Caribbean, two islands face economic and agricultural challenges due to their unique geology. Montserrat suffered a major eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano in 1995, which covered much of the island in ash and rendered the land unavailable. Two thirds of the population fled the island, and to this day over ...

Good News from the North: Greenland’s Glacial Mud Could Remineralize the Tropics

Professor Minik Rosing speaking at TEDx Cannes on November 9, 2016   In 1979, Greenland ended a long history of political dependence on Denmark and began a new era as a self-governing entity. With this independence, Greenland faces several challenges. How can the small nation of less than 56,000 people create a sustainable economy with robust trade with the rest of the world? How can Greenland achieve economic self-sufficiency without sacrificing their values or their culture, including Inuit culture? How can citizens address climate change as Greenland’s glaciers continue to melt? International collaborations with universities and busine...

Rochagem Congress Part 3: Dr. Clenio Pillon on Agricultural Advances for Food Sovereignty in Brazil

Dr. Clenio Pillon, Lead Researcher at Embrapa’s Temperate Climate Center in Pelotas.   Miranda Chase, the director of RTE’s online research database, gave a presentation and represented us at the III Brazilian Rochagem Congress. You can read more about the conference in our previous articles here and here. “Brazil is one of the largest food producers in the world, but at the same time, it is highly dependent on the importation of fertilizers, with a direct implication on the costs and competitiveness of agriculture.” This is how The III Brazilian Rochagem Congress describes the issue it seeks to address. Remineralization offers a ...

Rochagem Congress Part 2: Professor Suzi Huff Theodoro on the Importance of Promoting Remineralization

Professor Suzi Huff Theodoro speaking at the III Brazilian Rochagem Congress.   V. Miranda Chase, the director of RTE’s online research database, gave a presentation and represented us at the III Brazilian Rochagem Congress. You can read more about the conference in our previous article.    The III Brazilian Rochagem Congress took place in November 2016 at the Embrapa Temperate Climate Research Center in Pelotas in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The conference explored new technological developments in remineralization and identified channels for institutional partnerships between government sectors, academia, and the private ...

Ceremony in Rio de Janeiro Honors Professor Othon Henry Leonardos with the Almirante Álvaro Alberto Award

President of CPNq Mario Neto Borges gives award to Professor Leonardos.   In February, we reported that Professor Othon Henry Leonardos won the Almirante Álvaro Alberto Award as Researcher Emeritus, one of Brazil’s most prestigious science and technology awards. Three months later, on May 11, 2017, the award ceremony was held at the Naval School in Rio de Janeiro. It was attended by distinguished figures such as Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications and the president of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). RTE would like to congratulate Professor Leonardos, for his ...

Craving Minerals, Eating Rocks: Why do animals and humans eat rock dust?

Last October the Los Angeles Times released an article about research on tool-use among the wild bearded capuchin monkeys of Brazil. The article showcased two short videos of the monkeys smashing rocks against larger boulders – which was interpreted as intentional tool-making behavior. With a closer look, another strange behavior emerged. The monkeys occasionally licked the rocks in their paws. Several hypotheses were proposed to explain this behavior: the monkeys were licking off the minerals in the rock dust collected on the surface of the rocks; they were consuming lichen with antimicrobial properties; or, they were simply consuming ...

An Inside Look at the III Brazilian Rochagem Congress – The Past, Present, and Future of Remineralization

Conference Organizers and Participants   V. Miranda Chase, the director of RTE’s online research database, gave a presentation and represented us at the III Brazilian Rochagem Congress that took place in November 2016. This is the first in a four-part series of articles about the conference.   “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” –Sir Isaac Newton, 1676   The good thing about working with leaders is that they can help us see ahead. They have a vision, and we get to witness it unfolding into reality. During the III Brazilian Rochagem Congress conference, I saw the future of ...

Spotlight on Agrogeologist Peter Van Straaten, PhD

At the II Brazilian “Rochagem” Conference, which took place in Poco de Caldas, Minas Gerais, in May 2013, Professor Peter van Straaten gave a series of talks on the use of rock dust to increase soil health for agriculture. As a pioneer in the practice of using rocks for soil remineralization, van Straaten shared his extensive knowledge with a broad spectrum of scientists and researchers who attended the conference. An expert in agrogeology, which Van Straaten defines as “geology in service of agriculture,” he has built an international network of projects that study remineralization and sustainable agriculture in Africa. His work has helped ...

Growing Movement of Remineralization and Agroecology in Brazil

Edinei Almeida is an agroecologist and PhD student currently working to bring awareness and understanding of agroecology to small family farms in rural Brazil. As part of the Brazilian NGO, AS-PTA (Assessoria e Serviços a Projetos em Agricultura Alternativa), whose mission is to promote ecological methods of agriculture that question conventional industrial practices, Edinei works with 500 family farms in Southern Brazil to show the benefits of adding rock dust to soil. Suzi Huff Theodoro, PhD, one of the main organizers of the 2nd Brazilian “Rochagem” Conference, described Edinei as one of the foremost agroecologists in Brazil and Joanna Campe ...