Daily Archive: August 6, 2016

GMOs in Uganda?

Author: August 6, 2016

I saw an article recently in the local paper urging Uganda to adopt Genetically Modified (GMO). Crops. I recall that mandatory labeling of GMO was a recent controversial Colorado ballot issue. It has seemed to me that proactively labeling export crops from Uganda as “Non-GMO” might be a marketing advantage. I emailed my hero Peter Jensen, who teaches perma-gardening to Peace Corps volunteers all over the world. I wanted to know his views, which I reprint with his permission.

GMO crops. Yes – it would be an advantage to Uganda to market the hell out of the fact that field crops from Uganda are non-GMO! Especially as any markets for Ugandan crops are most likely European. Nearly every (could be all) European nations have declared they will not import GMO crops.

Personally, I weigh in on the ‘against GMO’ side of things. Partly from the perspective that we really don’t know the long term health effects of eating maize infused with the genes of soil bacterium that works to rot the guts out of the army worms and other caterpillars that attack maize. Scientists have found that rats eating GMO sweet corn did indeed develop stomach ulcers and even cancer. That makes me turn my head a bit.

I mostly come down against GMO because it is a bandaid solution. We don’t need drought tolerant crops – we need drought tolerant soil. But I can get away with this because I operate on the small potatoes scale of things and preach the ‘Small is Bountiful’ mantra of the acre or less farmers of the world. I can understand the push to reach those 10+ acre commercial growers who honestly can’t double dig…but they could use better non-till/cover crop intensive systems that would do much the same.

That’s just my initial take on your question. Feel free to bounce other thoughts at me.

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Rainy season is starting and last night was the biggest rainstorm since I came to Uganda. It wrecked the ATEFO sign in front of our office.

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Azedy Jr. had to come home from boarding school for the second time in two weeks due to malaria. You occasionally see people around town with the IV stub bandaged to their arm.

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Meet the New Boss

Author: August 6, 2016

I was invited to Mbale with another volunteer to have dinner with Sean Cantella, the newly appointed Country Director for Uganda. He was on a tour of the eastern region as he gets acquainted with the country and its volunteers. He has a wealth of experience as both a volunteer and most recently Director of Programming and Training in Ghana.

caption: Thousands of books from North Side-based Brother's Brother Foundation have found their way to a warehouse in West Africa, where Brighton Heights native Sean Cantella, director of programming and training for Peace Corps Ghana, is working with volunteers to get them into 22 rural schools and community centers. credit: Gretchen McKay/Post-Gazette

I forgot to take Sean’s picture at our dinner, so I pulled this one from the Ghana page. Great shirt there, Sean.

We had a “spirited discussion” about the methodology to determine the Living Allowances provided to volunteers. Last summer after my cohorts’ swearing in, an annual survey was given to veteran PCVs about their monthly expenses. Peace Corps required a 75% survey return rate before a raise would be authorized. It’s done this way all over the world. Around Christmas, we learned that a raise had been approved. It just needed to be processed in Washington D.C. A couple of weeks ago we learned someone somewhere dropped the ball, and the raise would not be approved, because now the information was stale. Now they want us to do a new survey.

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Before they left I took a selfie with the outgoing Director of Programming and Training, Paul Sully, who is moving on to be the new Country Director of Jamaica , and Lucine Hayes the outgoing Uganda Country Director, who is moving to Panama with her husband, where he has a new job.

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However, I don’t want to antagonize my new director. I need him be my ally. Sean told me there ought to be interesting and challenging opportunities for me in other countries after I serve my time here. I am intrigued by the possibilities. Peace Corps Response has many places for returned volunteers, or Americans with ten years work experience. Service is 6 to 12 months. I could come home for 6 months and then go to another third world country for awhile. Outside of Peace Corps are many opportunities which are more availalbe if you have Peace Corps on your resume. Who knows how I will feel in a year, but I hope I will still have gas in the tank, and I want to keep my options open. I know there are also volunteer opportunities in Denver, but then I am starting spend my retirement savings. I don’t see myself returning to the lawyer thing again.

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At my hotel in Mbale I saw my Fire Extinguisher Ball. Found it on YouTube, you just throw the ball in the fire and it blows up with the foam.

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Getting a cleat adjusted before the town team had an intra-squad scrimmage last Friday. I just watched. No way can I compete at their level. I’m just in it for the exercise. I might go in if the team is up or down by at least 3. This scrimmage ended at 0-0. I chided them “This is why Americans don’t like your football as much as our football.” The long robe is worn by many Moslem men in town for Friday prayers.

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