organic – Generation Change

Young organic farmer fights for her land

mueserk — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 13:31:58 +0000

We like buying “organic” food because it sounds like it must be better for our health and for the environment. Admit it – buying “organic” makes us feel good.

But in Germany, young organic farmers like Julia Bar-Tal don’t feel good about the rising price of the land they need to produce the local organic products their peers want to buy.

Julia and other young farmers blame multinational and German companies for buying up land for speculation purposes. This has led to price increases – especially in eastern Germany – of up to 300 percent.

Julia helps run an organic farm collective outside of Berlin with 14 other farmers. Her farm is successful, but she says she can’t expand because the land has simply become too expensive. So she and her group have decided to fight back. She is a leader in a movement that aims to enlist the help of customers who buy organic food to stop industrial giants from bidding up the price of land.

Listen to the report by Michael Scaturro in Berlin:

http://blogs.dw.com/generationchange/files/Young-organic-farmer-fights-for-her-land.mp3

Julia Bar-Tal wants to raise awareness for the landgrabbing problem among the people who buy her food (Photo: Julia Bar-Tal)

Hello up there! (Photo: Julia Bar-Tal)

Julia’s farm is not far from urban Berlin (Photo: Julia Bar-Tal)

Srebrenican youth tries to save her town

lomasc — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:01:47 +0000

Milena Nikolic was born in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, a place once known for its mineral springs and silver mines. Today the place is notorious as the scene of a massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslims by Serbian paramilitaries.

After leaving school, Milena became a social worker. Today she runs a youth club in her home town and tries to persuade young people not to leave. She believes the economic independence of Srebrenica can best be achieved through green tourism and organic farming. She also wants to revive the old mineral springs, but she faces resistance from the political elite.

Watch this DW video to find out more about how this young woman is trying to bring back life to a change in a town ruined by violence.

Environmentally friendly engergy source gives students a job

lomasc — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:13:21 +0000

Wood is the main source of energy in Cambodia, which has resulted in widespread deforestation. In response, French NGOs have developed an alternative – charbriquets made from coconut shells and dried organic waste. The fuel does not use chopped lumber – giving it a clear advantage. The briquets are inexpensive and burn longer than wood. Factory manager Carlo Figa Talamanca who took over the company from his former employers now wants to reach a wider market. He is working with a French aid group that turns students into a sales force. Talamanca is confident that his social enterprise SGFE (Sustainable Green Fuel Enterprise) will soon reach profitability.