Introduction to the ECHO Development Notes

God has given me the opportunity as director of ECHO to spend much time addressing problems and developments in small-scale farming and appropriate technology in the third world. Through reading, thinking, visiting and receiving visitors, I come across much information which might be of interest to you as a development worker. The purpose of these notes is to share with you some of these things. The “E.D. Notes” will be informal and published irregularly, perhaps quarterly, depending on information at hand.

The primary focus of E.D. Notes, as well as of ECHO, is on items (1) for direct use or consumption on the subsistence farm and (2) with potential as a cash crop or small business for those with few resources. We trust that they will
• Offer you new ideas, information and opportunities
• Inform you of what your colleagues are doing in other parts of the world.
• Suggest ways from time to time in which you can collaborate with us in selected experiments.
• Share the results of your experimentation with others.

The most helpful information will often come from you and your colleagues, because the experimentation and projects were done in the third world. I am very interested in hearing from you about the details of your work – the more technical the better. I hope you will see this as an opportunity to extend your ministry through your co-laborers. I will ask questions as well as give information in the E.D. Notes. You may write to me in either English or Spanish.

Our audience covers a broad spectrum of Christians involved in development, with training in different areas and varying amounts of time which they can devote to development activities. Some of you will wish for more technical detail in certain areas. We will gladly provide this information upon request. The intention of the E.D. Notes is to provide enough information to determine whether you are interested in pursuing it further.

I want to stress that ECHO is not advocating any particular plant or technology as a sure success or as something which you should definitely try in your situation. We ARE advocating that there be an experimental dimension to your work, even though it may be small. The needs of the world are too great to rely only on tools that are well-proven. We are certain that some of the items, in some places, under the leadership of the right people, will have a real impact on the quality of life of those we are working to help.