Cuba conference presentation2 (short version)

1. 5th International Conference of Agroecology
and Cooperatives, November 22-27, 2015,
Centro Nacional de Capacitación Niceto Pérez,
in Güira de Melena, Cuba.
Creating Food Security
Agroforestry with
Soil Remineralization

2. What is remineralization?
The process of recycling the minerals and trace elements of
finely ground rock dust and sea minerals back into our soils.
Basalt from Brazil

3. Soil Remineralization
Not only do we need to recycle and return
the organic matter to the soil, it is equally
vital to return all of the mineral nutrients,
which create fertile soils and healthy
crops and forests.
Remineralization is essential to restore
ecological balance and stabilize the
climate.

5. Soil remineralization
and the Climate
Volcanic eruptions such as
Mount St. Helens fertilize soils
Remineralization of the world's soils and
forests will dramatically increase carbon
sequestration and is crucial to stabilizing
the climate.
Soil Remineralization (SR) creates fertile
soils by returning the minerals to the soil
much the same way the Earth does:
 Glaciation
 Volcanoes
 Alluvial Deposits

6. What do we mean by
finely ground rock dust?
There are millions of tons of by-product
from the aggregate and stone industries,
which come from hard silicate rocks of
igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary
origins, containing a full spectrum of
minerals and trace elements.
Other sources
• Sea solids
• Diluted sea water
• Limestone
• Rock phosphate
• Paramagnetic rocks
• Humates
• Numerous other natural mineral
amendments.

7. Integrated Farm, Food, Feed, Fertilizers, Fuel and Power System
Remineralization can be integrated into all kinds of
systems that utilize:
• biochar
• microrganisms
• compost & compost teas
• worm castings and vermiculture
• permaculture, etc.
Integrating innovative cutting edge
technologies.

8. Why Remineralize?
• Provides slow, natural release of elements and trace minerals
• Increases yields as much as 2-4 times
• Increases nutrient intake of plants
• More nutritious crops
• Rebalances soil pH
• Increases microorganisms and earthworm activity
• Builds humus complex
• Prevents soil erosion
• Increases the storage capacity of the soil
• Enhances flavor in crops
• Decreases dependence on fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides
• Increases resistance to insects, disease, frost, and drought
With rock dust Without rock dust

9. • Increases composting rate
• Increases heat generated during composting
• Reduces odors generated by composting
• Binds up ammonia into the soil
• Improves compost fertility
Composting with Rock Dust

10. Mission
Remineralize the Earth (RTE) promotes the use of
natural land and sea based minerals to restore soils and
forests, produce more nutritious food, and remove
excess CO2 from the atmosphere.

11. Vision
Given the immediate and growing threats of climate change,
desertification, and increased food insecurity, RTE, through
soil remineralization, is helping to create better soils, better
food and a better planet.
Through our research, education, advocacy, partnerships, and
implementation we are:
• Regenerating soils and forests around the world
• Increasing the nutritional quality and yield of food production
• Stabilizing the climate

13. Geotherapy is a guide to
policy-making and practical
steps to restore severely
damaged ecosystems.
It contains new research
studies with comprehensive
data showing the benefits of
rock dust and biochar.

14. RTE assists in connecting
the growing industry of
commercial rock dust and
sea minerals to the
grassroots and agricultural
sector.
Gaia Green Glacial Rock Dust

15. Commercial Engagement
As the grassroots movement
increased so did the demand for
remineralization products.
Then
Only a handful of US companies in
the 1980s marketing rock dust
Now
• US
• Europe
• South America
• Asia: China, Indonesia, Vietnam

16. Rocks are the most abundant resource on earth.
We can move from an economics based on scarcity using fossil fuels to an
economics of abundance through remineralization.
Waste to Valuable Product

17. Brazil Enacts
Groundbreaking Legislation
for Sustainable Agriculture
Brazil is the emerging leader for
remineralization in the public
policy arena pertaining to
agriculture.
Suzi Huff Theodoro, PhD
Congresso Rochagem 2013
Embrapa research team and speakers visiting Brazil quarry

18. Brazil

19. AS-PTA
(Assessoria e Serviços a Projetos em Agricultura Alternativa)
Edinei Almeida,
Brazilian Agroecologist
Edinei works with 500 family farms in Southern Brazil
to show the benefits of adding rock dust to soil,
known locally as “independence fertilizer.”
LEISA Magazine (now Farming Matters)
Brazil

20. Remineralization of 22,000 hectares with
government subsidies (2008-2009)
After a huge decline in bean production from 2002-
2007 rock dust replaced Urea and increased production
300%.
Increase production of corn, grape, peach, nopal and
several varieties of chili pepper.
Zacatecas, Mexico
Farmers were trained to use rock dust in 28 towns. The
government initiative included public parks, gardens,
and a forest area.
500 children attended a workshop to learn how to
remineralize trees with rock dust.
Zapopan, Jalisco
Increasing Crop Yields in Mexico
Agro Insumos Nova Terra SA

21. Mexico
ECOAGRO Farmer’s Collaborative in Sinaloa
A farmers collaborative is at the forefront of
campaigns promoting the use of rock dust.

22. Costa Rica

23. Bioremediation
Stabilizing the Climate
Pest Control
Farming, Dairy &
Livestock
Carbon Sequestration
Sustainable Biofuels

24. Trees grown in highly infertile soils were compared
to those grown in basalt rock dust. No chemical
fertilizer or compost was added. The results of a 5
year study were:
• an 8-fold increase in biomass
• 2.17 increase in the height of the trees
• 4 times the survivability from the trees on
basalt
• the trees on the local soil did not survive
Panama
Basalt Powder Restores Soil Fertility And Greatly
Accelerates Tree Growth On Impoverished Tropical
Soils In Panama
H (basalt quarry rock powder), M (transition zone), L (local soil)
Thomas J. Goreau, Marina Goreau, Felix Lufkin, Carlos A. Arango,
Gabriel Despaigne-Matchett, Gabriel Despaigne-Ceballos,
Roque Solis, & Joanna Campe

25. Panama
H (basalt quarry rock powder), M (transition zone), L (local soil)

26. This agroforestry model in Brazil uses only
one initial application of rock dust to establish a self-
sustaining system of food forests. We can greatly
enhance food security in Cuba and worldwide
producing higher yields and more nutrient dense food.
Remineralization can be integrated into most existing
agriculture, forestry, and pasture systems.
Ernst Gotsch
Dayana Andrade
Felipe Pasini
From Brazil to Cuba — Enhancing Food Security

27. Restoring degraded land with agroforestry

28. Creatively attuning to
the Earth’s cycles
and dynamics

29. Banana trees
and eucalyptus
fertilize
vegetable beds

30. Vegetable -> Fruit trees -> Cacao,
coffee & papaya

31. Less work, higher production

32. From
food forest
to market

33. http://www.sitiosemente.com

34. Using Local Sources of Rock Dust in Cuba
Basalts, Granites, Sedimentary rocks are locally available. A small portable rock crusher is
currently being developed that is ideal for community stakeholder projects.
Small portable biodiesel rock grinder
ideal for community stakeholder
projects

35. Thank You!
“What will fertilizing with stone dust accomplish? It will turn stone
into bread…. make barren regions fruitful and feed the hungry”
-Julius Hensel, Bread from Stones (1984)