Baptism by rain and sunburn

A week of Ecofest at Rosalie Rainforest seems to have just flown by already with new friends, great research contacts, two apartments, and a bag full of muddy clothes to show for it. Every day brought new surprises and adventures, but the rains and strong winds were something I could count on reliably all week. We all became accustomed to a constant moist and muddy coating from head to toe. The rains were so strong that they swept away the concrete bridge in and out of the ecolodge (forging a river up to my hips became as familiar as brushing my teeth twice daily…), and also downed the power tower and phone/internet poles in the area. Overnight, computers, cars and phones became useless and we were entirely disconnected from the rest of the island and the rest of the world for three days. Strangers at the ecolodge became friends, and everyone’s spirits were uplifted when together, we rebuilt (to a certain extent) the bridge with boulders and dirt. So far, my experience has been unforgettable, not despite the crummy weather but I think in part, because of it. Although at the time it didn’t seem so great, I can now even look back with a smile and a good laugh on the night I slept in the pouring rain because the tin roof of our dorm had been destroyed (to my luck, only in the corner where I slept!). Nothing beats trying to fall asleep to the comforting tic-tic-tic-tic sound of rain drops on a tin roof covering my friends in bunks right next to me from the elements, while simultaneously being soaked by torrential rains myself…
The workshops and conference talks at the fest showcased some of Dominica’s ‘big thinkers’ and lots of grassroots movements responsible for the planning and management behind some of the ‘sustainable development’ on the island. I’m most excited about my contact with Dominica’s Organic Agriculture Movement (DOAM) and with Nico, a Frenchman who has moved to the island and started an organic veggie co-op. DOAM is trying to strengthen an agricultural transition to organics and if you can believe it, with the backing of the government towards the development of an international model of sustainable agriculture, starting with 10% of total production certified in 10 years. In my spare time this summer, DOAM has asked me to help with their cause and I’m excited to do whatever I can. As for Nico, he is acting as a catalyst towards sustainable and profitable agriculture in his poor rural village by facilitating new markets for farmers in organics. I will live in his house and meet the farmers in his village. Not only is his farm tucked in the valley of two lush mountain peaks, his house is on the edge of a ridge overlooking the sea! I may never come home… Just to give you an idea, Dominica still has 90% of its rainforest, covering 67% of the island. Heaven dressed in green, right?
Despite its small size, travelling in Dominica is not straightforward at all but I have made it to the capital now a few times to meet an extension worker, Delroy. He has offered me his father’s place as an apartment in town when I need it and I will spend time with him in his district meeting farmers (and with some government, marketing and NGO contacts I have made). He took me up to the hills with two busloads of farmers to show struggling farmers from the East coast the more successful vegetable production techniques from the West coast. Already, I have 12 phone numbers from farmers eager to talk to me for my research. Rural poverty is growing rapidly in Dominica, with figures now at 40% of total island population living with less than US$2 per day. But for me, these stats really don’t represent the true story here. Despite the fact that, according to the extension officers from the ministry of ag, these farmers on this training day are amongst the most poor, if not the poorest, on the island, they gave me no indication of struggle. They were so proud of what they had, which to them was often the fertility of the soil they squat on. One older man said to me “No need for that paper and those coins, in Dominica, man, hapiness is direct… direct from land to mouth.” He passed me a carrot he had just picked, and bit into one himself. Later that day, I saw the mural above on the side of a farm along a ridge in the mountains. My heart was warmed by the farmer's spirit…and my shoulders were burnt! Finally, sunshine in Dominica all day with temperatures that feel like 37C!!! More sunscreen needed for this redhead…