| - Page 2 - Sustainable Profit Activities ...on our Model Neem, Commercial, Reforestation Plantation, Yucatán,Mexico, including, in addition to Neem products, Tropical Sheep, Organic Farm Products, and Cash Crops serving both Export and Major Local Tourist Markets including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Merida, and others. This page will include special emphasis on the on-site production of Neem Organic Pesticides, Soil Treatments,Compost, Anti-Parasite products and multiple commercial benefits of Earthworm Culturing, and Tilapia Fish Farming including, cost-free, organic liquid fertilizer created as a by-product of this strategy. |
| www.PlanetaVerdeMarAzul.org www.Green Planet Blue Sea.com The Official Website for Maya Neem Farms, Yucatan, Mexico A Model Neem Plantation in Progress for Profitable, Integrated, Sustainable and Ecologically Balanced Rural Development, Renewable Land, Sea and Water Use, and Resource Conservation |
Secondary/Synergistic Activity "C": "Farm Made" Production of Neem Organic Pesticides, Soil Treatments, Compost, and Anti-Parasite Treatments and Prophylactics This is a major projected activity which, because of it´s importance in first cutting up to 50-60% of our own agricultural production costs while also weaning production away from the use of and dependence upon Petrochemical agricultural products. Key to this activity is the fact that we will grow and mix our own ingredients on-site Meantime, while our trees are being planted and growing to production maturity we will purchase some of the basic ingredients from outside sources but nevertheless mix them on-site. In either phase, making our own Organic products is infinitely less expensive (between 5 and 10 cents on the Dollar) than buying dangerous Petrochemical or even Neem Products from other companies. 1 liter of Neem Pesticide right now, for example, costs approximately $300 pesos per liter...when you can locate a supply. We calculate that making our own, on site, under either of the above scenarios will cost us less than $15 pesos per liter in bulk (IE. Without the added cost of bottling, labeling, and marketing costs). This low-tech operation is where people and farmers/ranchers and small plantation owners in developing areas and nations can benefit tremendously. This is where local economies can re-invent themselves while learning about and adapting too new land-use strategies and/or simply making their traditional activities more productive and cost effective. The ratio of production to use has been calculated at approximately 120 to 1. In other words, 1 acre of Neem (Approximately 300 trees) will produce enough raw product to adequately service a ranch, farm, or plantation of 120 acres. Therefore, even with small land holdings, an independent producer will in all likelihood be able to produce more than he/she needs while also discovering a new income stream in the sale of his excess products to his neighbors and eventually to a local cooperative organization set up on a local level to support local growers reach larger markets. The first order of business, and the importance should not be underestimated, is to enable small to medium-sized local growers to feed their families and make at least a basic living ...or better ...from products and produce grown on their own land. This is increasingly problematic if not in many cases impossible under the current system of dependence on mainly imported, Petrochemical agricultural products.Larger, more sophisticated, and better capitalized operations of course face the same economic challenges, especially in this era. Any means possible to cut overhead while increasing or even maintaining production is a literal, if until now illusive, blessing. If Commercially available Neem Pesticides now cost $300 pesos per liter and a similar "Farm Made" organic Neem product costs $20 pesos or less, that is a 95% savings on pesticides which normally run from 50%-60% of the cost of planting/harvesting a hectare of chiles and/or other cash crops. If our operations at the plantation were dedicated to only the production of Neem agricultural products we would undoubtedly flourish. We are however not interested in "mono-cropping" our own activities any more than we will be satisfied with only planting Neem, chiles, or tomatoes. Neem Anti-Parasite Treatments & Prophylactics Three forms: #1) Leaves, Internal Consumption: Since Neem has such excellent anti-parasite characteristics, animals simply eating fallen leaves or Neem leaves from low hanging branches will experience an anti-parasite effect. Mixing Neem leaves directly into daily feed will add to this effect and in general preclude internal parasites from establishing themselves. Sheep are especially prone to internal parasites which, due to interfering with nutritional intake and absorption, may affect overall health, compromise immune function, and open the animals to bacterial and viral infections which Neem is also excellent for as a treatment and prophylactic. From a commercial point of reference, anything (including parasites) which puts an animal´s health at risk and/or precludes weight gain or promotes weight loss, put´s the farmer or rancher at an obvious and potentially costly disadvantage. On the contrary, providing growers with a low cost or virtually no cost method of maintaining the health and maximum growth potential of their animals can only have a positive effect on his/her overall operations near and long term. #2) Leaves, External Use: Another low-tech, low to no expense treatment for animal parasites is a "tea" made from dried Neem leaves and water. Made from a hand full of leaves, left in a (minimum) 5 gallon bucket of water for several days, will create a liquid repellent and pesticide which, when sprayed on animals and in their stalls and corrals, will be quite effective at controlling ticks and other common parasites. Ticks, globally, are especially and increasingly dangerous as vectors not only of increasing numbers of diseases between animals but also between animals and humans. (Please see "Climate Change and Human Health") Spraying Neem "Tea" on animals and pets has been shown to be an effective means of controlling external parasites. #3) Neem Oil, External Use: Neem Oil, because of its higher concentration of active ingredients, has even greater potential as an external anti-parasite treatment. It will require that the user either has access to Neem seeds and a method for extracting the oil or that he/she has access to the oil in bulk commercially. This opens the door of course to great commercial potential much like that which exists and is growing for other Neem-based agricultural products at this time. At this time, ranchers we have interviewed are quite satisfied with the results gained from the Neem Tea Spray but further exploration of a specific Neem Oil based, external parasite treatment for commercial exploitation and distribution should be explored as well. Secondary/Synergistic Activity "D": Tilapia Fish Farming and Production of Organic Liquid Fertilizer The benefits Tilapia Fish Farming promises have been discussed at length elsewhere on this site. A quick review of the commercial potential of the operation available for purchase now to us may be worth revisiting (Click Here...)because Tilapia, as an income strategy, is, especially for our proximity to growing tourist markets, a strategy which has come into it´s own. The quality of the product, the great potential of cutting dramatically, costs of production, combined with an ongoing decline of the local, traditional ocean fishing industry, makes the Tilapia a natural and obvious alternative in the face of inevitable growing demand. This activity also holds perhaps the most "Synergistic" potential for our project. It offers a virtually guaranteed income stream in relatively short order. By producing our own food on- site, we can cut our cost of production by as much as 58% or more. We are exploring two methods of "Farm Made" fish foods but at this point, although it is more labor intensive, the Earthworm provides the greatest potential in terms of cutting Tilapia production costs while offering a number of other benefits and advantages that the alternative soy-based product (Soy-Based Okara Meal) does not offer at this time (Please see Earthworms below) Because our goal is a multi-use, low-impact, and sustainable production cycle, the Tilapia makes even more sense than simply an excellent (especially in our local and context) income generator. The additional and dramatic benefit is as a provider to our agricultural and reforestation operations through the production of nitrogen and mineral rich liquid fertilizer (plus solids for composting) which can be routed directly from the operation´s collection, separation, and holding tanks into our farm´s drip irrigation system. A Brief explanation: The proposed Tilapia fish farm operation, we hope to acquire, through purchase or joint venture, consists of 17 tanks ranging in size from 3 to 12 meters in diameter. Twice daily, these tanks are emptied to 90% of their total volume then refilled with fresh water. The tank floors are sloped towards the center where an 8 inch PVC pipe receives and carries off waste water and solids to a near-by separating and holding tank. This is an ingenious, "low-tech", gravity fed system and therefore cannot "break". In any case, literally thousands of gallons of Nitrogen rich, waste water and solids are delivered to the holding tank daily where it is then pumped into the farm´s irrigation system. Our resident expert has estimated that with just the current 17 tanks that 40 or more hectares (approximately 100 Acres) can be fertilized on a regular basis. Further calculations and study need to establish actual quantities of fertilizer and compost produced in order to arrive at the accurate land/crop area which may be adequately serviced by this size of operation. As you will see on the following page, we think that 40 hectares is a conservative estimate which may be considerably lower than the actual service capabilities of an operation of this size. Click Here to Continue... |
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