Here is a new event featuring the AAN – TEDx are independently organized TED events that feature a range of interesting people. Bennett Haynes will be giving a talk called “Cultivating Alternatives” to present the Alternative Agriculture Network – Esan as an important social movement with a focus on changing the food system for both farmers and consumers. What does food security mean today in rural and urban Thailand?
And so my time with the Alternative Agricultural Network is coming to a close. The timing of my departure is high-spirited as rain has finally begun to fall on the fields of the northeast, though in limited quantities. Working this summer has been mind-boggling to say the least, and I would like to share a small glimpse of my experience.
I began my journey in the village of Ban Non Yang living with Paw (Pops) Bunsong, lead organizer of the AAN, and Mae (Mom) Nang. In Ban Non Yang, time moved slow; there was no rush to go anywhere and the day was broken up based on the tasks that had to be finished rather than by minutes and seconds. Fellow villagers could often be seen taking afternoon naps in huts next to their rice paddies or simply shooting the breeze with neighbors. Read the rest of this entry »
Alternative Agriculture Network - Esan 