Nueva Requena
Region: Ucayali
Peru
South America
banana
plantain
A letter from the banana farmers of Nueva Requena to Dr Elsa Carbonell, Ministry of Agriculture, Region: Ucayali
Nueva Requena (Peru), January 18, 1998
Subject: Eradication of Sigatoka Negra (Black Sigatoka) from the banana groves.
To Dr Elsa Carbonell,
We desire the best for you within your work. We, the farmers of Nueva Requena, qualified during 3 months in the old and at the same time new science of Homa Therapy, would like to inform you of the following:
On August 22nd, 1997 we had the visit here in Nueva Requena of Professor Vasant Paranjpe accompanied by some students among them the Engineer Luis A. Mamud and the Doctors Irma Garcia and Gloria Guzman, all specialists in Agricultural Homa Therapy. Their arrival had the single purpose to begin the work of “ERADICATION” of the Black Sigatoka of the plantain plantations. For this, the Engineer Jorge Gauber in his position as the chief of the Agrarian Agency of our town, located the farm of the family Tuanama del Aguila in the sector San Miguel of Nueva Requena. Eng. Gauber evaluated the incidence of the Black Sigatoka in this farm between 75 to 80%.
Previously we had been trained in various different courses, dictated by the Secretary of Agriculture. Among other things we learned more about cultural control, how it is frequently practiced in the eradication of the Black Sigatoka. The engineers also told us during the training that all cut material of the plantain plants should be taken very far away and we did that.
But in the best of the cases, 15 days later (we are talking about the plantation with better nourishment, which are close to the riverbed) the plants already presented on the fifth leaf black stains of Sigatoka and even the fourth and the third were with stains. When we saw, that all our efforts were not compensated with a good result, we abandoned our plantations or sold them.
Then Eng. Gauber invited us again to another course dedicated to eradicate the Sigatoka Negra. Some thought to participate, but many said, it is a loss time.
Our and our family’s nutrition depends mainly on the plantain. That is why we feel forced to produce with our plantations. The initial stage of instructions in Homa Therapy were given in its basic aspects from the farmers of the Huanuco region, who had been qualified working during one year in a plantation using Homa Therapy. They are Homa Technicians and their names are:
JUAN CARLOS ALANYA CONGACHE AND CLETO CAQUIAMARCA BENDEZU. They also motivated us to continue with the trainings course till the end, so that we would be able spread this technique amongst farmers.
We received during 10 days training in the basic fire called Agnihotra, which is a Homa fumigation carried out at sunrise and sunset. It is practiced to the second exact according a calculation done with respective coordinates of that place (Longitude and Latitude). If one doesn’t do the fumigation according to the correct schedule, Homa Therapy has no effect.
It was incredible with what ease we learned all this. We started practicing it and it reflected in the improvement of the trainings-plantations of the family Tuanama del Aguila.
Approximately on the 10th day Eng. Alejandro Llaque (Boss of the Senasa of the Region Ucayali.) and expert engineers of the FAO visited us. When seeing the improvement of the plantation they commented about it. Engineer Llaque said to one of the farmers that he would like to know more about this.
At that time Dr. Gloria Guzman, another specialist in Agricultural Homa Therapy came to complete our training. With Dr. Guzman we learned other Homa fumigations that strengthen the effect of the basic Agnihotra fumigation. They are carried out following the biorhythms of Full Moon and No Moon. We also learned how to use the Agnihotra ash, which has the characteristics of Pesticide, Herbicide (it is a great help for weed control and control of water shoots of the plantains). Homa Therapy improves the foliage (in Homa atmosphere 4 new leaves develop in 25 days). It is incredible as manure. When Agnihotra ash is applied to a mother plant on cut after the harvest, 20 true offshoots (not water shoots) are produced on the average. These offshoots are very healthy. The same we observed in the plantation of this Homa resonance point, which was activated by Dr Guzman with the participation of some of us. This Homa resonance point gives power to the healing in the circle of its action. We are observing the improvement of neighboring plantations and their owners are also motivated to receive Homa Therapy training and we ourselves are able to train them.
They also began to sell the offshoots, something that had not happened before.
The family Tuanama del Aguila has an order of 800 plantain offshoots form the boss of the Agrarian management of Nueva Requena, Region of Ucayali.
The plantain plants after being 4 months in a Homa resonance point lose their flower (tip) with 6, 8, 10 or even 12 leaves free of black Sigatoka.
This is a situation, which we did not have on our plantation for a long time. Only three leaves were healthy and the fifth leave was very spotted through the Sigatoka fungi.
In the process of maturation we hardly observed brown spots on the 6th, 8th or 10th leaf of the plant and it did not affect the plant, the Homa leaves were all strong, green and vital.
The farmer, Mr. Odilio Tuanama made a test with a Homa offshoot, he gave him Agnihotra ash and after two and a half months it had the same height as the mother plant. That didn’t happen before, the growth was very slow.
Similarly the farmer, Mr. Marlon Rucabado is carrying out an observations with another Homa offshoot and saw that after 5 days a new leaf is produced.
The farmers Juan Alanya, Odilio Tuanama and Marlon Rucabado used ash on the cut of the harvested mother plant and observed that the mother plant hardened and offshoots sprouted from her. Before Homa Therapy the cut mother plant always broke down and decomposed.
The development and the production of the plantain with the Homa fumigation are extremely quick; we learned that 4 weeks after the flower fell off and this part was cut, the plantain become thicker and mature quicker and in no other plantation such a great quantity of flowers were found.
The plantain fruits with Therapy Homa, were observed with more weight and better consistency after being boiled, in difference to the ones before which had a watery taste and no consistency.
When farmers Odilio Tuanama and Digmar Tuanama saw the competition of foliage between the reforestation trees and the plantain plants, they started pruning the one and a half year old trees and this way contributing to an accelerated growth.
The resonance point of the family Tuanama del Aguila was established on 16th of September, 1997 on a full Moon day, after having done 26 days of Agnihotra.
With the Homa resonance point we observe the following:
- The plants present better foliage and vigor.
- The plants, which had been infected between 75 to 100% with the fungi of black Sigatoka, presented fruit clusters in spite of the leaves being completely infected.
- After 33 days of Homa fumigation the plantation rejuvenated. We continued to remove the sick leaves, and in spite of lacking leaves, the plant didn’t fall like it always happened. On the contrary, it was able to mature it’s fruit, which has a very pleasant flavor. This is something new for us.
- The offshoots began to sprout quickly, which gave the whole plantation a green outlook with dense foliage.
- The leaves are thicker; they don’t break as easily with the gales of the area. They are of dark green color and of an unusual shine.
In the beginning of the training we observed, that the plantation didn’t have true offshoots. These offshoots are called false or water offshoots and they were infected. The mother plants had nematodes and many fell over.
When picking the true offshoots for the Ministry of Agriculture, the farmers Odilio Tuanama and Juan Tantarico observed surprised their clean and strong stems. In spite of having taken away all these offshoots, the farm was still green.
In that situation arrived the Engineer Alejandro Llaque (boss of SENASA) and announced that the incidence of the black Sigatoka had come down.
The Farmer Tuanama del Aguila enlarged his plantation for another hectare with the offshoots. So did farmer Juan Tantarico. Juan Tantarico is producing reforestation grafts and supplies them to almost the entire Region of Ucayali. When he experienced difficulties in the development of certain grafts, he began to use Agnihotra ash with incredible results.
Mr. Tantarico has a Homa resonance point in his 25 hectare farm. This farm is far away from the Tuanama del Aguila plantation.
Engineer Llaque chose this farm to plant 120 Cuban clones financed from FAO for Peru in spite of knowing that the land did not have the appropriate conditions for plantains, the engineers indicated him also that the land didn’t have the appropriate pH. Although the farmer Tantarico is very responsible, it would be difficult to take care of these resistant Cuban clones. But only 5 plants died due to excess humidity.
We have our own experiences with Homa Therapy in the reforestation area besides the healing of humans and animals.
This will be subject of another report on the effect of Homa Therapy.
CONCLUSIONS
The black Sigatoka of the plantation Tuanama del Aguila,Nueva Requena, Region Ucayali was eradicated.
From an incidence of 75 to 80% black Sigatoka fungus determined by the engineers of the ministry of Agriculture, the plantation now presents only in the last leaf certain brown spots, offshoots and mother plants having an average of 8 leaves. The brown spots don’t affect the vitality of the plants; they are green and full of vigor.
OBSERVATIONS
Those plants that received Agnihotra ash, presented up to 12 healthy leaves, had an average of 20 true offshoots were more vigorous, greener and with certain brightness in their leaves, also the leaves are thicker.
We could not obtain sufficient Agnihotra ash due to lack of cow dung, which is one of the ingredients for Agnihotra and is used in bigger quantity also in other Homa fumigations.
Nueva Requena does not have cattle, so we had to bring the cow dung from the Huanuco region.
If enough cow dung would be available to obtain sufficient Agnihotra ash, then even the brown stains of the last leaf of the plant would disappear.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We wanted to share the benefits of Homa Therapy Homa with other farmers, who abandoned their plantations like we did. In this you could help us. For the Homa fumigation cow dung and cow butter without salt are required. It would be very convenient if through you, we could have access to the cattle area and therefore to the dung.
As farmers we need to live off our fields and we would appreciate if the Ministry of the Agriculture certifies the sale of our Homa offshoots.
Cordially,
Signatures:
Odilo Tuanama del Aguila L.E 00121825
Digmar Tuanama del Aguila L.E 00006993
Julio Tuanama Isuiza L.E 00121331
Miguel Tuanama Mozombite L.E 00006992
Yolanda Castro L.E 00119947
Juan Tantarrico L.E 00121530
Tito Tantarrico L.E 00121519
Marlon Rucabado L.E in process
Juan Alanya L.E in process
Alfredo Vargas L.E in process
Ramiro Gonzaca Vásquez L.E 00121558
Leono Satalayo Isuiza L.E 00119766
Nelly Cachique Cumapa L.E 00121766
Lousy Abelardo Arimoya L.E 00064224
Mariela Tapullima Manihuari L.E 00067868
Isrrael Isuiza Shuña L.E in process
Andrea Punctures Arimuya L.E 00121897