I was confronted with the fact that EA is not as big as I think it is and that Agriculture as well as systemic changes are not directly possible by EA, with that I agree in some part. What is available to EA, at least in terms of underdeveloped rural agricultural economies.
Knowledge, we have knowledge, and I believe the transfer of knowledge is crucial when conversing with farmers, so how do we transfer this knowledge we have to the farmers?
Mini-courses? No, mini-courses would work for people who have internet connection, maybe we could conduct large scale mini-courses where a local could help us devise a classroom type of learning setting and where we could engage a large population of people, while keeping costs down. Yes.
On the topic of mini-courses, the most beneficial way to go is to divide them in two types of production, animal and plant production, because a lot of the people who I read about today were in either of the two. I believe with good practices we could address both poverty in the rural populations but also increase the comfort of the animals, proper feed, proper water and things alike that contribute to animal wellbeing.
I have a lot of things to write about, but I'll keep it short. I'll make a more defined outline on how we can do this, and maybe you (the community can help me guide my efforts).
Also I think EA should focus a bit more on agronomy as a whole because food production is a large and unaddressed topic.
We are using way too much plastic in agriculture, lowkey someone needs to find a replacement and fast.
Anyone has any pointers on startups for more innovative mulching materials?
I love how I come here, have a quick take about slave labor, something I have directly experienced, and something I fought hard against, and having neo-liberal westerners down-vote me because they think I am talking out of my ass.
For the record, I know of worker rights violations, that were squashed because a judge got a hefty payment, never proven because the right people were greased. For hell's sake, I as an activist get threats on the daily, stop invalidating my experience when dealing with corruption.
You westerners have no idea how much corruption there is in the East. Like seriously.
THE GENTRIFIED EA ORGS DOWNVOTED ME, seriosly tho, have you seen someone that is not top 10 attendee in an EA organization? Or someone really heavy on the volunteering experiences?
Also if you disagree with me, and downvote me, come in the comments, call me a dumbass, I don't bite, I just like being provocative, I get the people going.
I didn't downvote you (and actually agree with you), but I'm assuming that the people who did justify it by the combative tone of your writing.
Personally I think the forums are way too policing of overall tone. It punishes newcomers for not "learning" the dominant way of speaking (with the side-effect of punishing non native english speakers), and also deters things like humour that make a place actually pleasant to spend time around.
Thank you for the clarification, first off you pegged me as a bilingual, I guess it's a good wild guess when I hate on westerners and diversity or lack there of.
I'll make a post about my combative tone, I guess our backgrounds are different, for me being combative is good, it's similar to passionate, it's simply who I am at this point. Maybe not the best for casual conversations and civil discussions.
Although I would speculate that it would be harder for a Bryn Mawr graduate to successfully break into EA now than it would have been when EA was very, very young. So founding-era evidence may not be much evidence relating to OP's claim that "EA organizations have become a gentrified refined versions of what they wanted to be." (emphasis mine).
Of course I mean that, great that is one example, but most of the bigger EA organizations are packed with western talent, I will let go off of the 10 top schools point. Have you seen anyone that graduated at Addis Ababa or Trinidad or Cluj, I have not, I have interacted with primarily EU-western oriented people, the closest to diversity is that one random Ethiopian intern.
My point was, easterners are either discriminated against or EA is such an echo-chamber that you unconsciously discriminate against easterners.
Although I would speculate that it would be harder for a Bryn Mawr graduate to successfully break into EA now than it would have been when EA was very, very young. So founding-era evidence may not be much evidence relating to OP's claim that "EA organizations have become a gentrified refined versions of what they wanted to be." (emphasis mine).