Patty Coleman, interim dean of NMC-CREES, was the special guest speaker of the Rotary Club of Saipan on Tuesday, Aug. 27
DURING the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Saipan at Crowne Plaza Resort on Tuesday, Patty Coleman, interim dean of the NMC-Cooperative Research Education and Extension Services, talked about her office’s efforts to promote regenerative farming in the CNMI.
She said a regenerative farming technical manual will be published later this year, and that regenerative farming workshops will be held in the fall.
According to Coleman, NMC-CREES’ goal is to “teach every willing person in our islands how to grow nutritious foods using indigenous methods that regenerate the environment and … people.”
She said regenerative agricultural methods highlight soil fertility and health building, water retention and safe water runoff, biodiversity enhancement in the soil, carbon sequestration, and more.
She said NMC-CREES does not use pesticides for any project.
She also highlighted the efforts of Ambrosio Alubia, a Rota farmer who attended an NMC-CREES agroforestry workshop in 2023.
According to Variety news files, Alubia utilized regenerative methods, such as mulching, cover cropping, growing a variety of diverse plant species densely, and providing occasional shade.
Over the past year, NMC-CREES has hosted several regenerative workshops. Dozens of participants have learned how to integrate trees, shrubs and other perennial crops in ways that provide economic, environmental and social benefits.
Coleman said island residents find regenerative agriculture an approachable practice.
“I think one of the things that have really resonated with folks with regenerative agriculture is them realizing that they can actually do it and they don’t need tractors and huge amounts of money,” she said.
She said some participants of the workshop have been able to incorporate regenerative agriculture practices in growing food in their front or back yards.
“[One] of the best things we’ve seen is that people feel empowered and know that ‘I can actually grow food if I want to or if I need to,’ ” she said.
Coleman said in the next few months, NMC-CREES will finalize a regenerative farming technical manual that will have chapters on site assessment, plant selection, regenerative agriculture materials, and more.
It is “basically a lot of the steps you need to plan for and establish and maintain an abundant agroforest,” Coleman said.
She invited Rotarians to partner with NMC-CREES.
“We really would like a partnership and to learn from all of you who have been doing such great work in our islands for decades,” she said.
