leases and loan guarantees

[Guest guest]

>From Pancaratna

 

> I believe the answer to these questions must first

> come from the potential

> beneficiaries. WE need to start a dialog with

> existing farmers and find out

> how they perceive the problems and the kind of

> solutions they have thought

> of. Then we can start being creative and come up

> with more ideas. That is

> what we are going to do here in Mayapur with the

> local farmers.

 

Good, excellent - this is farmer first participation,

and is definately the new development paradigm, and it

should work, as they will be the ultimate benefactors

of the system.

 

 

> IN the context of Mark's ideas, which postulate a

> market for premium,

> protected cow products, I would suggest loan

> guarantees for business plans

> that address this market. These guarantees would

> provide some sort of

> insurance for the cows participating in the project,

> so that even if the

> project fails the cows don't suffer.

 

Thank you Pancaratna. My idea isn't just premium

prices, it is a whole growth model with all the

component parts modelled and qualified and quantified;

upon which this model can be used in varying places

with varying intensitites but always having in mind

the progression that population growth will bring.

 

I'm not sure exactly of the details of a loan

guarantee, but I agree with the premise as understood.

 

I was looking at the Argentine convertability currency

system, and came out with a similar idea. The system

is that for every peso in circulation the central bank

has a dollar in reserve.

 

 

If a charity were to be the ultimate owner of the

animals, then it would "lease" these animals to

various participatory farmers. For a cow to enter the

system it must already have its "mimimum" needs payed

for as a calf. This is why I was so interested in the

minimum standards from before. If the minimum needs

are for a hectare of land, medical insurance

throughout its life and checkups on its well being

every week, then it has its minimum life protection

needs covered from birth = $5000?. It may not be the

luxury that should be afforded it within a productive

farm, but it would have itself covered.

 

Upon potential failure of the business that the

charity has leased the cows to, as they are not

business property, they would be returned to the

charity, where its minimum needs are covered. It could

then be leased out again to a productive farm who

would use the animal as deemed fit according to the

lease arrangements of the cow, and set to work giving

produce and extra care.

 

If a smallholder were to "lease" a cow for a time,

then its lease payement could cover the minimum that

has already been payed. That way a smallholder could

exchange cows whilst taking milk and income, but at

the same time paying for the calf's minimum life

requirements, thus lowering the overall costs of the

system even when population expands beyond the mature

system.

 

Ideas, ideas,

 

Mark

 

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