2013 ASHS Annual Conference

Objective(s):
Ending the Cycle of Poverty Among Some of the Rural Poor in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Professor Shock will focus on his horticultural mission to Brazil. Although his mission goals were achieved, he found that the social needs were more important than those initial horticultural needs and thus, he redirected his work. Homesteaders in the interior of Brazil were prisoners to a cycle of poverty. They had no access to a free economy due to high interest rates paid to middlemen. Dr. Shock’s goal was focused on bringing modern banking institutions and using the homestead as collateral to help finance operations. Professor Shock and his wife developed farm plans for 52 individual poor farm families out of many thousands and used NGO funds and free market pass through loans to deliver resources to the families at modern lending institution rates. The selected farm families became more prosperous and escaped abject poverty. Effects spread to neighboring counties. Event: International Breakfast Meeting, Chaired by Dr. Essie Fallahi, ASHS International Division Vice President Speaker: Professor Clinton C. Shock Director of Oregon State University Malheur Experiment Station 595 Onion Ave., Ontario, OR 97914, USA Office (541) 889-2174 Cell (208) 739-2674 E-Mail: clinton.shock@oregonstate.edu Title of Talk: Ending the Cycle of Poverty Among Some of the Rural Poor in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil Who is Dr. Shock? Professor Shock is a nationally and internationally renowned horticulturist who as traveled to many countries and assisted in several horticultural projects, particularly in irrigation projects of onions and potatoes and other crops.