ECODESARROLLO-PY

* ECODESARROLLO's ultimate objective is to promote sustainable agriculture with the use of renewable energies, the preservation of the few remaining natural forest and its rich botanical resources and consequently reduce the impact of environmental damage.

 

* ECODESARROLLO recognizes the value of Biological Diversity and the importance of tropical and sub-tropical environment, which represent laboratories of biological resources critical to humanity, particularly medicinal plants.  Similarly, people who live in or near tropical forests represent libraries of information on the use of plants for medicinal purposes.  Urgent action is needed to preserve these invaluable "shamanic cultures" before they disappear forever.

 

* It is ECODESARROLLO's  interest and philosophy to work toward the preservation of endangered ethnic forest communities of Paraguay by implementing cooperative programs with the pharmaceutical industries and organizations that may have similar ideas or programs whereby scientific research programs based on reciprocity can be established.  Paraguay has a unique and vast resource of medicinal plants and its population (48% rural) still depends largely on traditional (shaman’s) medicine.

 

* Blas Oddone, president of ECODESARROLLO, is a native of Paraguay.  Having grown up in the country, he had the opportunity to learn and become familiar with many of the native medicinal plants of the local "Curanderos" (Paraguayan Shamans).  His close and extensive contact with nature and the country living style since his early childhood to his youth, has impacted and deeply affected his way of life and perspectives on the role and importance of traditional medicine, and its influence on the culture of the Paraguayan society.   He is committed to quest for initiatives and International efforts to promote sustainable agriculture with renewable energies and the preservation and rational utilization of natural resources in Paraguay.