"W. CHAMBERS" originally wrote
<<I am a graduate student at New Mexico State University and I am looking
for some information about "NEEM". I recalled seeing some on this server
awhile back. I was wondering if you could help me in obtaining some
information on NEEM. I have a group project that is doing research on
herbs and NEEM has come up. The info I have is not very much.
Hi Vinay and W. Chambers -
(1) To see past messages, you can access the SAN archives by keywords -
write to Andy to find out how (Andy Clark, SAN Coordinator,
san@nal.usda.gov)
(2) Below is an email I had on Neem, from PAN. You might also want to
contact PAN for leads.
(3) You might also want to contact Rodale Institute (publisher of Organic
Gardening mag). I've found the quite helpful when I was looking for info.
This excerpt is from their Organic Gardening Encyclopedia:
(Under insecticides) "Neem oil is extracted from the Neem tree, Azadirachta
indica, native to India. The oil is extracted from seed kernels, leaves,
bark, flowers, and wood. Neem oil is a broad-spectru insect poison,
repellent, and feeding deterrent. It also stops or disrupts insect growth
and sterilizes some species. Research is ongoing, but neem oil appears to
be easy on beneficials and of very low toxicity to mammals. Neem oil
solution can be used as a spray to control many insects and as a soil
drench to control soil stages of pests. Spray when the leaves will remain
wet for as longs as possible." (p. 339, (c) 1992)
A phone number: 610-683-1400 An address I have, might be old: 33 East Minor
Street, Emmaus PA 18098. Another address I have, maybe more current: 611
Siegfriedale road, Kutztown, PA 19530. I don't know if they have a main
email address; two individuals' addresses are: jlandeck@rodaleinst.org,
and William Landesman, wlande@rodaleinst.org
(4) Note: This is Neem for ag (to control pests). I think Neem has been
used historically for a long time in India for both ag and
medicine/healing. (Which would indicate to me that it's probably pretty
darn safe!) I believe I've also seen it used as an herbal ingredient, maybe
in a toothpaste. If you're interested in that application, you might look
in herbal/alternative medicine resources. There might be information in
Ayurvedic medicine (the traditional Indian medicine). Or I can see if I can
dig up the info in the files.
Hope this info is helpful.
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P A N U P S
***
Pesticide Action Network
North America
Updates Service
http://www.panna.org/panna/
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Neem in Nicaragua
February 15, 1996
A workers' cooperative in Nicaragua, formed after a
government sponsored project was forced to close several
years ago, is successfully producing and marketing neem
insecticides. COPINIM, the Cooperative for the Production of
Neem Insecticide, has three successful items on the market:
pure neem oil and two granulated products. These products
have proven effective in combating 160 different agricultural
pests in Nicaragua, including nematodes, corn weevils,
beetles, aphids, sorghum locusts and the highly destructive
white tomato moth.
In 1987, the Nicaraguan Ministry of Agriculture established a
research project to study the effectiveness of neem against
the most common insect pests in Nicaragua. The project was
part of an effort to produce agricultural inputs within the
country to counteract the U.S.-imposed economic blockade that
was in place from 1985-1990. The "Botanic Insecticide
Project" received financial and technical support from the
Umverteilen Foundation in Germany.
After the staff of ten Nicaraguans and four Germans
determined that Nicaragua had suitable conditions for neem
tree cultivation, they turned their efforts to designing
workshops and educational materials for teaching campesinos
about the tree and home production of neem insecticides. At
the same time, the staff worked on developing an appropriate
method for making a commercially marketable neem-based
insecticide.
After the 1990 elections, however, the German foundation
withdrew support fearing a lack of commitment by the new
government; as they feared, the Ministry of Agriculture
proceeded to terminate the project and return the state lands
on which the largest neem plantation was located to the
former owners. The project staff, however, reorganized
themselves as a cooperative and were able to once again
obtain funding from German and Swedish funders.
Since then, COPINIM staff members have designed and built
pulping, washing, husking and drying operations, adapting
equipment used for processing coffee. The coop also maintains
a neem tree nursery and participates in educational programs
to promote the planting of neem trees to aid reforestation of
Nicaragua's dry areas as well as providing future raw
materials.
The coop is establishing itself as a stable business
enterprise, and their neem insecticides will soon compete in
the Nicaraguan marketplace with more toxic products offered
by multinational chemical companies. Beyond the national
market, COPINIM has also found a growing market for their
products in Europe and Latin America. However, the coop has
decided not to export large quantities of neem insecticides
until Nicaraguan farmers can produce substantial quantities
for themselves and have no need to buy the products. To
further this goal, coop members give seminars for farmers on
home processing of neem as well as collaborating with
universities and other institutions in training, research and
adapting machinery.
Source: Nicaragua Farmers' View, November 1995.
Contact: COPINIM c/o CIEETS, Apartado RP-082, Managua,
Nicaragua.
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