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ing better seeds and were taught
crop rotation.
With continuing encouragement,
including that of
Plain Truth
read–
ers, Ballet progress ively added
more tools, better seeds and plant
cuttings. And he has worked to
improve relationships between local
administration, traditional, política)
and military authorities.
Exciting Bold Step-
the Winged Be an
1
n the summer of 1981 Jean-Pierre
Hallet introduced the winged bean
among the Pygmies. The Efé Pyg–
mies are now healthier, happier and
more prosperous than ever. Their
spirit is sky high!
April
1983
Their population is now a little
more than 4,500. They are taking
great strides toward
real
self-suffi–
cíency, and could now, with con–
tinuing help, achieve it as early as
1985.
Tbe relationship between the
Pygmies and the neighboring Bao–
tu (non-Pygmies) is greatly im–
proved. For the first time in mod–
ero history, they work in the
winged-bean gardens and eat and
drink side
by
side in amazing coop–
eration, peace and harmony.
The world has received an
important lesson on how to really
help people help themselves- with
dignity!
The winged bean- the " high
THE WORLD'S FIRST G/ANT PLANTA–
TION
of winged beans ... among the
Pygmies/ To give readers an idea of how
it al/ developed: Upper left, a heavily fo–
liaged terrain in the lturi forest is selected
and eleared. Then a group of young villag–
ers (non-Pygmies) clear the soil of little
roots, stems and stones, while the Pyg–
mies become expert in the last " fine
touch" of hoe cultiva/ion before staking,
above. As staking nears completion,
winged-bean seeds are planted. Young
shoots burst through the soil cover.
protein crop of the future"–
remains, unfor tunately, after many
years of research , still no more than
a "backyard legume" in the numer–
ous countries where it grows. But
Ballet, quick to sense the legume's
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