Professor Chan is probably the world expert on the sustainable recycling of waste and agro-ecological systems. Born in Mauritius in 1923 and trained as a Chemical Engineer, he tested and developed his ideas all over the world, especially on small isolated islands in the Pacific Ocean.
The model which he finally came up with after years of research and development was IFWMS, Integrated Farming and Waste Management System, applied to smallholders with the name of "Dream Farms". It involves a closed sustainable cycle in which matter and energy flow within the productive unit, dramatically increasing yields. This revolutionary model is as yet largely unknown.
I went to visit him at the old people's home where he lives alone. He hardly could speak so we weren't able to communicate with words. Unable to stand up and leave his bed , he could not see the merchant ships grounded on the beach, rusting.
A book based on the materials I collected from his hard drives, CDs and files has been published for the dOCUMENTA 13 serie of notebooks, by Hantje Cantz Verlag under the title "Dream Farms".
Order the book here
Or see it here
Special thanks to Prof. Maegaard, Folkecenter for Renewable Energy - Denmark, Prof. Pauli and Documenta curatorial and editorial team.
