The People Behind the Story
Mike Hands
Mike, Hands, arguably the hero of UP IN SMOKE, is the brains behind the revolutionary system of alley cropping with Inga. Having spent over 25 years of his life in tireless scientific research and on the ground implementation of the system, he is the embodiment of the herculean struggle to bring the system to farmers on the ground, and out to the wider world.
Aladino Cabrera
Aladino represents the atypical farmer whom Mike has spent so many years trying to reach and to present an alternative method of farming to. Father of three, uncharacteristically ginger haired, his boundless energy and seemingly inexhaustible humour flies in the face of a life that goes leagues beyond challenging.
Faustino Reyes
A former logger, slash and burn farmer and hunter, Faustino was won over many years ago by Mike’s work. Faustino radiates a benign energy which puts a spell over anyone who meets him. Despite being over 60 years of age, he possesses a youthful exuberance, a scientific curiosity and a love of the natural world that borders on the spiritual.
Oswaldo Munguia
Softly spoken, Oswaldo is one of Mike’s most faithful allies in Honduras, being the connector between the world of the farmer and the politician. The Executive Director of one of Honduras’ most prolific environmental NGO’s MOPAWI, he is as at home in the depths of the rainforest as he is around the boardroom table.
