The economic significance of local agriculture is great. It is therefore logical to look for ways to improve the yield, so that the economic situation grows (and therefore also the possibility that more families can pay the school contribution themselves).
Agriculture is almost the only source of income for the population and the choice of crops and cultivation methods is passed on from generation to generation. This leads to a limited variety of crops with a low production. One-sided nutrition and meager harvests are the result. It is therefore not surprising that in the discussions in Sailung modernizing agriculture emerged as a great wish. We would like to help fulfill this wish because we are convinced that sustainable agriculture forms the basis for a sustainable society and will eventually make our involvement superfluous. And that is ultimately the ultimate goal!
For this project, in consultation with Sailung, we sought cooperation with the Dutch foundation www.ICFON.nl. They have, just like us, the goal to raise the well-being of the population in Nepal to a higher level. Their vision is that something like this should start with a strong socio-economic impulse. And that that impulse must come from a local specialized agency. ICFON has therefore invested a lot of time in the professionalization of the Nepalese institution, www.isard.org.np . ISARD specializes in the socio-economic development of rural communities through agricultural modernization. They do this by providing multi-year guidance and helping local farmers step by step in:
• Forming self-managed cooperative groups of microcredit funds;
• Improving current cultivation methods;
• Stimulating good soil use through composting, fertilization;
• Increasing the area of crops grown;
• Using tools (from greenhouses to forms of mechanization)
The results of ISARD are spectacular, both the improvement in the harvest and the great support among local farming families. We therefore believe in the power of their approach and have asked them as a partner to develop a plan for us, in consultation with representatives from Shailung. A first step has now been taken and this offers the opportunity for approximately 120 families to receive intensive guidance in the coming years on their way to a new level of agricultural holdings. She will investigate possible extensions later in the project. Anyone who wants to work on it seriously is welcome in this project. Special attention is paid to ensuring that women can also participate in this project and... who knows what questions will arise from this. What is special is that the Nepalese approach is very similar to what we are trying to implement in the Netherlands with great difficulty: circular agriculture, or agriculture that is freed from external input of nitrogen through artificial fertilizer and heavy 'crop protection products' in order to support the immensely high production to keep getting it.
To promote inclusivity and support the most vulnerable households within the community, we will provide agricultural inputs such as seeds and plastic tunnels. Priority for material support will be given to female-headed households, households with family members with chronic illnesses or disabilities, and single parent families. Particularly focused on the emancipation development of women in general, but also in connection with sales channels and government. The first steps have now been taken; it has been assessed whether the community is in favor of this approach and... that support is there. Not entirely surprising either; After all, the suggestion to do something with agriculture came from the community itself this spring.
Where in the Netherlands the transition to sustainable circular agriculture is accompanied by discussion, protests, anger, confusion and political wrangling, we see a transition on a local scale with the entire agricultural project that will result in a huge leap towards a sustainable agricultural system in barely 3 years.
Because the lead time has been provisionally estimated at 3 years. Roughly 2 phases are followed:
AGRICOSh = AGRIcultural COMmunity Shailung wordt gebruikt om op te inventariseren en testen, de deelnemers in te delen in vijf coöperaties, die zelfstandig aan de slag gaan. ISARD installeert haar veldwerkers die het hele project gaan begeleiden en er wordt een aanvang gemaakt met eertse test van nieuwe teelten.
2024-2026 SATSh = Sustainable Agriculture Transformation Shailung, staat in het teken van de echte omezwaai van de teelten, marktontwikkeling (afzet producten), financiering nieuwe investeringen, ervaring en kennis vergroting met duurzame landbouw (wateropvang bekken, irrigatie systemen, compostering, gewasbescherming op natuurlijke wijze, gebruik mini kassen e.d.)
The entire project is monitored and evaluated periodically. Also worth mentioning: within this process, work is also being done on setting up a school garden and using the crops grown for meals at school!
In the meantime, partnerships are being set up such as:
In Germany with: Engineers Without Borders Karlsruhe Germany Water retrivement and micro-irrigation support ISARD at water reservoir and irrigation project part.
In the Netherlands with: Wageningen University on the Plastic Greenhouse design for Nepal project on the construction of special plastic greenhouses suitable for Nepal.
The chairman of the village development committee (VDC) calls this project an example for the entire region. And has promised to take political responsibility for scaling up if successful.
We zijn drukdoende om financieringvan de projecten te realiseren. Ook voor dit project hebben de de ondersteuning al (toegezegd) gekregen van diverse Rotary clubs en de verschillende vrienden en supporters.
Your support is of course also very welcome.
