Thanks for sharing your idea. This is a very well thought out plan. Are there any potential problems you might face? Is there any chance that some of these farmers might try to export their produce or sell it to a different market to get a greater profit instead of selling it to the nearby mining communities? Who will pay for the maintenance of the wells? I assume you will train the farmers how to address any problems that might arise with the drip irrigation system. What kind of competition exists between the four farmers who you will be working with?
Hey, great job! This is really exciting. It's also good to know that the farmers themselves will OWN the wells, which makes it more likely that they will ensure upkeep. With communally-owned or women's group-owned projects, sometimes it's hard to decide how to maintain things if they break. Have you talked to the farmers about how they will work with the women's groups? Will the women pay the farmer each time they use the well? Per bucket?
Your farmers could possibly sell mango tree pepineers to World vision. Last year, Velingara gave out free mango trees to the parents of children under 5. They wanted to buy the plants for their project locally but found very few large-scale mango cultivators in the Velingara area; they thus bought mangos from Ziguinchor. K'gou is closer to Velingara and the roads are better, so they might consider buying pepineers from you guys, if they do the project again. Boubacar Ndour 775247280 is the head of the world vision health office in Velingara (this was his number as of June, anyway. If it's changed, Mike in Velingara can help you get in touch with them.)
Good luck!
Laura Massengale
RPCV Senegal 2007-2009
Andy Jondahl and I would like to thank those that have voted and those who have asked these relevant and interesting questions. While I identified and trained the farmers in fruit tree production over the course of my service, Andy is a current PCV who has spent the last two years researching the project through budget estimates as well as discussions with the stakeholder communities, and will be overseeing its implementation. We've had the pleasure of working with these communities and in this region for four years now.
As far as markets, the farmers will initially focus on the local markets and as their income rises will have the means to collaborate and explore other markets in larger cities. The region of Kedougou is isolated geographically, far from the coast, so transportation costs will be prohibitive. However, transportation infrastructure in this part of the country is improving, which will facilitate future endeavors. Since the region imports the majority of its food, we don't anticipate significant competition between farmers and they will be encouraged to collaborate to defray transportation costs.
The wells will be maintained by the users, which will include the farmers, their families, the women's groups as well as anyone else they allow a gardening plot to. Each of whom will contribute regularly (monthly) to a maintenance fund. Drip irrigation will be a new technique for the region, however, during the installation, training will be provided.
Recently, World Vision has played a much larger role in the Kedougou-area so that is definitely something that we will look into. In the past, these farmers have produced tree nurseries for USAID and are forming partnerships with Trees for the Future as well.
Feel free to contact us with any other questions or comments.
jenngross said 2 years ago
Thanks for sharing your idea. This is a very well thought out plan. Are there any potential problems you might face? Is there any chance that some of these farmers might try to export their produce or sell it to a different market to get a greater profit instead of selling it to the nearby mining communities? Who will pay for the maintenance of the wells? I assume you will train the farmers how to address any problems that might arise with the drip irrigation system. What kind of competition exists between the four farmers who you will be working with?
lauramas said 2 years ago
Hey, great job! This is really exciting. It's also good to know that the farmers themselves will OWN the wells, which makes it more likely that they will ensure upkeep. With communally-owned or women's group-owned projects, sometimes it's hard to decide how to maintain things if they break. Have you talked to the farmers about how they will work with the women's groups? Will the women pay the farmer each time they use the well? Per bucket?
Your farmers could possibly sell mango tree pepineers to World vision. Last year, Velingara gave out free mango trees to the parents of children under 5. They wanted to buy the plants for their project locally but found very few large-scale mango cultivators in the Velingara area; they thus bought mangos from Ziguinchor. K'gou is closer to Velingara and the roads are better, so they might consider buying pepineers from you guys, if they do the project again. Boubacar Ndour 775247280 is the head of the world vision health office in Velingara (this was his number as of June, anyway. If it's changed, Mike in Velingara can help you get in touch with them.)
Good luck!
Laura Massengale
RPCV Senegal 2007-2009
ammichalek said 2 years ago
Andy Jondahl and I would like to thank those that have voted and those who have asked these relevant and interesting questions. While I identified and trained the farmers in fruit tree production over the course of my service, Andy is a current PCV who has spent the last two years researching the project through budget estimates as well as discussions with the stakeholder communities, and will be overseeing its implementation. We've had the pleasure of working with these communities and in this region for four years now.
As far as markets, the farmers will initially focus on the local markets and as their income rises will have the means to collaborate and explore other markets in larger cities. The region of Kedougou is isolated geographically, far from the coast, so transportation costs will be prohibitive. However, transportation infrastructure in this part of the country is improving, which will facilitate future endeavors. Since the region imports the majority of its food, we don't anticipate significant competition between farmers and they will be encouraged to collaborate to defray transportation costs.
The wells will be maintained by the users, which will include the farmers, their families, the women's groups as well as anyone else they allow a gardening plot to. Each of whom will contribute regularly (monthly) to a maintenance fund. Drip irrigation will be a new technique for the region, however, during the installation, training will be provided.
Recently, World Vision has played a much larger role in the Kedougou-area so that is definitely something that we will look into. In the past, these farmers have produced tree nurseries for USAID and are forming partnerships with Trees for the Future as well.
Feel free to contact us with any other questions or comments.
devonjenkins said 2 years ago
Out of curiosity, what kinds of fruit trees are presently planted, and are there plans for different varieties?