Implementation | PANORAMA

Technical support

Soariake MPA, monitoring of sea cucumber farming

WCS Madagascar

Prior to launching the industry, WCS, Ocean Farmers and IOT have launched a feasibility study on the two industries – seaweed and sea cucumber. The result highlights that Soariake has the highest potential for seaweed farming in the South West, in terms of area and quality of the place. Promotion of sea cucumber is feasible within two villages. Potential for each industry already take into account the environmental assessment of the site.

During the implementation phase, the private sectors provide technicians to each village to support local community during the implementation and management of the farm. Each village has its sea cucumber technician or seaweed technician depending on the available industry in the village.

Due to the innovation of the two industries, local communities need a close and periodic support while starting and managing the farm. Local technician gives practical and on ground training to farmers in terms of plantation (seawed), maintenance and monitoring of the farm. He works closely with the village to plan the site activities; he supervises each farm, advices to farmers when needed. Technician liaises directly with private sector in case of important issues.

The technician works closely with WCS local animators when raising awareness among villagers.

Locally based approach regarding technical support: technician should be able to explain to farmers in an accessible way the process while developing the farm. He/she should integrate easily villagers, get familiarized with villagers environment and customs;
Access to private sector in case of tangible issues: quick response from the private sector gives more insurance to local community

Ensuring sufficient number of local technician to cover local needs: a ratio of technician per farmers should be defined in advance. For the seaweed farming which is short cycle production, capacity building is quite easy and quick – the more farmers practice, the better they become in managing the farm. Though a peer to peer support is encourage, support from technician is always important for new farmers;

Sufficient available area to promote the industry: knowing the technical potential of the site at the beginning of the project is crucial. This information should be used wisely during awareness raising among villagers to determine the approach while selecting the farmers, to define also annually objectives in terms of farmers and location of the farm. Having villagers defining the criteria is a plus, as it will alleviate eventual social issue in the future.

Implementation

Local

Value chain approach

The farming program covers the whole process from production to marketing, including drying (for seaweed) and storage, to ensure that it will provide the expected quality sell the final product at a fair price to ensure their income. Thus, we collaborate with the private sector through a “village farmer approach”: Ocean Farmers for the seaweed industry, and Indian Ocean Trepan for the sea cucumber industry. In addition to a global partnership between the private sector and WCS, each farmer has an agreement with the private sector that determines each party’s roles.

For the sea cucumber, IOT provides (i) juveniles at a competitive price, (ii) technical support to farmers; and then buys the product to the farmers at an agreed price. WCS ensures (i) raw materials and equipment for the enclosures, and (ii) organizational support to farmers. The farmers manage and look after the farm and the equipment. Farmers’ can commit to more than one production cycle. If they withdraw from the program they must leave the equipment and enclosure to the local association for other farmers.

For the seaweed farmer, Ocean Farmer provides plants, equipment, technical support and buy the product at an agreed price. Villagers manage the farm and build the storage. WCS ensures organizational support.

Mutual trust between the three parties, which is a result of long discussions and meetings, understanding and consideration of each party’s interest ;
Involvement and commitment of villagers to become stakeholder, not only “beneficiaries” : villagers have roles to assume and can not just wait for help, they take part from the first discussions in the process of reaching the agreement with the private sector;
Partnership with private sector for both marketing and technical support to farmers which are key components of success;

Going step by step: working with local communities requires time and patience though they want to get a rapid result. In a context where taking risk is not an option due to high rate of poverty and subsistence activity, it is important to ensure a sustained support to motivated volunteers during the start-up phase. These volunteers will then become ambassadors among their peer in the future;

Win-win partnership : key important lessons cover (i) a shared vision (development and conservation objective) between all stakeholders, (ii) getting to know its party’s interest and working together to match this interest with the common vision. Those, private sectors have their financial benefit, production and corporate social and environmental responsibility activities implemented, villagers increase their income, WCS ensure the conservation and development impacts of the process;

Collaboration with any and all Private and Public Organizations who share the same concern for health, environment and the welfare of farmers and their communities

snapshot of logos of supporting organizations and strategic partners

zidofa

Global warming and climate-change is a global issue and solutions to avert climate change from tipping over and slow down global warming should likewise be global in nature.

"While we are relatively small individually…I believe that working together for a greater purpose, we can achieve our goals; many in body and one in mind." Ken Lee, Lotus Foods.

ZIDOFA's attainment of near completed status for the targetted closed-loop organic SRI rice value chain in the span of just two years despite the absence of a resident sponsoring NGO or support organization is attributable to its strategic partnerships with both private organizations and government agencies. As such, the various components of the value chain, mainly infrastructure, logistical and equipment support were granted by varying organizations and agencies.

At the start of the project, ZIDOFA submitted the Project Plan to as many private and government entities as possible and a year after project start, also submitted Executive Briefs to heads of agencies outlining the milestones, achievements and constraints met by the farmers. As such, by year two, the concerned organizations and agencies were well aware of the project and eventually became project partners thereby setting an unprecedented model for convergence.

Communication channels established early on

Sharing the Mission and Vision and Objectives of the Project to stakeholders

Sharing not just achieved milestones but challenges and obstacles as well in clear manner

Transparency and regular and prompt progress reports

Focus on farmers, health and environment with no political, religious or other leanings.

Scope should be local, national and global

Need for a physical office is imperative.

A communications officer and liason team should be put in place.

Funds for communication should be allotted and secured

Project meetings and reports should be well organized, archived and backed up.

Documentation and dissemination of results

Creation of a Mission and Vision by Members

The ZIOOFA brand name Oregena (abbreviation for Organic REGENerative Agriculture)

zidofa

To make sure the project stayed on track to its aim and commitment to provide safe, affordable and healthy food for consumers, restore, protect and conserve biodiversity and to promote farmers' welfare, ZIDOFA farmers were actively engaged in the creation of ZIDOFA's Mission and Vision Statements by conducting a Strategic Plannig workshop by CORE, Philippines. Additionally, a Communications Planning workshop was conducted by leading communications and media experts to ensure that ZIDOFA members were on the same page on how to market SRI as well as its flagship product, the Oregena (abbreviation for Organic REGENerative Agriculture) line of organic SRI Rices.

The ZIDOFA Mission: To advance holistic, farmer-managed and environment-friendly programs utilizing leading edge processes promoting quality agricultural and aquaculture products

The ZIDOFA Vision: ZIDOFA envisions itself as a reputable producer of quality and globally competitive organic agriculture and aquaculture products. It envisions a resilient and productive community where families are healthy, happy and living harmoniously in a sustainable environment.

Mission, Vision and Strategic Planning Workshop should be conducted at the start of the project.

Protection of the Environment, Health and Farmers should be an integral and key phrase in the Mission and Vision

A Communications Planning workshop should be conducted for the farmers to level up on product promotion and marketing and to increase global competitiveness through consistency in product and project taglines.

All members should be regularly refreshed of the original Mission and Vision of the group and of the projects of the group

Product quality, brand recogniztion and promotion should be emphasized to and practiced by all in all phases of of product development from seed selection up to marketing.

Documentation and dissemination of results

Simultaneous Solution Finding for All Components of the Value Chain in a Holistic Approach

zidofa meeting with Mayor at Mayor's conference room

zidofa

As ZIDOFA farmers trained on SRI, training for organic fertilizer manufacture was also incorporated so that the organic inputs can be available once the cropping cycle started as and such, the farmers can focus on the SRI agronomic management principles instead of having to still worry about making organic inputs.

As the ZIDOFA farmers started planting and cultivating their organic SRI rice plants, ZIDOFA was already seeking market linkages with potential customers for the upcoming harvested paddy rice and the eventual milled organic paddy rice.

All throughout the chain of activities, ZIDOFA was aggressively joining national and regional exhibits as well as trade fairs in order to promote SRI and to increase public awareness on the benefits of organic pigmented rice as part of consumer diet. The environmental ramifications of organic-based SRI was also highlighted with ZIDOFA adopting the following tagline "That Farmers, Soils and Oceans May Live" in all its communications engagements including social media.

All throught the cropping year, ZIDOFA submitted project proposals for its needed equipment and infrastructure and persistently followed up on their statuses

Continous seeking of funding sources.

Creation of an Operational and Project Plan

Assignment of tasks to Committees

Fund, Resource and Manpower Availability

Physical office space for operational planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation

The need for administrative staff was highlighted as the work load can be overwhelming most times.

The need for a physical office space is critical for communication flow and organizational planning.

The need for and lack of operational funds was highlighted early on in the project

Documentation and dissemination of results

Training on use of locally available raw materials to manufacture organic inputs and amendments

zidofa farmers mix carbonized rice hull, decomposed rice hull, seaweed extract, fish amino acid, manure, indigenous microorganisms, rice bran and others to make organic fertilizer

zidofa

This ensures that the most basic concept for sustainability is practiced by participating farmers and that it is nutrient recycling to veer away from input intensive dependence and transforming into low-input organic practices. Successfully carrying out this objective supports the participating farmers but also other farmers, who may want to try their hands on organic farming, the readily available supply of organic bokashi, vermicast and natural farming systems concoctions. The organic inputs will provide much needed nutrients and micronutrients required by rice plants in order for it to manifest its maximum potentials at optimum conditions. Healthy rice plants establish what is known as the "positive feedback loop" where it develops healthy and substantial root architectures which feed the upper biomass resulting in better photosynthetic capabilities which can then provide nutrients for the roots to develop even more. Once this loop is established, the plant can easily ward off pest and disease attacks. The preparation of organic inputs also offers an opportunity for farmers to sell to other parties outside of ZIDOFA and can supplement their income while waiting for their rice to be harvested. Sufficient supply of organic inputs lessens dependence on chemicals.

Continued education on newer technologies coupled with farm to farm visits will allow farmers to not only share knowledge but also to share available materials needed as ingredients for organic input manufacture.

Presence of open sided rain shelters for the farmers to work on.

Continuous monitoring and mentoring to ensure that the organic inputs are applied at the right amount and at the right schedules. Inability to follow input application schedules will lead to lower yield.

Continous monitoring of raw materials used to ensure quality and organic integrity of organic inputs.

Documentation of yields versus inputs applied is important to show correlation and effectiveness.

Documentation and dissemination of results

Use of the Organic-Based System of Rice Intensification as the preferred protocol for rice cultivation

farmers planting 8 day old rice plants one foot apart one plant per hill as per SRI specification

zidofa

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a group of agronomic management practices and principles which delivers optimum conditions for rice plants to manifest their fullest potentials for growth and yield. This climate and enviroment friendly method of rice cultivation uses 50 percent less irrigation water, requires 90 percent less seeds and allows for the cultivation of rice using only organic inputs with zero chemical or synthetic fertilizers.

SRI ensures that farmers in the group all use the same protocols or method of cultivation, use the same seed varieties and prepare organic inputs using the same formulas and use them in the same dosages. These ensure that quality of rice grains are consistently of high quality and of the same organic integrity from farmer to farmer.

Additionally, organic SRI plants exhibit substantial root architectures which allows them to withstand long periods of drought or extreme bouts of wind and rain. The deeply entrenched roots also allow for maximum uptake of nutriens and water as well as allows the rice plants to sequester deeper in the soil horizon, organic and photosynthetic carbon. The use of intermittent irrigation also lessens emissions of methane as a Green House Gas and the non-use of fertilizers reduce carbon emissions.

Key to the project would be the successfull execution of organic-based SRI practices and principles by the participating farmers. As such, continued training for SRI and organic agricultural practices should be conducted.

The availability of organic fertilizers and inputs is critical to replace the nutrients otherwise previously provided by synthetic fertilizers..

On-site and continuous farmer monitoring and mentoring will reduce risk and increase probability of succes especially for first time practitioners.

Volunteerism is key to success as the lack of farm labor could delay the execution of agronomic tasks related to SRI and will result in compounding of problems. If rotary weeding is delayed or not done as scheduled, weeds will grow out of control and will lead to failuer. If not enough organic inputs are avaiable and applied to the rice paddies and sprayed to the plants as foliar fertilizers, then yield will not be maximized.

Farmers who are too dependent tend to cheat and apply chemicals and poisons for diseases and pests when no one is looking. Random monitoring and strict mentoring discourages this. Only when the plants have shown their robust health will most first-timers be convinced that healthy organic rice plants can ward off pest and disease infestations on their own.

Lack of farm equipment will likewise adversely affect the planting and cultivation schedules. Preparing project proposals to government agencies should be done in advance as it may take a year or two for assitance and support to be placed in the pipeline for delivery

Documentation and dissemination of results

Microfinance for Growboxx® plant cocoon

Financing agroforestry with microcredit with the Groasis Ecological Water Saving Technology

Groasis

CO2 offset through agroforestry: 22 countries have accepted it already. The solution to help stop climate change.

Groasis

Financing the plantation of trees in poor developing countries is impossible. Banks need collateral but in general there is common land ownership and no kadaster. Often the population register is not complete so banks do not know where the money lender lives. At last trees start to produce after 5 to 7 years and banks want the interest and redemption as of the first year, so the money lender cannot pay its loan. For this reason not enough productive trees are planted, although agroforestry would be the best solution for dry and eroded countries.

The planting of trees in combination with vegetables offers a possibility to microfinance the planting. The trees cause long term cashflow, the vegetables produce food for the family, and they can sell their overproduction which causes the short term cashflow. The short term cashflow enables them to pay their microfinance. The microfinance can be done with a revolving fund.

The vegetables production in combination with the efficient water use, offers a possibility to reforest the world with productive trees.

The microfinance can be given by a revolving fund. The money lender lends money, repays within a year, the fund can lend it again. This system can repeat itself eternally.

At the moment we are working on a scheme where companies fund the revolving fund and receive carbon credits. Already 22 countries accept agroforestry as a way to offset CO2. We can offset CO2 for less than 1 USD costs per ton.

The interesting factor is that the offset CO2 through agroforestry, enriches the soil. Through photosynthesis the trees disconnect the CO2 in C and O2. The O2 retruns to the atmosphere. The C is used to produce food, medicines, fodder, timber, etc. Over 35% of the C is entering the soil in order to be transformed to humus.

Trees as a CO₂ offset solution

COP21 Paris Treaty accepts carbon sinks through trees, as outlined in article 4.1 – page 21:

In order to achieve the long-term temperature goal set out in Article 2, Parties aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, recognizing that peaking will take longer for developing country Parties, and to undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with best available science, so as to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases.

22 Countries have now accepted agroforestry as a CO₂ offset solution.At the moment we are having discussions with the first multinational company to use agroforestry as their CO2 offset program. This way we combine preventing climate change in a sustainable way in combination with necessary social components.

The Treesolution to help solve climate change

Triple 90 water saving benefits in 5 building blocks

Vegetables production with 90% less water use with the Groasis Ecological Water Saving Technology

Groasis

Planting on rocks without irrigation is no problem with the Groasis Ecological Water Saving Technology

Groasis

The Groasis Ecological Water Saving Technology consists of 5 building blocks:

1) Growboxx®/Waterboxx® plant cocoon

intelligent bucket

Provides water to a tree and vegetables while creating a healthy micro-climate. Both boxes use 90% less water and provide a survival rate of +90%.

2) (Bio)Growsafe Telescoprotexx

protects plants

Plant protector against heat, frost, wind, (sand)storms, and grazing animals. Protects plants and speeds up to plant growth. Available in carton or polypropylene.

3) Growmaxx Mycorrhizae

assists and/or replaces fertilizer

Fungi that feed the plant and support a healthy root system. Fertilizers contain salt and in dry soil often burn the roots. Mycorrhizae replace expensive fertilizers (natural alternative) while supporting faster plant.

4) Capillary Drill

elevates planting productivity

Machine used to accelerate making planting holes while leaving the capillary system intact. Digging planting holes by hand takes 15 min/hole (32 – 40 holes/day). Capillary drill makes 6.000 holes per day.

5) Terracedixx

increases water infiltration

Machine is used to make mini-terraces to stimulate increased rainwater infiltration into the soil. Currently just 25% of (rain)water enters the soil in degraded areas, by using the Terracedixx up to 90% is harvested.

Each one of the 5 steps may be taken individually. One can only use the Growboxx® plant cocoon and leave the rest.

E.g. instead of Growsafe plant protector, use fencing.

Instead of the mycorrhizae use fertilizer.

Instead of the Capillary drill make the planting holes by hand.

Instead of using the Terracedixx built terraces by hand.

Until now Groasis has sold its technology in 42 countries that are harrased by drought. Aside of all the technological inventions, three main subjects are very important:

1) Training. It turns out that users immediately adapt the technology. But it has to be explained at least one time.

2) The right species on the right place. One cannot plant an apple tree in the Kuwaiti desert, and not a mango tree in the Northern European countries. The chosen species has to be able to adapt to the climate.

3) The right variety of vegetables. It turns out that we find immense differences in productivity between varieties. E.g. under the same circumstances one tomato variety produces 20 kilos per Growboxx® and another variety produces 50 kilos per Growboxx®. It is important to test varieties before scaling up.

More food with less water. 16 Video lessons of vegetables production with the G…

Developing a Farmer Business School (FBS)

Farmers developing their business plan during the FBS roll-out

CABE

Ensuring that farmers are able to competitively supply food to any future home-grown school meals programme, or other institutional market, will be essential for improving livelihoods and generating broad-based health and economic growth. Currently, the guarantee of a steady supply of fresh vegetables remains a challenge and schools are accustomed to purchasing food from one or more larger traders following government guidelines for contracts and bidding processes. Trainings provided through the Farmer Business School on sustainable agricultural practices and the provision of certified seed have helped farmers scale up their production levels for indigenous vegetables, while guidance on gross margin analysis and bidding processes has increased farmer skills in contract negotiation and in determining an equitable price for their produce. Prior to the training, a limited number of farmers had attended market and value addition trainings, expecting third parties to undertake market searches on their behalf. Following the training, farmers were more confident about going out to seek their own markets, particularly after learning that institutional markets were open to purchasing indigenous vegetables to increase dietary diversity for their beneficiaries and to improve nutrition.

A consultative workshop held at the start of the project brought together farmer groups, schools and local administrators to identify the major constraints hindering the commercialization of African leafy vegetables. The workshop brought the supply (farmers) and demand (schools) sides of the value chain to the same table to discuss how the future supply of ALVs to institutional markets might look like, while an enabling environment was created for local administrators, who, prior to the project, had very little history of working together.

On the production side, garnering interest from farmers can prove a challenge as time constraints are often a limiting factor for women farmers who have other domestic duties and responsibilities. Ideally, more time needs to be allocated to the roll out the FBS for it to work effectively. Furthermore, greater emphasis needs to be devoted to building capacity in value addition to enable farmers to sustain production capacity throughout the year. The process of linking farmers to institutional markets can also be a slow process, mostly due to problems of a logistical nature (transport, other work commitments by stakeholders) and to challenges in garnering support for the project from county players. Frequent visits to the school need to be made to successfully engage the school administration and attention paid to ensure the surrounding community, school staff and parents are aware of any agreement for local procurement. Suspicions about personal gains may arise when there is no common understanding about a project or community ownership.

Implementation

Local