Agricultural partnerships
A new project has been started with 10 local farmers working in partnership with us. Farmers were chosen with the help of local leaders. Each has selected of an area of their land for the project.
The objective is to share methods and inputs to produce an increased yield and also to help with marketing/sales of produce in order to obtain maximum returns. They are supported with:
- Good seeds (there are many fake ones on sale)
- Training and support in planting (not sowing) – in rows, spaced to ease weeding. High value crops
- Fertiliser, insecticide and fungicide and sprayer
- Monitoring of farming methods used…
- Harvesting. (Yield is measured and compared to traditional methods)
- IISOH offers to purchase the crop from the farmers at market price to sell later…
Inputs are provided by Itambira Island Seeds of Hope and refunded from the yield after harvest. The yield is a lot higher using these methods, thus repayment not a problem and seeing the output many wish to continue and others wish to join the programme.
Demonstration plots on Itambira
To help show and instruct Local farmers as to what is possible.
