Project Report
| Jan 9, 2024
Foundations for Farming January 2024 Update
By Andrew Jackson | Operations Manager
![Land cleared and mulched]()
Land cleared and mulched
As the year drew to a close so did the furious work of getting ‘Pfumvudza’ plots ready for the rains. A single Pfumvudza plot is capable of feeding a family of 6 for a year with either maize or sugar bean and with 8 plots per school they represent a huge boost to their ability to consistently feed students.
Sadly the rains were late impacting planting for millions of subsistence farmers across the continent. But late is better than never and with so much work done we must now wait for the seeds to germinate and grow. With the addition of skills developed (including mulching, composting, weeding, fertiliser development and more) and practiced, we hope that this leads to a bumper crop and a record breaking harvest.
Best wishes and compliments of the new season to everyone who supports and takes an interest in our work. Here’s to a happier, healthier and more nourishing 2024.
![Composting is also key]()
Composting is also key
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Sep 11, 2023
Foundations for Farming August 2023 Update
By Andrew Jackson | Operations Manager
![Drip irrigation system being installed]()
Drip irrigation system being installed
We are delighted to showcase the wonderful new drip-irrigation system installed at Guzha Primary School. Linked up to their reliable water supply this will quite literally drip feed the crops needed to put nutritious meals on the school’s tables. It took two days for the engineers to complete the work and led to much excitement from the students to the Head Teacher. Their onward responsibilities include making liquid fertilizer and ensuring the compost pile matures well. We have also handed over lots of tools including hoes, forks, rakes and watering cans for those crops not covered by the drip system. The school also elected to build their own grass fences to help protect their produce from wild animals and roaming livestock.
Over at Dandara Primary School things are also progressing nicely. The chicken house has been built and the chickens arrived. Once settled in the chickens should lay one egg each per day, giving the student’s a huge boost in their protein intake. In addition to this they’ve been busy growing cabbages and have shown a diligent commitment to farming well.
We’re delighted that things are going so well but with great success comes the responsibility to deliver these projects in an excellent way and to find the remaining funding it will take to do so. Please helps us and thank you!
If you would like to know more about our work, please get in touch on GlobalGiving or via social media.
![Chickens!]()
Chickens!
![Fun farming - is the best way]()
Fun farming - is the best way
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May 26, 2023
Foundations for Farming May 2023 Update
By Andrew Jackson | Operations Manager
![Participants observe soil and water demonstrations]()
Participants observe soil and water demonstrations
In the last quarter we’ve been delighted to be back training participants of both Guzha Primary School and Dandara Primary School. Each four day training programme included our ‘Pfumvudza’ model’s potential to produce enough food for a family of six for an entire year. Other topics included; vegetable production, household remedies, composting, agroforestry as well as leadership and team building.
The participants were trained to establish demonstration plots in their school, personal fields and the surrounding communities. The teachers were encouraged to patiently teach their pupils thepracticality of the intervention, to help them to not just understand what conservation agriculture is and its importance, but for them to gain the necessary skills for them adopt it in their fields at home.
We’ve also been preparing the demonstration crop plots where the theory will be put in to practice and the school feeding programme will literally come to life.
We’ll show you the exciting results next time…
Thank you
![How to establish a nutritional garden]()
How to establish a nutritional garden
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