Donation protected
Planting For The Future is an agricultural improvement project to aide the community of Ugandan friends I met last August while visiting their rural primary school in Amor Village, Tororo District, Eastern Uganda.
potato farming
Ugandans primary rely on subsistence agriculture to support themselves (84% of the population) while as much as 12% of the population suffers from food insecurity, contributing to a viscous cycle of extreme poverty, under-education and lack any prospect of economic advancement.
typical school meal of corn porridge
I have recently gone back to school through Oregon State University to acquire a certificate in Permaculture Design accredited by the Permaculture Institute of North America. I will be returning to Uganda in mid January to teach new methods of agricultural sustainability such as Permaculture principles, Agroforestry management and Silvopasture methods. The goal of this upcoming project is to increase crop yields, extend the growing season to mitigate the boom/bust farming cycles of the region, and establish a model farm site at my host’s (Beatrice Achieng Nas ) property. This property comprises approximately 12 acres of land and is also the location of Portland Primary School, serving 250+ kids. It is currently a struggle financially for the school to provide the one meal a day that it does (typically the corn porridge seen above), therefore with the increase in crop yields, the school will soon have the resources and knowledge to serve a larger, more balanced and nutritious meal.
role call at Portland Primary School
The fundraising goal of $2,000 will be used to assist the demonstration site to accomplish two primary objectives: stabilize soils (stop erosion, increase soil organic material and biota, improve soil tilth) and improve water management (methods of sequestration, infiltration, storage, extension such as earth works, swales, ponds and tanks storage). With your help these two goals can be accomplished by allowing the purchase of necessary support plants/seeds/trees, farm and education tools/materials and transportation costs.
preparing the land for the next planting
Donation collected will be used for soil improvement and water management which can be accomplished with a combination of different strategies, for example:
• Regionally appropriate plants — increases biomass, reduce erosion, fix nitrogen, produce fodder for animals, increase perennial food crops for consumption and reduce water needs.
• Simple farm tools — basic tools such as metal files, tree saws, wire cutters and hand powered drills will increase the efficiency of farm labor.
• Learning materials — poster boards and markers (for the holding of workshops) and notebooks (for field surveys) to assist in education.
• Petrol for transportation — travel between the rural village and larger cities to buy all the above mentioned implements. Additionally trips to other established demonstration sites and educational institutions will be beneficial to all involved (one example ).
The long term goals of this project and demonstration site are to increase crop yields and access to food year round, as well as to introduce and implement the methods and plants to the larger community to be lead independently by the community after I have left.
some of the people you would be helping
Thank you for taking the time to consider donating to my project in Uganda. Any amount given will have the potential to directly impact many lives in Amor Village and the greater community. It will allow for the education and spread of more modern agricultural methods and ideas that will impact generations to come. Even spreading the word and sharing my project by posting on social media, by talking to your family, introducing it to your faith group, co-workers, schoolmates or friends would be extremely appreciated. Thanks again and stay tuned for more updates!
some of my new friends after completing of a three-bin composting system
potato farmingUgandans primary rely on subsistence agriculture to support themselves (84% of the population) while as much as 12% of the population suffers from food insecurity, contributing to a viscous cycle of extreme poverty, under-education and lack any prospect of economic advancement.
typical school meal of corn porridgeI have recently gone back to school through Oregon State University to acquire a certificate in Permaculture Design accredited by the Permaculture Institute of North America. I will be returning to Uganda in mid January to teach new methods of agricultural sustainability such as Permaculture principles, Agroforestry management and Silvopasture methods. The goal of this upcoming project is to increase crop yields, extend the growing season to mitigate the boom/bust farming cycles of the region, and establish a model farm site at my host’s (Beatrice Achieng Nas ) property. This property comprises approximately 12 acres of land and is also the location of Portland Primary School, serving 250+ kids. It is currently a struggle financially for the school to provide the one meal a day that it does (typically the corn porridge seen above), therefore with the increase in crop yields, the school will soon have the resources and knowledge to serve a larger, more balanced and nutritious meal.
role call at Portland Primary SchoolThe fundraising goal of $2,000 will be used to assist the demonstration site to accomplish two primary objectives: stabilize soils (stop erosion, increase soil organic material and biota, improve soil tilth) and improve water management (methods of sequestration, infiltration, storage, extension such as earth works, swales, ponds and tanks storage). With your help these two goals can be accomplished by allowing the purchase of necessary support plants/seeds/trees, farm and education tools/materials and transportation costs.
preparing the land for the next plantingDonation collected will be used for soil improvement and water management which can be accomplished with a combination of different strategies, for example:
• Regionally appropriate plants — increases biomass, reduce erosion, fix nitrogen, produce fodder for animals, increase perennial food crops for consumption and reduce water needs.
• Simple farm tools — basic tools such as metal files, tree saws, wire cutters and hand powered drills will increase the efficiency of farm labor.
• Learning materials — poster boards and markers (for the holding of workshops) and notebooks (for field surveys) to assist in education.
• Petrol for transportation — travel between the rural village and larger cities to buy all the above mentioned implements. Additionally trips to other established demonstration sites and educational institutions will be beneficial to all involved (one example ).
The long term goals of this project and demonstration site are to increase crop yields and access to food year round, as well as to introduce and implement the methods and plants to the larger community to be lead independently by the community after I have left.
some of the people you would be helpingThank you for taking the time to consider donating to my project in Uganda. Any amount given will have the potential to directly impact many lives in Amor Village and the greater community. It will allow for the education and spread of more modern agricultural methods and ideas that will impact generations to come. Even spreading the word and sharing my project by posting on social media, by talking to your family, introducing it to your faith group, co-workers, schoolmates or friends would be extremely appreciated. Thanks again and stay tuned for more updates!
some of my new friends after completing of a three-bin composting systemOrganizer
Kevin Ellison
Organizer
Boston, MA