Empower smallholder farmers in the rural with solar water pumps for irrigation. by Muchinga General Enterprises Ltd
Pitch
Preserving the environment by prospering together with smallholder farmers in the rural by motivating them to take farming as business.
Description
Summary
The problem we are trying to solve is cutting down of trees for charcoal which is affecting the climate change. We want to preserve the Environment by motivating smallholder farmers at the local rural concentrating on farming as source of income unlike cutting down of trees for charcoal for sell by providing them guaranteed market of cereal and legume crops at the local rural throughout the year and giving them long term loans in terms of solar water pump systems with total dynamic head of 90 meters and pump flow rate of 4600litres of water per hour and household solar lighting systems. The business solves the problem by motivating smallholder farmers at the local rural to grow different types of crops throughout the year by the guaranteed market provided at the local rural level and by the use of solar water pump systems thereby preserving the environment unlike cutting down of trees for charcoal as source of income. The problem we are trying to solve is cutting down of trees for charcoal which is affecting the climate change. We want to preserve the Environment by motivating smallholder farmers at the local rural concentrating on farming as source of income unlike cutting down of trees for charcoal for sell by providing them guaranteed market of cereal and legume crops at the local rural throughout the year and giving them long term loans in terms of solar water pump systems with total dynamic head of 90 meters and pump flow rate of 4600litres of water per hour and household solar lighting systems. The business solves the problem by motivating smallholder farmers at the local rural to grow different types of crops throughout the year by the guaranteed market provided at the local rural level and by the use of solar water pump systems thereby preserving the environment unlike cutting down of trees for charcoal as source of income.
Category of the action
Building efficiency: Physical Action
What actions do you propose?
The smallholder farmers in the rural must be provided with long term loans in form of solar water pump systems for irrigation purposes so that they concentrate on farming as source of income. The tanks for storage of water for irrigation purposes must be constructed using local material stones , sand and cement.This will become a culture for the future generation to have solar water pump systems for irrigation purposes as a means of having income.The non-cutting of the trees for charcoal for sell will be one of the conditions in the solar water pump loan agreement with the smallholder farmers at the local rural so that they could concentrate on farming of cereal and legume crops which the market will be guaranteed for them at the local rural. This will motivate the smallholder farmers to increase the production of cereal and legume crops which are nutritious. The smallholder farmers will be motivated to concentrate on farming as the source of income because of the guaranteed market at the local rural for the crops they will be growing. In the long run because of the increased income that the rural smallholder farmers will have will start to purchase the solar water pump systems from our company instead of loans and will make it easier for them to pay for solar home lighting systems. All the future generation will develop a culture of having solar water pump system for farming as source of income thereby preserving the trees. The smallholder farmers will be our customers for solar water pump systems and at the same time will be our producers of cereal and legume crops which we shall be purchasing from them at the local rural and sell to bulk buyers and processors. We have customers at both ends, the smallholder farmers in the rural for solar water pump systems and home solar lighting systems at one end and bulk buyers of cereal and legume crops at the other end. The idea is for the smallholder farmers to be growing cereal and legume crops throughout the year under irrigation to adapt to drought caused by climate change as source of income because of the guaranteed market we shall provide at the local rural with the aim of discouraging deforestation for charcoal for sell as source of income. By so doing the culture will develop for the rural smallholder farmers and future generation to have solar water pump systems for irrigation which will provide us the market for the solar water pump systems. It could be similar to the way the culture of having a mobile phone for communication has developed.The non-cutting of the trees for charcoal for sell will be one of the conditions in the solar water pump loan agreement with the smallholder farmers at the local rural so that they could concentrate on farming of cereal and legume crops which the market will be guaranteed for them at the local rural. This will motivate the smallholder farmers to increase the production of cereal and legume crops which are nutritious. The smallholder farmers will be motivated to concentrate on farming as the source of income because of the guaranteed market at the local rural for the crops they will be growing. In the long run because of the increased income that the rural smallholder farmers will have will start to purchase the solar water pump systems from our company instead of loans and will make it easier for them to pay for solar home lighting systems. All the future generation will develop a culture of having solar water pump system for farming as source of income thereby preserving the trees. The smallholder farmers will be our customers for solar water pump systems and at the same time will be our producers of cereal and legume crops which we shall be purchasing from them at the local rural and sell to bulk buyers and processors. We have customers at both ends, the smallholder farmers in the rural for solar water pump systems and home solar lighting systems at one end and bulk buyers of cereal and legume crops at the other end. The idea is for the smallholder farmers to be growing cereal and legume crops throughout the year under irrigation to adapt to drought caused by climate change as source of income because of the guaranteed market we shall provide at the local rural with the aim of discouraging deforestation for charcoal for sell as source of income. By so doing the culture will develop for the rural smallholder farmers and future generation to have solar water pump systems for irrigation which will provide us the market for the solar water pump systems. It could be similar to the way the culture of having a mobile phone for communication has developed.
Who will take these actions?
The key actors ministry of Agriculture at local level, Muchinga General Enterprises Limited, Strategic partner to supply the solar pumps for irrigation purposes to Muchinga General Enterprises Limited,Cooperatives in the rural communities. Water borehole drilling companies and bulk buyers of cereal and legume crops to be purchasing the crops from Muchinga General Enterprises Limited
Where will these actions be taken?
These actions could be done in developing countries in Central and Southern African countries if funded.
How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?
The cutting of trees could drastically reduce by 80%. Increase in number of households that will take farming as business. Increase in number of households in the rural areas to have access to piped water. Reduction of food loss. Reduction of poverty by the number of rural community to have improved houses because of increased income at the local rural because of the guaranteed market provided at the local rural. Increase in number of girl children who will have access to education because the parents are able to afford sponsoring the children from farming. Increase in the number of youths to have permanent jobs in both rural and urban areas in the processing and manufacturing industries.
What are other key benefits?
Reduction of cutting down of trees for charcoal. Increase in number of households that will take farming as business. Increase in number of households in the rural areas to have access to piped water. Reduction of food loss. Reduction of poverty by the number of rural community to have improved houses because of increased income at the local rural because of the guaranteed market provided at the local rural. Increase in number of girl children who will have access to education because the parents are able to afford sponsoring the children from farming. Increase in the number of youths to have permanent jobs in both rural and urban areas in the processing and manufacturing industries. This will provide solutions for food security for the increasing population, adaptation to drought and develop the culture for having solar water pumps for irrigation of the smallholder farmers in the rural and stop just depending on rain for growing crops.
What are the proposal’s costs?
Funding Requirements
Promoter’s Money into Business:
We have invested $12,000 from savings. $5000 seed capital from Tony Elumelu Foundation(www.tonyelumelufoundation.org) for innovation of creating guaranteed market of crops at the local rural and $3000 as grant from IFAD through Ministry of Agriculture for innovation of creating guaranteed market at the local rural for legume crops for the smallholder farmers to increase production of these nutritious crops.
Capital Requirements:
The funds needed is $120000.
Detailed usage of Funds required:
-US26,000 to purchase one brand new tractor and the implements so that more than 15000 smallholder farmers in Mafinga and Serenje Districts to stop cutting trees for charcoal for sell and concentrate on farming as source of income since they will be growing throughout the year under irrigation and for aggregation of crops purchased from smallholder farmers. USD15,000 to purchase solar water pumps systems for irrigation and access to piped water. USD10,000 for construction of warehouse in Mafinga District Muchinga Province Zambia for storage of crops and renovation of building purchased for warehouse and offices in Serenje District in the rural in Central province as it is strategically located for transportation of crops for export to eastern African countries and other foreign countries in the east. USD36000 for purchase of equipment for drying, grading and packaging cereal and legume crops. USD6000 to purchase solar home lighting systems with radio and mobile phone charging facility to sell to smallholder farmers in the rural. USD10000 for construction of concrete water tanks for irrigation purpose. The balance for purchasing cereal and legume crops from smallholder farmers to motivate them to increase the production of the nutritious crops to feed the increasing population.
Time line
The proposed actions will be phased in zones starting from Mafinga District Muchinga Province Zambia if funds could be sourced and then to all provinces before moving to other countries.The short term of 5 years will create impact if funded at least USD250000.
Related proposals
Using agribusiness to mitigate climate change.
References
This is just the business model just developed and tested in Mafinga District Muchinga Zambia and can be on large scale if funded.
By:
Muchinga General Enterprises Ltd
