TheAfricanDevelopmentInitiative:::ProjectRISEReport October2010

DescriptionUsingdry‐seasonfarmingtechniquestomaximizeusageoflandinEkumdipeyear‐round.

ImplementationInstallingtheirrigationsystemsandexecutingourpilotprogram.

NextStepsAssessing,critiquing,andovercomingobstaclestosuccess.

AletterfromtheUndergraduatePresidentandDirectorofRISEDearADIMembersandSupporters,

Firstofall,Iwouldliketothankyouagainfortakingthetimetoreadoursecondmonthlyupdate.Hopefully,youenjoyedthefirstoneandwehopetocontinuetokeeppeoplelikeyouactivelyengagedinourworkthroughtheseupdatesinthefuture.MynameisAdamDemuyakorandIamthePresidentofADI’sundergraduatearm.UndergraduateinvolvementhasalwaysbeennearthecoreofourorganizationandourUndergraduateBoardworkstosupportthelargernon‐profitinstitutionbyfacilitatingastructureinwhichbrightandeagerstudentscandowhattheycantohelptheAfricanDevelopment

Initiativecontinuetogrowandexecuteourprojects.AsIwritetoyoufromHarvardCollege,thisisaspecialtimeforourorganization.Isaythatfortworeasons.First,thisisaspecialtimeforusbecausewehavejustcompletedtheassemblyofourUndergraduateboard.Thisboardisvitalforourundergraduateprocesses,asitwillallowustocentralizestudentactivityforthemonthsandyearstocome.Secondly,thisisanimportanttimeforADIbecauseofourimpendingWinterAfricatrip.ThisDecember5membersofADIwilltraveltoAfricatocontinueworkonourtwomain

projects,ACWAandRISE.Inourlastupdate,weintroducedyoutoprojectACWA.ThisnewsletterwillfeatureProjectRuralIrrigationSystemforEkumdipe,orRISE.AstheprojectleaderofRISE,IamecstaticabouttheprospectofreturningtoGhanatoimplementthenextphasesoftheproject.Atthispoint,thesystemhasbeenproventoworkandthepotentialisashighasevertopositivelyimpactthelivesofthepeopleofEkumdipe.Thanksagainforyourcontinuedsupport.AdamDemuyakorADIUndergraduatePresident

RISERural

IrrigationSystemfor

Ekumdipe

Project

ProjectRISEReport October2010

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TheissueofpovertyisattheforefrontofdevelopmentinAfrica.InourADISurveys,filledoutbymembersofcommunitieswehaveworkedin,weask,”Whatdopeoplehereneedmost?”Themostcommonansweroverwhelminglyis“Money.Canyougiveusjobs?”Historically,manyorganizationshavetriedtoalleviatepovertyindevelopingregionsbygivingdonationsdirectlytothoseinneed.Thistypeofsolutionisoftenineffective,asitcreatesunnecessarydependencies,andisrarelyself‐sustainable.Insomecases,donationsmadewiththebestofintentionscanruinthelittleeconomicactivityinanareabyunderminingmarketsanddiscouraginginternalentrepreneurship.

ProjectRISEemploysadifferentstrategy.TheADIProjectRuralIrrigationSystemforEkumdipe(RISE)showslocalpeoplehowtoalterfarmingpracticestoincreasetheirincome.Ekumdipeisacommunityofabout1,200peopleinoneofGhana’srural,northernregionsthatexperiencesextremeidlenessduringthedry‐season(whichisapproximatelyfromOctobertoMarch).Farmersearnnothingduringthis6‐monthperiod,whichkeepsthepeopleofEkumdipeinpoverty.

Farmersintheareaproducethevastmajorityoftheircropsduringtherainyseason.TheoutskirtsofEkumdipeareonlyabout1to1.5kilometersawayfromtheDakaRiver,which

flowsthroughouttheyearintotheVoltaRiver/Lake.Seasonalfloodssometimesbringwatertowithin30metersofthecommunity.Asthewaterrecedesaftertherainyseason,fertilesoilsremainforvegetablecultivation.

However,duringdryseason,rainintheareadecreasesdrastically.Landsbecomesodrythatfarmingisfutile.ThefarmersinEkumdipedonotworkduringthisseasonandforegoasubstantialamountofpotentialincome.

InpartnershipwithDr.BawaDemuyakorattheUniversityofDevelopmentStudiesinGhana,ProjectRISEaimstousedry‐seasonfarmingtechniquespracticedinnearbyregionswithsimilarclimatestobeginmaximizingtheusesoflandinEkumdipeyear‐round.OurgoalistoutilizethenearbyDakaRivertocreateathoroughwaterirrigationsystem.Farmersintheareagrowtypicaltropicalsub‐SaharanAfricancropssuchascorn(maize),millet,sorghumandrice,allstaplecerealcrops.Thesearecurrentlygrownonlyseasonallybut,withproperirrigation,canbecultivatedthroughouttheyear.Farmersseasonallygrowtypicalvegetablesaswell,suchastomatoes,okra,assortedbeantypes,peppers,cabbages,carrots,andmanyotherslocalvarieties.Thesevegetablescouldalsobegrownallyearwithadequatewatersupply.

AfterseveralmeetingswiththefarmersinEkumdipeandsurroundingcommunities,welearnedthatfarmersproduceasufficientsupplyofthestaplecerealcrops(corn,millet,sorghum,andrice)tostoreuntilthenextyear’scroparrives.However,thesameisnottrueoftheaforementionedvegetablesandpeppers,whichareinshortsupplyduringthedry‐season.Asaresult,thesevegetablessellinthemarketsofthenearbyurbancenterofTamaleforhigh‐pricescomparedtothepricesinregionsfamiliarwiththetechniquesofdry‐seasonfarming,suchassouthernBurkinaFaso.WehypothesizedthatwithitsproximitytoTamaleandtechnicalassistancefromus,Ekumdipecouldenterthismarket,increasingthefoodsupplyandstimulatingsmall‐scaletradegrowth.

ProjectDescriptionUsingdry‐seasonfarmingtechniquestomaximizeusageoflandinEkumpdipeyearround.

ProjectDirector,AdamDemuyakor

October2010

3

ProjectRISEImplementationInstallingtheirrigationsystemsandexecutingourpilotprogram.

Totestourhypothesis,webeganourpilotirrigationprograminEkumdipe.Afterexploringvariousoptions,wedecidedtouseHondaWB30XTPumps($500)andlocallyavailableabovegroundrubberpipingtocreatetheirrigationsystems.TheHondaWB30XTPumpsalsopowermotorbikesthatserveastheprimarymeansfortransportationinthevillage.Hence,mostpeopleinthecommunityarealreadyquitefamiliarwithitsmaintenancerequirementsandhavesomequiteingeniousmethods(or“Ghanaianways”,asthelocalswilltellyou)forkeepingthesepumpsrunningforyears.

Thesystemworksasfollows.First,placethepumpinanareabetweenabodyofwaterandthedesiredfarm‐area.Then,insertaninputpipe(green)andanoutputpipe(blue)intothepump.Thedistalendoftheinputpipeisplacedintothenearbywatersource(eithertheDakaRiverorthereservoirnearthecommunity)andtheoutputpipeislaidontothepre‐tilledfarmland.Onceallofthepartsareinposition,anindividualstartsthesystembypullingontheblackpullchordthatisattachedthepump.Thepumpwillpullwaterfromthewatersourceandshootitouttowardsthefarm.Thefarmermovestheoutputpipeinordertoirrigatethelandevenly.Eachpumpissufficienttoirrigate2to3acresofland,theamountoflandtypicallyownedby1to3familiesinEkumdipe.

Forourinitialtrial,wedecidedtopurchase4completepumpsystemsandlendthemtoateamof10farmers,whommembersofthecommunitydeemedcapableandcreditworthy.Weconsideredthatselectingthebestfarmerswouldskewourfindings,whichmightnotrepresenttheentirecommunity.However,wedecidedthatconvincingtheskepticalcommunitythattheycouldindeedgrowcropsinthedry‐seasonwasacriticalfirststep,andcapablefarmerswouldbemostlikelytoensurethesuccessofthepilot.

Throughgrassrootsfundraising,weaccumulatedsufficientfundstopurchasethesupplies.Also,ourteamwasfortunateenoughtocollaboratewithHarvardEconomicsprofessorDr.Richard

Freeman,whoextendedagranttoProjectRISEinexchangeforon‐the‐groundresearchinEkumdipe.Thissolvedourthreemajorproblemswiththetrialatthesametime:funding,theneedforexternalassessmentoftheproject,andtherequirementforincreasingourownaccountabilitybyaddingthescrutinyofaprofessional.Atthetime,ProfessorFreemanwasbeginningintensiveresearchontheimportanceofwaterindevelopingregionsoftheworld.Ourirrigationprojectfitperfectlyintothenatureofhisresearch,andhewaswillingtoprovidefundsinexchangefordataandupdatesontheimpactofwaterinthisparticularcommunity.Withthefundsraised,Dr.BawaDemuyakorandtheADIRISEteampurchasedthepumps,pipes,fertilizer,andseedsfordryseasonfarming.

OnceinourteamreachedGhana,Dr.BawaDemuyakorprovidedtechnicalassistanceandloanedthe10‐farmerteamitssupplies.Heexplainedthattheywouldneedtorepayatminimum10%ofthecostsafterthefirstdry‐seasonfarmingcycle,usingtheprofitsfromtheadditionalcrops.Basedontheoutcomeofthepilot,theserepaymentrateswouldbeadjusted,forfutureloans,andappropriateinterestrateswouldbeset.Allrepaidloanswouldbeusedtofundthepurchaseofmorepumps,andeventuallytofundotherlocalmicro‐enterprises.

Afterthetownmeeting,weconductedbaselinehouseholdsurveysforourresearchwithDr.Freeman.WemodifiedaZambiatestedpro‐socialorientationquestionnaire,designedwiththeintentofunderstandingparticipants’standards,opinions,andexpectationspriortotheinitiationaproject,andmadeitappropriateforaNorthernGhanacommunity.Ourquestionsfocusedondeterminingthefarmers’attitudeonworkingonthebehalfofotherseveniftheirfamiliesarenotthesolebeneficiariesoftheproject;theirwillingnesstopaybackthesuppliessothatothercommunitymemberscouldprosper;howtheirworkethiccomparedwiththatofthewholecommunity.Lastly,weaskedthefarmersiftheyfelttheprojectwasaworthycause.Alltenanswered”yes”.

ProjectRISEReport October2010

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Therearemanychallengestoworkingwithsucharural,remotecommunity.Lastdryseason,weencounteredonesuchobstacle.Weaskedpeoplefortheirincomelevelstoobtainabaselineagainstwhichtomeasuretheeffectsofourfarminginnovation.Welearnedthatinthecommunity,peopleareloathtodisclosepersonalfinancialinformation.Consequently,wearedevelopinganewmethodbasedonharvestyieldsandprevailingmarketpricestoestimateincreasesinincome.Wewillsupplementthisreportwithqualitativesurveydatainordertomeasurethesuccessofthepilot.

ThisDecember,theADIRISEteamwilltraveltoEkumdipetoconductourfirstmajorassessmentandcritiqueofthetrialphaseoftheproject.Tocloselymonitortheprojectinourabsence,weselectedarespectedmaleschoolteacherinEkumdipetoactasliaison.Wewillprovidethishim/herwithalaptopsohe/shecanprovideweeklyupdatesonthatstatusofthesystem.

Lastseason,thefirstyearofourproject,thefarmerssuccessfullygrewcropsinthedryseasonforthefirsttime,somethingtheyhadneverdonebefore.However,ourcropyieldwaslowerthanexpected.Dr.BawaandtheRISEteaminGhanaattributedthistoadeficiencyinmotivationandknowledgeaboutdry‐seasonfarming.Toincreasemotivation,beforethenextdryseason,wewillrecruitanoutsidefarmerfromtheBawkuregiontosetupafarm.Thisindividualwillsetupanewfarmintheregionandfarmamongst3‐4farmersofthepilotgroup.Ourhypothesisisthattheexposuretoasuccessfulfarmandaccesstoknowledgeableexpertwillcausetheothermembersofthesystemtoquicklycatchonandexperiencehighyieldsaswell.Otherorganizationsthatintroducednewtechnologicalinnovationsinunderdevelopedregionshaveemployedanoutsidertodemonstratethesuccessoftheproject.Weexpectthatanewfarmerwhohasexperienceddrasticsuccesswillmotivatelocalfarmerstoworkhardfortheirownharvests.

NextSteps

Assessing,critiquing,andovercomingobstaclestosuccess.

October2010

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OurProgress: Selected10farmersbasedonprecedenttrendsofsuccessinrainyseasonfarming Purchase4HondaWB30XTpumps Purchaseapproximately400metersofrubberpipeworkstoattachtothesystem TransportsuppliesfromthecapitalofAccratothenortherncommunityofEkumdipe Beginpilotirrigationsystemutilizingthetransportedpipesystemandthe10initialfarmers Identifyonthegroundcommunicationliaisontoensuremoreaccuratereal‐timeupdates Provideliaisonwithpropercommunicationmeans(laptopcomputer,wirelessrouter,etc) HireoutsidefarmerfromBawkuregiontobetterdemonstratesuccessfuldry‐seasonirrigationmethods Revampsystemtomeasureoutcomes(newsystemwillrelyonprevailingmarketpricesinsteadratherthan

viafarmerrecollection) Acquireextrapipeconnectionstospreadareaofwateringandfurtherenhancetheexistingirrigationsystem Newfarminputsfornextseason:

o vegetableseedso weedicideso insecticides

Follow‐UpBudget:$2,030PipeAdjustmentEndings($1000)

Seeds,Insecgcides,andPesgcides($175)TillageofLand($25)

AcresofLand($10)

TillageExpense($250)

TheAfricanDevelopmentInitiative:::ProjectRISEReport October2010

TheAfricanDevelopmentInitiative67HighlandAvenueRandolph,MA02638

ChiefExecutiveOfficer,DarrylFinkton

darrylfinkton@africandi.com

ExecutivePresident,SanguDelle

sangudelle@africandi.com

Forgeneralinquiries,contactadmin@africandi.com

DearReaders,Asyousawinthepreviouspage,itwilltakeroughly$2,030tosuccessfullycarryoutthenextphaseofProjectRISE.Ifyouareinterestedinhelpingusfundthesecomponents,pleasevisitourwebsite,www.africandi.com,andselect“Donate”orjustclickthefollowinglink:http://www.africandi.com/?p=donateNoneofourprojectswouldbepossiblewithoutyourendlesssupport.Thankyou.Sincerely,TheADIBoard