Project News

The group farm is the place where the participating families learn farming techniques and conservation techniques.  Beside this, it is also an important base for generating income by selling the crops that are harvested there and establishing a fund for carrying out the group activities.

Therefore, besides technical assistance, the Project also assists in building the basic, simple structures necessary for the group farm.  These include the following:

• A meeting house (It has a roof and benches where meetings can be held even if it rains.)
• Storage shed (for keeping tools and material)
• Fences (to protect the crops from damage by animals)
• Irrigation (Allows crops to be grown all year long, even in the dry season; it supports the sustainability of group activities.)
• Structures for making organic fertilizer, seedling nursery and seedbed.

(Photo 1: left): Chilibrillo group's meeting house. This style of meeting house has the storage shed on the inside (to the far right). (March 27, 2009)
(Photo 2: right) Santa Cruz group's storage shed. This is the standard design and size of the group storage sheds. (March 26, 2009)

(Photo 3: left) Santa Cruz group's water source is a small spring. A small dam is being built to increase the depth and volume of the water for irrigation purposes.
(Photo 4: right) Crossing the lake with a water tank for the Peñas Blancas group farm. (June 12, 2009)

(Photo 5: left) Building the structure where organic fertilizer will be made in the Boqueron Arriba group farm. (Junes 2007)
(Photo 6: right) The Madroñal group farm's seedbed. Beans and other crop seeds are germinated here. (September 2, 2009)

In addition to the above structures, the Project sometimes also helps the group farms in building an outdoor kitchen, latrines, bridges made from tree trunks and signs.

(Mr. Taku MORI, Farmland Use Plan / Extension)