Summary of organisation: Barefoot Economy is a non profit organisation which establishes locally owned, ethical businesses and provides livelihoods for the poorest communities in developing countries. We train people in sustainable agriculture; provide first world technology and training to convert low cost agricultural materials into high added value products for export.
About the project: We are seeking funding to train poor farmers in Nepal in the use of sterilised organic biomass to increase crop yields and ensure long term environmental sustainability of farmer's land banks.Organic biomass is a cheap organic fertiliser however, unless it's sterilised prior to use, naturally occuring fungi, bacteria, yeasts and moulds in the biomass can cause massive crop failures.
Website: www.barefooteconomy.org
We aim to train 1,000 farmers over three years in application and use of sterilised organic biomass fertiliser. Our Processing Plant in Nepal generates (through steam distillation) 350 tonnes of sterilised biomass annually through processing raw plant material (grown by farmers) into essential oils for export. This sterilised biomass may be used by farmers as a sustainable natural fertiliser to guarantee higher, better crop yields. Surplus biomass can be sold to local farmers generating an income for the project and ensuring sustainability.
Caption (from left): Women who grow aromatic plants for Barefoot Economy in Sri Lanka taking a tea break; a cinnamon bark peeler in Sri Lanka.