Development

Development creates employment by improving value of commodities raised and products created.

As one of resilience's corner stones, development programs when combined with social values placed in caring for family, and having faith in God provides a sound foundation. Men's and women's hopes, dreams and aspirations are met when by God's work of spreading the gospel and serving human need.

Samaritan's Purse Int. recognizes the value of development and takes a three year approach.

Find the unsupported step in a industries value chain.

Find the best qualified individuals to be a project benefactor.

Stays with the project through concept, investment, training, production and marketing.

The resulting final product serves as an example  to the community.

The development approach for San Pablo , Beni Department, Bolivia is shown here.



Beni's biggest industry is cattle

Bolivia's northeast Department landscape is a series of savanna's and wetlands suited to ranching

Cattle Ranch outside of Trinidad, Bolivia

Cowboy (Vaqueros) herding a bull to a new paddock

 The traditional employment as vaqueros while romantic will not support Beni's growing population. Local communities have land to give or sell to willing citizens to farm. A farm family can be given 50 hectors free, if they children to enroll into school. The villages around San Pablo have many small landholders which development help them improve income and food security.

Produce sold is currently from Santa Cruz (a days drive)

Raising local produce and adding value to foods sold is an opportunity

Fresh produce in one of  a handful of stalls in San Pablo

Healthy Pullet Processor Association   



Business opportunity to market more chickens providing community a nutritious and healthier food.

 

Samaritan's Purse provides leadership, startup funds and training
to selected benefactors in order to improve business success.
The pullet processor was not toured



Opportunities to reach people is found unexpectedly 

A small village lays across a large tributary. Bridge annually washes out. Village can only be reached by the canoe ferry
 Result income is impacted. Four men have drown while trying to go for necessities, work or sell crops.


Samaritan's Purse worked with the Del Municipio De San Adres
Created the "Value Added" Process Facility

Juan Carlos, Samaritan's Purse Agriculture Development Specialist explains the 'Value Added' process of food preservation







A large number of products are grown year around. Rice, Corn

Soybean, beans, papaya, mango, tomatoes, bananas, fish

and can be processed with the oven into fifteen different products. 

The small oven provided by Samaritan's Purse is key to operation





Clean work counters

Product - Ready for packaging, transportation and sale.
Advantage is most of the fifteen products can be stored for two months
This reduces the hazard of high water crossings and secure higher prices.

Facility built by the men, material supplied by Samaritan's Purse and operated by the women

 Drip Irrigation on small Vegetable Farms (0.25 to 2 HA)

Jaun Carlos describes the Drip Irrigation principles.


This tour was exciting. SP I believe has done this right! There are many components to the system. The right sized power source is critical.  Many program managers do not seem to appreciate this point. Many projects are undersized trying to use hand power. The amount of water even if total requirement is reduce with drip is just too heavy to lift the distance form the source to the height necessary to function the drip lines and emitters. 

Don Benito Farmer observes the drip line on his tomatoes and peppers

1. A permanent water source that does not dry up before the end of the 'Dry Season'
2. A short distance and reasonable modest lift to the correctly sized storage tank.
3. Storage tank height (close to one atmosphere to operate emitters) regulates droplet size
4. A fertile plot with rotated legumes, vegetables and some trees.
5. Economy of scale. 0.25 hectare (HA) minimum size drip kits sold. Kits up to 2 HA.
6. Business plan is strong. Once established, profits from produce would pay initial investment.
7. Pesticides when used,  are used within label prescriptions.
8. Section of rows lain on the contour to control runoff.
9. Protected with fence

Juan Carlos stated the aquatic vegetation added nitrogen
While the science was not shared, ...
it is common practice in the USA for the agronomist to credit nitrogen from the irrigation water.
Yes, I did catch the Lepidoptera in the shot. 

Right sized water pump
This is important. Stated only seven minutes to fill the storage tank. Also stated in the height of the dry season would required four or more tank fills a week. Working the math this is only one inch (15 mm) a week, since 1/3 of field is watered sizing is adequate for the crop water requirement.
Nicely done!

Juan and Don checking peppers

From small things come great beginnings.