Agricultural Projects

Some Agricultural Projects Supported by POST

Astonishingly, the improvement of agriculture is not specifically mentioned as one of the Millennium Development Goals! At present around 1 billion people do not have enough to eat and 2 billion are malnourished. In order to grow crops for our consumption we currently need around 600,000 cubic kilometres of water per annum. Also, clean water that is safe to drink is essential for everyone as many human diseases, such as cholera and bilharzia, are water borne. We are therefore very pleased to be able to support the construction of sand dams in Kenya by Excellent Development (Figs. 1 and 2). These provide clean water which is safe to drink and also water for the irrigation of crops. Once the dam is constructed it fills over 1 – 3 seasons with sand washed down during the rains. Around 40% of the volume of the dam is water held within the sand which can be tapped from the bottom or by digging behind the dam wall.

Fig 1. A new sand dam filling up with water and sand
Fig. 2. A vegetable plot near a sand dam

Purley Overseas Trust supports Power International’s work with the Disabled in Zambia. Power International, working with local NGOs, is enabling people with disabilities in Zambia to earn their living by subsistence farming (Figs. 3 and 4).

Fig 3. Katherine (above right) with a co-ordinator of the farm project was blinded by small pox when she was 7.
Fig. 4. Katherine is supported by her daughter (shown with granddaughter) who grows eggplant, beans, peppers, ochre, maize, pumpkin and rape. She sells what they do not consume.