Tenth Conversion

October 02, 2008

We are making progress.  Ten farms have been converted to drip-irrigation wiith two more in the process. 

The latest familly to  receive their conversions are the Marzoans.  Mr. Marzoan is a young farmer with two wives, five children and two hectares of land.  Unfortunately his farm has sat dormant for most of the year due to a shortage of water.

Wally Albrecht, Director of our partner Global Development Agency writes:  “This man's living conditions are the poorest I've seen in east Lombok...I really felt compassion for this man”.

Marzoan supplements his farm income by working for the rural development agency and receives sporadic honorariums.

The team’s analysis was that Marzoan is  a good investment.   He has had some post-secondary education, but like so many he had to drop out of college due to a lack of funds.  But most important, he is eager to try drip-irrigation and so he has received his HAND-UP of a storage tank, cement and some cash to build a stand for the tank.  

If he prepares his field, digs his well and builds his stand for the tank, our Indonesian Foundation will come in an work with him to install the drip-irrigation system and train him how to use it.