The Sonder Project
THE SONDER COMMUNTY FARM PROGRAM UPDATE
The Sonder Project partners with rural communities where most people are subsistence farmers and rely on rain-fed agriculture to make a living . Unfortunately , with the advent of climate change , each year the rainy season seems more unpredictable , and the possibility of ever lifting themselves from poverty seems further out-of-reach .
In response , the Sonder Project began a multi-year project to develop a solar-irrigated community farm . A partner community in Burkina Faso was chosen , and work began in 2018 . This community farm is creating an economic engine and providing a reliable food source for the local community . The farm is 4.5 hectares (~ 11 acres ) and has 109 members representing more than 1,200 community members .
Last year , we witnessed some of the most exciting new investments in our farm :
1 . We hired an Agricultural Field Coordinator , Wielfried Lompo , to focus full-time on the farm and increase its outputs and community collaboration .
2 . We built water towers to connect our three deep-well water sources . This created a storage system and improved water flow .
3 . We partnered with ECHO International to lead regenerative agriculture training with community members to ensure we are enriching the soil for long – term use of the field .
As we look ahead , we are finally ready to shift our focus away from the infrastructure currently in place and focus on supporting the community to grow food all year round !
WE CAN ’ T WAIT TO GET STARTED !
Members of the farm work to prepare the land .
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