We are in the beginning phases of development plans for our community farm outside of Libreville, Gabon. We have had visions for this for several years, but due to the land dispute (details here), we had to wait until things were cleared in court for us to move forward on the 65-acre plot of land we purchased for the church. We currently have a guard house on the property, people living there to oversee the land, and are continuing building on the medical outreach campus. In addition to all this, is the agriculture component we have been waiting to add.
We are currently working with church leadership on the details of this program and are in the initial fundraising stage so that we will be ready to assist our partners as they start sustainable farming practices later this year.
In partnership with the church, we are building the criteria for acceptance into the new farming program and what training programs all participants will go through before being given a plot of land. We believe that everyone involved should be trained on high-yielding, resilient, and adaptive practices (HYRAP) so that they are prepared for climate-smart farming and unstable weather patterns. We also believe that training in soil, crop rotation, and understanding of what trees and vegetables will grow best needs to happen first. We are looking for training in Gabon and also have found excellent online training opportunities. Similar criteria will be in place for livestock as well.
Our overall goal is to assist the church as they provide economic opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged. We also are planning the second phase of the program, which will include the farmers giving back a portion of their harvest to the church to provide for others in the communities.
Funds raised for this program will go to training, and the purchase of seeds, plants, and livestock.
