Project Title
Leasing of irrigation materials and solar pumps with technical support to 30 small fruit producers in the Ivory Coast
Setting up a lease system for small fruit (and vegetable) producers who are struggling to develop their business because of limited access to credit and therefore to these relatively expensive equipment
- Make irrigation equipment accessible to smallholders under very flexible conditions;
- Train smallholders in farm income management with a simplified farm accounting system and basic notions and principles of irrigation to improve the productivity of their farms;
- Participate in the empowerment of women by encouraging their participation in the project;
- Introduction of a new mode of sales of the equipment: lease construction for drip-irrigation equipment (materials and solar pump)
- Theoretical and practical training of small farmers in the basics of drip irrigation
- Maintenance and ongoing technical assistance/advice to small farmers
The project will run according to the following steps:
- Receiving funds and ordering materials
- Producer selection (Duration: 2 weeks)
- Training (Duration: 45 days) - 1,5 day per producer
- Reception of the materials (4 months after the order)
- Installation of equipment (Duration: 2 months)
- Maintenance (Duration: 36 months); for breakdowns, a maintenance team will be on the site within 24 hours to resolve the problem. A stock of spare parts will be available at the ASFA premises to avoid long waiting times
- Irrigation equipment lease-purchase agreement signed with at least 30 producers
- Forty (40) women and 100 youth trained and provided professional development services in record keeping, and business management
- Continuous monitoring and backstopping visits provided to producers with lease agreements
- Two buyer agreements secured for producers of selected fruits
- Farmer yields per hectare of 20 tons (melon); 18 tons (water melon); 35 tons (passion fruits); and 45 tons (papaya) achieved
- Total SME jobs of 136 created