We think that we make a difference in the maximisation of benefits for the community. Our main instruments are working within a development concept for the community and implementing agroforestry practices with organic techniques. We are convinced that our presence, so far, has had mainly positive social and environmental effects.
We try to contribute as a member of the community with more economic resources and more contacts, not as an agency, nor as a channel for foreign aid. We have 10 full time workers from the local community, so that they gain experiences, skills and ideas, and we use local services such as food supplies, horse rental, guides, building.
We are helping local community members set up small businesses related to tourism (including the services listed above), and are coordinating our ideas with local leaders by establishing a community network to bring people together across traditional political and family barriers.
The farm has been reforested with a large variety of species, permitting a mix of plantation and spontaneous regeneration. We practise organic farming, using Nim based pesticides and a range of organic fertilisers, such as poultry mulch, 'leaf soup' and compost. The crops are held in small spots, and the fruit trees in mixed cultures to avoid monoculture effects. With our cattle, we produce our own fodder and collect the manure to use as fertiliser. We are looking into making biogas from the manure, as our little grain against the green house effect. We collect all our wastewater and separate organic waste to exploit the irrigation and fertilising effect to a maximum. We aim to diminish the use of fossil based gas and electricity and hope soon to present a combined sun-firewood water heater, and a biogas cooker.
As a 'leading local enterprise' we support activities in the community, in areas such as sport and religion. We give small donations to groups who apply for a specific activity. Furthermore we have a project with the local baseball team to set up some conditions in their playing field... at moment on hold due to a lack of iron tubes!
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
