Mission:
The BSAR&D mission is to work with students at BSF-Nepal to achieve self-sustainability by introducing new agricultural and developmental programs that have been successful around the world. The results will be shared with the local farmers and the wider community.
Objectives:
This project would be the first of its kind project to be introduced by a school in Nepal. One important goal of this project will be to produce foods using organic farming methods. Students will research the most effective methods to achieve this goal. The project will be creating a closed ecosystem. Volunteer school teachers and local and international volunteers will instruct the students on this program. Classes are being added to the school’s curriculum to provide credits to all participating students. Students will learn about the planting cycle of plants, document the growth process, testing the growth process in a controlled and uncontrolled environment, note plant nutrients and growth in organic and inorganic environments, use natural and manufactured pesticides, and document all the process.
Goats, Chicken and Fish will be introduced to create a closed ecosystem. Food produced will be used for our Kid’s Kitchen program and will be passed along to the community. Any additional monetary funds/items from the sales of the products will be used by BSF-Nepal to help and add more students to the ongoing Mission Educate and Kid’s Kitchen Programs.
The organization will keep track of the monetary yield so that we can share the information with local farmers and help them produce more from a smaller piece of land. BSF Nepal further pledges to give away 150 goats (approximately $15,000 US total cost of the project) back to the community over the next 5 years. Perhaps another opportunity for Earthways to be involved.
Operation:
BSF-Nepal has secured a land lease with the owners of a property next to the school. The land will be subdivided to accommodate the following projects. Fish-pond for aquaponics system, area for a hut to house volunteers, green houses for controlled study, outdoor plots for uncontrolled study, mushroom farm, food processing area, egg laying chickens, chickens and goats.