This year Goldteak has intercropped groundnuts and green bean for the short term, ginger for mid-term and dragon fruit for long-term (after 8 or 9 months will have first harvest).The groundnuts have a short 3 months till harvest, hence we have mixed them with green beans so that after the nuts are harvested, the green beans will continue to produce. Ginger, with a harvest after 9 months, is a popular not only as a spice, but is used in herbal drinks and candy and dragon fruit, which provides a continual harvest after 9 months, is not a typically local fruit, but Indonesians enjoy it and hence there is a market for these items.
Intercropping adds very little extra work, prior to intercropping the guardians spent much of their time keeping the sea grasses that grows between the trees under control (sea grasses consume nutrients in the soil). With intercropping instead of killing the sea grass, the guardians spend time nurturing plants that enhance the wellbeing of the soil.
Intercropping also helps the guardian learn more skills that can enhance the wellbeing of their families. Some of the guardians who like farming, use their day off to plant some vegetables near the house and raise animals to help support their families personal consumption, however, only three of our guardians do this. Goldteak is exploring the idea of creating a community garden where families can share the work and share the results.
Keep an eye on ‘News from the Field’ to see how that develops.
Updates on the scholarship program: With just 850,000 rph of donated seeds the children have raised 8 million rph by selling the products.
Next News from the Field: Vaccines for the Children.
