GREEN HOUSE/POLY-TUNNEL PROJECT FOR RURAL VILLAGERS
PHASE I YEAR 2000

You may consider sponsoring a family in this program


Project Concept
    
   Environmental degradation is not only due to mass development. It comes in a more threatening form where there's poverty. In remote/rural villages, where there is less opportunity to earn a better income, people resort to devastating actions such as cutting down of trees for fuel and timber, setting fire to forests, especially in watershed areas for chena cultivation, commercial exploitation of land for mass cultivation of food crops thus paving avenues towards soil erosion etc. This situation is getting worse by day and if alternative cultivation methods are not introduced, the consequences are going to be devastating and extremely dangerous. In order to eliminate the situation people must not only be educated, but coordinated action and concerted efforts have to be made for them to turn away from conventional types of agriculture and environmentally unfriendly livelihood. If a few community based organizations and donors could get together, and offer the right formula to eliminate these actions, the threat could be minimized, if not completely eliminated. After a thorough study and close consultation of rural community members/leaders, the panel of consultants of GREEN LANKA NATURE CONSERVANCY ASSOCIATION (GLANCA) has come across the concept of financing green houses/poly-tunnels for selected rural communities with a marketing formula added for the buy back guarantee of the products. The project will eventually eliminate the devastating actions of rural villagers, commonly committed without their knowledge, bringing better financial benefits to the villagers, eventually the farmer communities being self educated about the value of environmental/bio-diversity protection, better living standards, setting examples to the others, minimum soil erosion, minimizing deforestation and making strong rural communities with better attitude and lessons for their future generations and will support the concept of full participation of women as equal partners in the sustainable development of their societies.

Initiation
    
   The program will be launched in the Central Province. Kotmale hydro catchment area, an area where a serious environmental degradation has been monitored, has been selected for this pilot project. Village groups are being identified in the following areas.

1.Doragala ( A cultivation area above 2500 feet from sea level, just above   the Kotmale reservoir, where mass cultivation of food crops take place).
2. Tyspane ( Kotmale)
3. Kudaoya( Kotmale)
4. Halgolla(GLANCA is currently engaged in setting up an Environmental                                                  
   Education Center in this area)
5. Gampola
6. Nayapana(Nugawela)


    Most of the above areas were re-located for Mahaweli settlers, where they had to go through a complete re-orientation due to the Mahaweli development program.

Action
    
   To build 25 green houses/poly-tunnels according to the following schedule as a pilot project.


        
Area
 No. of tunnels No. of families**
#Cost per            tunnel
Total cost
(Rs)
Doragala
06
24
112,000
672,000
Tyspane
03
12
112,000
336,000
Kudaoya
03
12
112,000
336,000
Halgolla++
05
20
112,000
560,000
Gampola^^
03
12
108,000
324,000
Nayapana
05
20
110,000
550,000
Total
25
100
      2,778,000



** Four community participants will be involved with one poly-tunnel. One person (Preferably the house wife since there is no hard labor involved in poly-tunnel cultivation) from each family will be engaged in the work of the tunnel. Their commitment begins at the very beginning of construction under expert guidance, maintenance, cultivation methods under supervision, harvesting, marketing and at the end of the financial liabilities to the lending organization, formal transfer of the ownership of the tunnel to the participating family member.

 #GLANCA takes the full responsibility of the construction of the tunnels/green houses under the guidance of its panel of consultants. (See annexed profile for details of consultants).

^^This will be located at the city center, inside GLANCA nature park premises as a model for others to study the poly-tunnel concept and its advantages.

++These tunnels will be maintained by villagers near the GLANCA Environmental Study Center and will be beneficial for the students of the Center as well.



Sustainability
    
   Income generation begins  approximately on the 90th day from the date of  completion of the construction of tunnels. GLANCA has an understanding with the Rangiri Dambulu Welanda Sangamaya to buy the total production at current market rates. We are negotiating with leading hotels in the Central Province to buy these organic products at an above market rate and the out come is positive. GLANCA will establish and maintain several specialty shelves at leading super markets to sell these products as a special organic, pesticide and insecticide free vegetable range for the discerning customer, which will be an up market range of products. The participating farmers will have a greater enthusiasm due to the fact that they are going to gain more on financial terms & there is less labor involved with the project. As the hosting organization of the project, GLANCA will guarantee in writing the total responsibility of the project and its sustainability.

Beneficiaries

Low income families of the above areas
Women of the rural families involved in the project will financially benefit from the project
Policy making groups of the country
Study groups of various academic institutions/schools
Farmer community as a whole to divert their activities into more environmentally friendly, economically sound ventures of this nature.
The nation as a whole who will consume more healthy food and demand better quality similar to the products derived from this project.
Financial institutions that will encourage more projects of this nature in the future.

Financial aspects of the project

Total Cost of the construction------------------Rs.  2,778,000
GLANCA's contribution (25%)-----------------Rs.     694,500   
Donor Contribution (75%)-----------------------Rs.  2,083,500

Commitments to the Project

GLANCA will contribute to the project in the following disciplines
•         Technical support
•         25% of the construction cost of tunnels
•         Construction of poly-tunnels
•         Monitoring and evaluation
•         Coordination
•         Loan repayment guarantee on behalf of the farmer             communities
•         Salaries and wages to project participants during the              non-productive period
•         Consultancy fees where applicable
•         Marketing of the products
•         Any other aspect suggested by the lending institute


Media coverage/ publicity/ propaganda

    GLANCA will attend to the local media coverage and publicity of the project and of its donors appropriately. The project will be highlighted internationally through the following international partners of GLANCA.
•         The Young Green network sponsored by Danish Media           Ministry
•         Genet e-media network (Malaysia)


GLANCA's financial liabilities

    We do not have any financial liability to any lending institution up to date. GLANCA is fully funded by philanthropists, its Directors & the committed Panel of consultants. We have excellent references and are available on request if necessary.

Long Term Benefits of the Project

    This will be a pilot project and will eventually set an example to the others on how to be more productive and efficient without threatening the environment and the bio-diversity. After completion of Phase I, GLANCA will launch a nation wide program of  similar nature, educating and facilitating necessary infrastructure for a better agricultural policy with the full cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Construction schedule
    
   With the current resource personnel and equipment available for construction of green houses/poly-tunnels the following construction plan has been drawn.


Area
No. of construction days
No. of
poly-tunnels
Av. No. of days spent on a poly-tunnel
Doragala
24
06
04
Typane
12
03
04
Kudaoya
12
03
04
Halgolla
20
05
04
Gampola
12
03
04
Nayapana
20
05
04
Total construction days
            100



Income Projection
    
   Green house cultivation has no seasonal affects. Cultivation can be consistent throughout the year and crops vary depending on the projected/anticipated market vacuums/ over supply etc. Specialty vegetable & fruit varieties are accommodated according to buyers' demands. Mostly tomato, beat, red radish, cauliflower, bull nose, salad leaves are cultivated in green houses due to the round the year demand for them. Crops from poly-tunnels are of better quality, larger in size weighing more and even suitable for export markets. Crop losses due to extreme climatic conditions, insect attacks, and viral or fungal attacks are minimal due to the controlled climate inside the green house. No pesticides are used minimizing the costs involved with cultivation. Maximum crop harvesting is guaranteed and the  prices paid for organic vegetables/ fruits are very much higher than the prices paid for products manufactured using conventional types of cultivation methods. General guidelines on income generation of a green house with a dimension of 50' X 20' (same dimensions are used for the project) are as follows. The income indicated is on a minimum basis and practically it could be higher. Agricultural insurance scheme permits the farmer to overcome probable natural disasters.
Since the mixed cultivation and rotational cultivation and harvesting methods are followed, the green house generates almost daily income to the farmer.


Minimum net income from a Poly-tunnel after 45 days
from germination with dimensions of 50' X 20 ',
with mixed cultivation, using rotational
cultivation and harvesting method,
utilizing hydrophonic technology & drip irrigation
systems is approximately  ---------------------------Rs.     10,000+/5%

Approximate income
generated from 25 poly-tunnels per month  ----Rs.    250,000+/-5%
 (From the second month of operation)

Approximate income generated
from the 05th month of operation  ------------------Rs.    275,000+/-5%

Projected annual income
from 25 poly-tunnel  ------------------------------------Rs.3,000,000+/-5%

Community Participation

    The selected rural community groups will participate in training programs, gaining practical green house construction experience, supply voluntary feedback on the progress of the project gaining financial benefits as well as knowledge. They will be eventually educated on the importance of protecting the environment and bio diversity and the importance of using modern technology in a friendly way. The rural community will learn by themselves that modern technology is not a threat, but a blessing in many ways if used correctly. The community participating members will take part in step by step project evaluation & progress monitoring process with voluntary feedback of their own to the hosting organization & the funding otganizations.                         

Conclusion

    Preliminary studies carried out by the panel of consultants of GLANCA has proved that the enormous impact that can be created among the rural communities with these types of projects can be ten times as much as that of an educational seminar or any other community development program. GLANCA, a non- profit organization working for a better environment in Sri Lanka, always welcomes suggestions & views from all those who are interested in environment related activities. Let us go hand in hand to make a better world for us and our future generations.
    Now you can take part in this worthy cause. It costs only 150 US$ to sponsor one family affiliated to the program. You may simply bank  wire or send a bank draft to the following bank details or request more details from email  greenlanka@agdomain.com

Bank:          ANZ Grindlays Bank- Kandy Branch- Sri Lanka
A/C Name: GREEN LANKA NATURE CONSERVANCY ASSOCIATION
A/C No:       1383173

All Bank Drafts/Correspondence to:
Green Lanka Nature Conservation Association,
C 10, River Side, Mawatura, Via Gampola 20500.
Sri Lanka.

Let us Protect the Environment; it is our moral duty.
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