Spring Appeal 2009
Will you help Zambian farmers work their way out of poverty?
“When your only method of transporting water is by bucket, it is hard to produce a good quantity of healthy crops.”
It seems like such an obvious statement, doesn’t it? But, this is the harsh reality faced by many poor farmers across Zambia and other African countries. In a country regularly affected by famine, the ability to irrigate land efficiently can mean the difference between poverty and successful yields of high value crops.
The solution lies in a simple and relatively inexpensive device … the treadle pump.
A treadle pump is a human-powered device designed to lift water from a depth of up to seven metres. And although a treadle pump can do most of the work of a motorised pump, it uses no fossil fuel and costs up to 75 per cent less to purchase – great for the environment and for the farmer. Yet, despite its simplicity, the humble treadle pump is changing lives across Zambia and other poor countries in which IDE are working. It costs IDE just £20 to support each farmer to dramatically improve yields through introducing new low cost pump and irrigation equipment they can afford to buy for themselves, and helping them reach new markets for their produce.
Will you give £20 today and help us improve the lives of many more people across the developing world?
Before learning about IDE, Peter Chakanyuka and his family farmed a ½ hectare plot of land. Dependent upon rain for irrigation, his family could grow only small quantities of maize and peanuts. The treadle pump changed the way the family farmed and with it their lives. Thanks to the pump, Peter and his family are now irrigating two hectares of land in a single season and cultivating high value crops such as tomato, pumpkin, onion and sweet corn. The family is healthier because of the variety of produce and, because IDE has linked Peter to supermarkets and vegetable exporters, he is able to sell surplus crops to increase the family’s standard of living.
Recently, the family’s cattle were wiped out by an outbreak of disease. In the past, this would have been a devastating blow that would have plunged the family into poverty. But thanks to the treadle pump, and support from IDE, the family have been able to continue diversifying their crops, enabling them to thrive in the face of adversity. The Chakanyuka family is just one success story that IDE is proud to have been a part of in the past year. But there are so many more families across the developing world in urgent need of our help.
Will you reach out with us and give more poor people the chance of a better life?
Our experience tells us that the best way of combating poverty is in offering long-term support in finding ways to increase the income of poor farmers. As well as water management, we work to establish supply chains, develop markets in which farmers can sell their produce and help them to choose high value crops to cultivate and sell. It really doesn’t cost a great deal of money to change the lives of people like Peter Chakanyuka and his family. All it takes is a little ingenuity, their hard work and a helping hand.
Please, extend your hand today and help us reach out to more families across the developing world. Together, we really can change lives.
Best wishes,
Lewis Temple
Chief Executive
P.S. I can’t stress enough how important your gift is to people like Peter and his family. Today, all over the developing world, poor farmers are engaged in a daily struggle with the land, the elements and unfair market forces. Your support and our expertise is exactly what they need to help tilt the odds in their favour. Thank you.
